Cloud – Women’s Barefoot Sandal

Frankly, we don’t know. We’ve had people put over 10,000 miles on a pair… and they’re still going!

Like any shoe, how long they last depends on your running style. If you use good barefoot technique and are light and easy, without scraping your foot on the ground, you’ll enjoy them for quite a while.

Besides, considering how inexpensive they are compared to big, padded, running shoes, we expect that you’ll be saving a fortune by using Xero Shoes.

And, more importantly, Xero Shoes come with a 5,000 mile sole warranty!

If you have a headache because you’re hitting yourself on the head with a hammer, wearing gloves won’t stop the pain.
In other words, it’s not just a question of taking off your shoes and experiencing magical healing powers.
Running barefoot, or in running sandals, gives you a lot of feedback about your running form. In short, if it hurts, you’re probably doing something wrong.

If you are willing to listen to that feedback and use it as an opportunity to change the way you run, to adjust your stride, to find a way to move that doesn’t hurt, then there’s a good chance any problems you had that were caused by bad form sure might clear up.

In other words, barefoot and minimalist running could show you how to let go of the hammer.
Being barefoot, or in huaraches, is an opportunity to find a cure, not a cure in and of itself.
Check out this post to read about people who, instead, thought barefoot running was about putting on gloves.

Tens of thousands of people all around the world of all ages use Xero Shoes for running… and walking, hiking, biking, camping, going to the beach, hitting the gym, doing yoga, even running 100-mile ultra marathons. Our former Customer Happiness Manager, Bill, ran from his house to the bus, from the bus stop to the office, back home, and then around with his dogs… then he does his fun runs on the weekend… that was about 120 miles on his Xero Shoes each week!

We don’t currently have a way to let you select different laces when you order, but if you’re adventurous, you can buy extra laces and swap them out with the ones that come with your Clouds and Ventures. (It’s actually not that hard to do.)

The Venture and Cloud are ready-to-wear barefoot-inspired sandals.
Both products use our exclusive FeelTrue® rubber, the only outsole product made specifically for barefoot style sandals.

The Venture’s sole is 5.5mm thick, compared to either 4mm or 6mm on the DIY kits. The Cloud has 3mm of Barefoam™ in the forefoot for a bit of extra comfort and lighter weight (the Clouds float!)

The Cloud and Venture have a soft toe post, so there’s no knot under your foot.

The Cloud and Venture have a simpler lacing system with a patent-pending adjustment technology that lets you get a perfect fit in just seconds.

The ankle holes on the Cloud and Venture are raised off the ground so the lace can’t abrade.
The heel cup helps keep stuff from getting under your foot (not perfectly, of course), and keeps your heel in place.

Okay, that’s not a question, but I’ll talk about it anyway 😉

Most people who say this are thinking of flip-flops. Xero Shoes are very different than flip-flops, and people who don’t like things between their toes are usually fine in Xero Shoes.

What’s the difference?

• • First, because of the heel strap, Xero Shoes stay on your foot comfortably, no matter what you’re doing with them. You don’t need to scrunch your toes to hold them on (like you do with a flip-flop).

• • Second, also because of the heel strap, you don’t need to jam your foot into the toe strap with every step (like a flip-flop)

• • Third… Speaking of the toe strap, it’s a soft, flexible bit of lace, not a hard rubber door stopper (like a you-know-what)

• • And finally, you can adjust the tension of the toe strap, unlike a… Well, you get the idea.

Light and easy.

I can’t give you a barefoot running lesson here (for that, see the links on our home page).

But just by wearing them, you’ll find quickly that you don’t want to land hard on your heel as you walk or run in Xero Shoes.

The best advice I can give is: play with your gait and stride, looking for the thing that feels the most comfortable and is the easiest. But, most importantly: TAKE IT EASY at first… remember, Xero Shoes are just like barefoot, only with protection and style. If you’re not used to walking barefoot, that alone could take some time to get used to.

Plus, since you’re not putting as much stress on your skin when you wear huaraches, which means it hurts less, it’s tempting to do too much, too far, too fast at first. I know that no matter what I say you’ll probably overdo it (I did). Besides, how do you know what “too much” is, unless you do too much!?

Well, even though that’s true, I recommend you break into your huaraches SLOWLY. Walk around in them for a while first. Maybe only a half mile or so. When that’s comfortable, extend the time you’re walking and, when you feel ready, try running. If you’re already running a mile a day, try half a mile in these one day and see how you feel. Give yourself a day or two off and then repeat. If that’s not a problem, build up SLOWLY.

I also use the “slap-test.” If my sandals are slapping on the ground when I walk or run, I need to make some kind of change, probably by not reaching my foot out as far, or using better posture, etc.

You can use almost anything for lacing huaraches.

In my testing, though, I found some issues with hemp and leather that I didn’t like:

• Both leather and hemp tended to stretch, especially when moist
• Both leather and hemp tighten and stiffen when they dry
• Both leather and hemp wear out faster than our polyester laces
• Leather is much more expensive
• Most leather laces are rectangular, and the edges can dig into your skin
• Leather, isn’t vegan (for those who care about that)
• Leather and hemp don’t give you as many fun color choices

The 100% polyester cord we use is strong, light, and doesn’t stretch or tighten, especially when wet.

Also, I prefer the “slip-on” method of tying which works best with a round lace, rather than a flat one (like leather).

Needless to say, you can replace the lace we send you with whatever you like.

Please go to Xero Shoes Return Policy page to learn about our 45-day return policy.

We do! We’ve sold Xero Shoes to people in more than 85 countries around the world.
We use the US Postal service to send our shipments. The cost to ship will depend on the weight of the package and the delivery speed you select; several options will be provided at checkout.

All domestic shipments come with tracking. Limited tracking is available for some first class international shipments depending on the country, and full tracking is available with all Priority Express and Express International shipments.

Though almost all of our international orders arrive without incident, we strongly advise you to select Priority Express International or Express International if you live in a country with a less reliable postal service, including (but not limited to) India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and Indonesia. We cannot guarantee delivery of packages shipped using First Class International.

International delivery can take anywhere from 3 days to 8 weeks depending on how long your order spends in customs at the border.

Please note that some countries do require the payment of import duties for international shipments above a certain value. We advise you to know the import regulations of your country and understand that you will be responsible for payment of any duties and fees imposed by your government at the border.

All packages will be marked as merchandise; as a commercial shipper, we are not able to mark a package as a gift (if you’re giving Xero Shoes as a gift, that’s not the same as us sending a gift).
Also, check our Stores page. There may be a Xero Shoes dealer closer to you.

After you purchase a gift certificate, you’ll be able to enter an email address for the recipient.

You could email it to yourself and forward it at a later time if you like.

You can also take the Gift Certificate code and send it to the recipient.