The Xero Blog

Whether you’re headed out for an easy day on the trail, setting off on a multi-day trip or aiming for a new speed record, there’s a Xero Shoes Scrambler that will be the perfect fit for your adventure. This guide will help you choose which Scrambler is right for you.Like all our shoes, the Scrambler family is rooted in barefoot principles… Wider, foot-shaped toe box designed to let your toes splay for greater comfort and balance. Zero-drop heel promotes natural posture and movement for improved stability and agility. Thin, flexible sole gives you ground feedback to help you move better over any type of terrain. They’re also more lightweight than you would expect any hiking shoe to be. You know how, at the end of a long day of hiking, the first thing you want to do is take off your shoes? You won’t feel like that in any version of the Scrambler. Even after putting in the miles, your feet will still feel good.But each Scrambler has unique features that will determine the best choice for you…   *eVent Membrane: Designed to withstand any weather condition, eVent® BIO Footwear is a waterproof and planet-positive laminate that combines cutting edge technology with highly renewable plant-based materials. Derived from tall oil, a byproduct of wood pulp, BIO Footwear offers good abrasion resistance, ensuring your shoes stand the test of time.*Michelin Fiberlite: The thin Michelin fiberlite technology in the sole gives unparalleled strength, flexibility, and lightness. Plus, with mud-shedding lugs inspired by Michelin’s high-performance mountain bike tires, you feel the confidence that comes from incredible grip.The Scrambler Trail SeriesThe Scrambler Trail Series features a mix of mid- and low-cut, waterproof and non-waterproof hiking shoes made for day hikes and backpacking trips. The grippy lugged outsoles are up to tackling moderate terrain and the barefoot design means these are comfortable for long days on the trail.Scrambler Trail Mid – All-Day Comfort for Warm, Dry HikesThis hiking boot is highly breathable with an abrasion resistant upper that’s ready for tough terrain. The gusseted tongue keeps debris out. The durable mesh upper with welded overlays provides lightweight, flexible protection. The larger lugs give you ample traction for confidence and agility on the trail.The Scrambler Trail Mid keeps feet cool and comfortable throughout the day, even when you’re putting in a lot of miles.You’ll also enjoy good ankle protection that doesn’t feel too stiff. And the lacing system ensures a snug but not restrictive fit… important to feeling confident when you’re hiking on uneven ground.Bottom Line: This is our most comfortable hiking boot for warm, dry hiking conditions. If you’re putting in a lot of miles, hiking over uneven terrain, and enjoying a sunny day… that’s the perfect setting for the Scrambler Trail Mid.Scrambler Trail Mid WP – All-Day Comfort No Matter the Terrain or WeatherOur Scrambler Trail Mid WP is the waterproof version of the Scrambler Trail Mid.You’ll enjoy the same lightweight comfort, durability, and rugged traction, but with the added protection of being waterproof. The XeroTex™ membrane and gusseted tongue keep water and debris out. The mid-cut design offers the ankle protection you want for longer or more technical hikes. Even when you’re hiking a steep trail on a rainy day, you’ll feel secure on your feet… and your feet will feel dry and comfortable. Bottom Line: When you want to put in the miles no matter the terrain or the weather, the Scrambler Trail Mid WP is a great choice. This boot is waterproof and grippy — perfect for cool, wet conditions — but still comfortable on warmer days.Scrambler Trail Low WP - A Low-Profile, Waterproof Trail RunnerIf your favorite weekend activity is a long day hike exploring somewhere new, then the Scrambler Trail Low WP could be the perfect Scrambler for you. Featuring the same  abrasion-resistant mesh upper with welded overlays as the Scrambler Trail Mid, this trail runner gives you the lightweight, flexible protection you want on rough terrain.You’ll feel light and agile on your feet in any weather, and your feet will stay dry in soggy weather conditions and through stream crossings. Bottomline: A low-profile, waterproof trail runner that can handle serious hiking conditions.The Scrambler Michelin SeriesThe Scrambler Michelin Series features hiking boots and trail running shoes with our Michelin fiberlite sole. Made in collaboration with Michelin (the car and bike tire company), these soles boast unparalleled strength and flexibility while being unexpectedly light.Whether you’re out for a run on your favorite trail or tackling technical terrain, the combination of exceptional grip and lightweight design make the Michelin series a great choice.Scrambler Mid II – Ultra-Light Hiking Boot with a Michelin Fiberlite SoleThe Scrambler Mid II is up to the technical needs of an epic hike, but so comfortable, you won’t mind leaving them on when you finish your day.This boot’s Michelin fiberlite sole is combined with mud-shedding lugs so you have incredible grip on the trail.The Scrambler Mid II’s abrasion-resistant, vegan-friendly, breathable upper and welded sidewalls keep dirt and debris out of your boots. The moisture-wicking lining allows airflow even on the hottest days, so your feet stay dry and comfortable.Bottom Line: Whether you take it for a day trip or a speed hike, the Scrambler Mid II offers all the capability of a robust hiking boot while feeling more like a shoe.Scrambler Mid II WP – Ultralight Waterproof Hiking BootIn the Scrambler Mid II WP, you get a bio-based internal membrane that’s 100% waterproof but that allows moisture to escape. That means even when you’re working hard, your feet will remain dry and comfortable.We’ve paired the best in waterproof protection with the superior grip of our Michelin fiberlite sole and a tightly woven, abrasion-resistant, breathable mesh upper that keeps debris out and that’s durable in the face of rough terrain Bottom Line: Whatever you need, the Scrambler Mid II WP delivers… comfort on long hikes… grippy on technical terrain…  waterproof for when the weather gets soggy… and lightweight so you feel agile on the trail.Scrambler Low – Lightweight Trail Runner with Exceptional TractionRace, hike, scramble, and explore in the Scrambler Low.In addition to outstanding grip from the Michelin fiberlite sole, in the Scrambler Low you’ll also enjoy exceptional breathability, so your feet stay comfortable and dry, even when you’re working hard.When you’re running over distances, enjoying a leisurely walk, or putting in the miles on the trail, the Scrambler Low gives you all-day comfort on the road, trail, or gravel paths. Bottomline: Comfortable from the moment you put them on — great performance for a variety of activities and terrains.Scrambler Low EV – High-Performance Trail RunnerIf what you need is an all-terrain shoe with a barefoot feel and just the right amount of protection to feel the trail and enjoy every step, the Scrambler Low EV is the right call.The outsole, with Michelin Fiberlite technology, provides lightweight grip with unparalleled flexibility for confidence and agility on the trail. This shoe fits like a glove — so comfortable, you might forget you have it on.And they’re made to be tough, breathable, and quick drying, so whatever you do in them, you can count on doing it in comfort. Bottomline: This is our lightest trail runner yet. You’ll find it tough, breathable, and comfortable on or off the trail.Every Xero Shoes Scrambler gives you a true-to-barefoot experience. You’ll enjoy more room for your toes, zero drop for natural posture, and thin, flexible soles for good ground feel. That all adds up to all-day comfort no matter how you love to spend your time outdoors. For trail-running, day-hiking, and back-packing, you can’t beat the comfort, durability, and flexibility of the Scrambler series.

Written by: Alexa Lampasona, PR Manager at Xero Shoes Alexa handles media relations and press for Xero Shoes. If you found Xero Shoes in a magazine, online article, TV segment, chances are Alexa made that happen! Alexa lives and breathes Xero Shoes, wearing them for running, hiking, walking the dog, hanging around town (in Boise, where she works remote), and travel.  Read on to hear about Alexa's recent European vacation and how she wore Xero Shoes for everything... I recently traveled to Sicily with my husband for an anniversary trip. We intentionally went in the off-season and were met with fewer crowds and better deals on accommodations. Sicily in early October was pleasant and probably even more enjoyable with the temperatures. We lounged by the beach in 80-degree weather, and I wore shorts or dresses every day. When I'm packing for a trip, I always overpack, and since we were spending time on the coast and in the Etna mountain region, I had to have my beachwear and some mountainwear. My husband and I are also notorious for NOT relaxing on our vacations. Instead of wine tasting in the Mt. Etna region, I booked us to hike "for experienced hikers only" to the craters at the peak of Etna. But there's one item that I never have to overpack: my Xero Shoes. We hit several towns in Sicily, and I planned a myriad of outfits around my Xero Shoes Nexus Knit (and Z-Trail EV for the beaches): Skirts and crop tops for looking stylish in Taormina. Z-Trail EV with a bright dress for our beach days in Taormina Cool and breezy shorts and tanks for walking through Agrigento's Valley of Temples. Bright and cheery colors for Catania, one of Sicily's vibrant towns. Comfortable yet stylish neutrals for train travel. And an oversized shirtdress for our pizza tour in Naples. Xero Shoes Nexus Knit in all white paired perfectly with every outfit. It was the only shoe I packed (besides the Z-Trail EV for the beach) because: It was versatile - you can never go wrong with an all-white sneaker It was comfortable -  my watch regularly logged us walking 10,000 steps, and I never once had to think about my shoes It was lightweight - my suitcase remained well under the airline weight limit When the white sneakers got a little smudged from walking around the ancient ruins, I just followed these tips to clean my white shoes. It was easy to wash them in the hotel sink and they dried overnight. In addition to the Nexus Knit, these other lightweight, easily packable sneakers from Xero Shoes pack just as well and will pair with any outfit on your next trip: Dillon Shop the Dillon Kelso Shop the Kelso Z-Trail EV Shop the Z-Trail EV

It’s tempting to treat your shoe rack like a toolbox. For each situation, there’s a product in the $133 billion shoe industry to fit it, from workout shoes to hiking, running, and yes, even walking shoes!  But do we need to have a specialized shoe for something as fundamental and human as walking? Massachusetts-based podiatrist Dr. Alissa Kuizinas isn't so sure.   “We often have this perception that we need a special category of shoe to wear for walks,” she says. “There’s even a whole segment of footwear called ‘walking shoes,’ and there’s all kinds of technology involved in that. But every shoe can be a walking shoe, as long as it meets certain standards.” It took a long journey for this doctor to reach her current conclusions on walking shoes. Here’s how her personal experience led her to change her mind, and how she guides clients into finding the right shoe for their situation.   “I knew there had to be a better solution” Dr. Kuizinas has more than a medical perspective on footwear. She struggled with foot discomfort for years, and found that she was repeatedly jamming her big toe inside her shoes with each step she took – “even with my ‘good shoes’ on,” she recalls. https://youtu.be/D_0iYRwKOaw “Traditional medicine would recommend that I wear custom orthotics, limit my activity and wear stiff-soled shoes until the pain becomes bad enough to require surgery,” she says. “I knew there had to be a better solution.” The deeper this foot doctor delved, the more she found that her feet weren't the problem. It was her shoes! “Even though shoe companies spend millions of dollars on technology and design development, the shoes they produce and sell are doing a major disservice to human feet,” she explains. “From cushioning, to heel-toe drops, stiff soles, to narrow toe boxes, nearly every aspect of a modern shoe has a negative impact on foot movement. It leads to an epidemic of dysfunctional, weak, and malfunctioning feet. And most of us aren’t even aware this is happening!”  She finally found her fit once she started wearing anatomically designed, flexible shoes with little to no padding, like Xero Shoes. In a matter of months, she wasn’t just feeling better; she had changed dramatically her perspective on what a shoe should be!  Get Out of the Way of Your Feet “The primary purpose of shoes is to protect our feet from the elements and from different surfaces,” Dr. Kuizinas says. “They’re for when we are out in the world walking on a slippery or wet surface. Ultimately, shoes are really there JUST for that purpose. They don’t need to be bulky and restrictive, or supporting our feet. Our feet are designed to support themselves!”  So… why not just walk barefoot all the time? Research has actually supported this idea of slight “protection” being beneficial. A study comparing outdoor barefoot walking with minimalist footwear found that the shoes actually improved walking form in both younger and older adults, and reduced risk of falling.  To maximize on these benefits, Dr. Kuizinas recommends a ‘as little shoe as possible’ approach to footwear, and instead focusing on building resilient, capable feet.  “Rather than building up the shoe to try to externally support the foot and limit motion, minimalist shoes get out of the way of our feet,” she says. “They allow feet to function naturally, to move, and bend. The transition to minimalist shoes involves stripping down the unnecessary and harmful components of modern shoes so that feet can be feet again!” When working with clients today, Dr. Kuizinas shies away from the term “minimalist shoes.” Instead, she likes to call them “functional shoes” or “natural shoes.”  “Natural footwear is really on the leading edge of shoe technology,” she says. “By stripping away the unnecessary and downright harmful features of shoes, we allow feet to function effortlessly as they were designed to!” How to Find Your “Functional” Walking Shoe Dr. Kuizinas has a three-point checklist of what she looks for in a functional shoe, which not-so-coincidentally match up with the three major functions of the human foot during walking.  “The foot has three jobs: to be a ‘mobile adaptor’ or shock absorber when it first hits the ground, to be a rigid lever during push-off, and to be a sensor of the environment,” she explains. “As long as it can do these three things, it will function well.”  Here’s how she says those functions should be reflected in the shoes you wear:  Wide Toe Box: “Functional sneakers should have a wide, foot-shaped toe box. They’re broad enough to allow our big toe to sit in a proper alignment.” Flat & Flexible Soles: “Our feet contain 26 bones and 33 joints. And joints are designed to move! A flexible sole allows for natural foot movement. By contrast, stiff and rigid shoes with elevated heels prevent the joints from fully moving through their range of motion and limit the foot.” Minimal cushion and support: “A functional shoe should only be only as cushioned as you really need. Overly cushioned shoes dampen your perception of what's going on with your feet, and your ability to walk well.”  If you follow those simple standards, Dr. Kuizinas says, every shoe can be a walking shoe! Be Patient and Build Up to Barefoot Both from her personal experience and in her professional practice, Dr. Kuiz recommends being patient when it comes to transitioning to full-time “functional” footwear.  In the early days, she recommended a one-two approach of wearing functional shoes primarily for low-impact activities like walking and running errands, while also going barefoot around the house to help build resilience in the feet and ankles.  “As your foot function improves, you’ll be able to tolerate less arch supportive shoes for greater amounts of time,” she explains.  Xero Shoes That Fit Dr. Kuizinas' Standards Kelso BUY HERE Prio Suede BUY HERE Aptos BUY HERE Pheonix Leather BUY HERE Hana BUY HERE Mika BUY HERE Need help finding your perfect pair of shoes? TAKE THE SHOE FINDER QUIZ About Dr. Alissa Kuizinas Dr. Alissa Kuizinas is a virtual podiatrist with a passion for natural foot function. She helps people transform their feet by focusing on healthy footwear, movement patterns, and gait mechanics to get them moving at their absolute best.