Everything You Need to Know for Choosing Running Sandals
The best barefoot walking and hiking sandals are running sandals
Compared to Chacos or Tevas, hiking and running sandals will improve your mechanics, strengthen your feet and calves, decrease weight, and reduce sweat, all while improving balance, efficiency, and sensory feedback. I’ve been wearing minimalist sandals on all terrain since Barefoot Ted released the original Lunas over 15 years ago. Much of that time was spent with the thinnest possible soles, even on concrete and asphalt. And of course, I’ve done tons of sandal running and hiking across the country including in the Sierras, Rockies, Appalachian Trail, and Utah red rock.
Why you should walk and hike in minimalist running sandals: In the same way that trail running shoes are lighter and more efficient for hiking than hiking boots, barefoot running sandals are lighter and more efficient than traditional sandals like Chacos or Tevas.
How to choose sole thickness
- 8-9 mm is the best all-around, most versatile
- 6-7 mm for veteran users, backpacking camp footwear
- 10-12 mm for extra protection, traction, beginners, sensitive feet
- 13+ mm for max protection and traction; no longer minimalist
While you’re here, don’t miss our guides to ultralight sandals, trail running shoes, and socks.
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The Best Running Sandals
Quick Picks by Sole Thickness
Best All-Around (8-9mm)
- Best All-Around: Earth Runners Circadian
- Best Performance: Shamma Elite Maximus
- Top Pick, Minimalist: Bedrock Classic LT
- Top Pick, Winged: Luna Venado Winged
Best With Thin Soles (6-7 mm)
- Top Pick, Lightest: Shamma Elite Warriors
Best With Thick Soles (10-12 mm)
- Best All-Around: Shamma Elite Alphas
- Top Performer: Luna Leadville Trail
- Best Traction: Luna Oso Flaco
Best With Very Thick Soles (13+ mm)
- Best Traction: Shamma Elite Ibex
- Best Chaco/Teva Alternative: Bedrock Cairn EVO
- Top Pick: Luna Mono Winged
Running Sandals Comparison Table
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| Model | Price ($) | Thickness (mm) | List Weight per Sandal (oz) | Traction |
| Shamma Warrior | 100 | 6 | 4.0 | Medium |
| Bedrock Classic LT | 70 | 8 | 4.5 | Medium |
| Shamma Maximus | 105 | 9 | 5.0 | Medium |
| Luna Venado Winged | 125 | 9 | 4.4 | Low |
| Earth Runners Circadian | 95 | 9 | 5.9 | Medium |
| Luna Leadville | 120 | 11 | 5.6 | High |
| Luna Oso Flaco Winged | 120 | 11.5 | 7.2 | High |
| Shamma Alpha | 115 | 12 | 5.0 | Medium |
| Shamma Ibex | 125 | 13 | 7.0 | High |
| Bedrock Cairn EVO | 115 | 14 | 7.8 | High |
| Luna Mono Winged | 115 | 15 | 6.7 | High |
Tread, rubber, and sole wear. Less aggressive tread and harder rubber compounds make for longer lasting outsoles. The left two sandals use durable Vibram NewFlex and wear out slowly. The right two use Vibram MoreFlex and MegaGrip, which in conjunction with aggressive lugs, wear out quickly.
Best All-Around Running Sandals (8-9mm soles)
Alan’s favorites, these are epitome of hiking and running sandals. They are light, comfortable, with flexible soles for great trail feel while still providing just enough protection for moderately rocky trails. Most can double as camp footwear. But for folks new to sandal hiking, or who have not seasoned their feet to minimal footwear, we suggest you look at the 10-12 mm sandals which provide more trail protection.
Earth Runners Circadian
Earth Runners are a super comfortable and durable “daily-driver” that simply works. For an ounce more than the lightest 9mm sandals, you get the best sole rubber, and a simple set-and-forget strap system (one strap, one buckle) for reliability and ease of adjustment, and a moisture and slippage resistant footbed. In particular vs the competition, the Vibram® Gumlite sole excels in rock protection, wet grip, and durability. We like the thicker, stronger webbing straps, few failure points, and solid copper toe strap anchors. The single continuous strap has only one buckle, so no irritation hot-spots from fastening/adjusting hardware. And the grippy canvas footbed deals better with side-hilling, and wet conditions.
Use code “ultralight10” for 10% off.
- Price: $95
- Thickness: 9 mm
- List Weight: 5.9 oz
- Sole: Vibram® Gumlite (7.5mm)
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Light but competes with heavier, thicker sandals. Versatile and well-rounded. Great sole rubber. Great flexibility, ground feel, stability. Canvas footbed is pleasant. Elegant, simple set-it-and-forget-it straps. No heel slippage. Copper strap anchor. Super durable with few failure points.
- Cons: Could be lighter. Minimal cushion. Lacking refined adjustability. Canvas footbed can fray. No re-soling.
Shamma Elite Maximus
One of our lightest 9mm running sandals, the Shamma Maximus is a “high-performance race-car” that requires a bit more tuning and maintenance. When adjusted and used properly, these are one of the lightest weight, most protective, securely fitted, and trail-capable running sandals out there. They offer a great trail feel, are accessible to all experience le vels, and block out most rocks and lumps. But that comes at a price. The thinner three straps with two Velcro zones, and one triple strap buckle zone are difficult to adjust, can slip over time and have multiple slippage/failure points with potential for abrasion and hot-spots hardware locations. The Elite lacing system has side “wings” to keep the heel strap from dropping down. We do like the user resole option.
- Price: $105
- Thickness: 9mm
- List Weight: 5.0 oz
- Sole: Vibram Newflex (8mm), 1mm UltraGrip footbed
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Best in the Shamma line. Perfect blend of minimalism and protection. Still light and with great trail feel. Smooths out all but larger rocks and lumps. Accessible to most experience levels. User resole-able.
- Cons: Modest grip. Softer Vibram rubber wears faster. Ultragrip footbeds can get sweaty. Strap adjustment can be complicated. Straps aren’t set-it-and-forget-it, will require re-adjusting. Multiple points for slippage and failure.
Bedrock Classic LT
Despite tying a few others for lowest list weight, the measured weight of my size 10 Classic LT was the lightest in our round-up. Bedrock’s OG sandal is an ultralight purist tool — flexible, comfortable, and crazy light. Sometimes overshadowed by the beefier Cairn, it should not be overlooked. In our versatile 8-9mm sole category, it has the thinnest and most flexible sole, giving the most comfort and trail sensitivity. The Vibram Blown Rubber (between Newflex and Moreflex) is a “Goldilocks” rubber, with a good blend of flexibility, softness, trail protection, and durability — good in all categories. We also like the “Classic” continuous loop with side-cinch lacing that creates fewer potential abrasion points than wings. Downsides are that it’s the least protective sandal in the all-around class, and less durable than sandals with Gumlite, or Newflex soles.
- Price: $70
- Thickness: 8 mm
- List Weight: 4.5 oz
- Sole: Vibram Blown Rubber
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Best in the Bedrock line. Good blend of minimalism and protection, good all around. Light and with a great trail feel. Smooths out some rocks. Light enough for camp footwear. Nice nubby tread. Good all-around rubber.
- Cons: Modest grip. A bit thin for hard manmade surfaces. Definitely not for newbies.
LUNA Venado Winged
The LUNA Venado Winged is another extremely lightweight pair of 9mm running sandals, and a great all-arounder. The Venado is focused on fast walking and light trail running; a favorite with sandal runners. It achieves its low weight with a soft and light Vibram Moreflex sole. The sole has a bit of spring for energy return, and to take some of the sting out of rocky trail. The footbed nicely molds to your foot. The winged lacing, along with an inevitable molded footbed keeps feet well-positioned on the sandal. Downsides are less durable soles that can wear quickly, how compression thins the sole at ball and heel of foot; and how wings and strap buckles can be friction points.
- Price: $125
- Thickness: 9mm
- List Weight: 4.4 oz
- Sole: Vibram Morflex
- Traction level: Low
- Pros: Great for fast walking/running. Light. Soft comfortable soles. Secure winged lacing
- Cons: Less durable sole. Not as protective for rocks as harder soles like Gumlite or Newflex. Wings and buckles can be friction points. Its smooth sole is not ideal for loose conditions.
Best Running Sandals With Ultra Thin Soles (6-7 mm)
Best used by veteran barefoot runners, soft terrain, or as camp footwear.
Shamma Elite Warriors
With a 6 mm sole and weighing only four ounces per sandal, Elite Warriors are the thinnest, lightest pair of running sandals. They offer an exceptional sense of trail-feel, and are incredibly light and responsive while walking. They’re so light and easy to pack that they make for a great pair of backpacking camp shoes. While I don’t recommend long walks in Elite warriors to beginner minimalists, those with trained/conditioned feet will fall love in; I’ve personally worn them on 10-15 mile long hikes. Elite warriors are about as LNT as you can get for hiking footwear.
- Price: $100
- Thickness: 6mm
- List Weight: 4.0 oz
- Sole: Vibram Newflex (5mm)
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Very lightweight and responsive. Least expensive model. Great trail feel. Best camp sandal for backpackers. LNT-style footwear. User re-sole-able.
- Cons: You can feel every root and rock. Longer walks require trained/conditioned feet. Modest grip.
Best Running Sandals With Thicker Soles (10-12 mm)
These sandals are the perfect entry point for folks new to hiking and running sandals. They are also great for seasoned sandal users who have more sensitive feet, or are hiking through particularly rocky terrain and need more foot protection. For us, these sandals provide a great all-around hiking platform with low weight, good trail feel, and adequate foot protection, even on moderately challenging trails.
Shamma Elite Alpha
With a (relatively) thick 12mm sole that combines two types of Vibram rubber, Shamma Elite Alphas are the perfect choice for beginner minimalists, or anyone seeking extra protection against bumpy surfaces. While some degree of responsiveness and trail sense is lost, they retain flexibility and connect you to the ground infinitely better than Chacos or Tevas. A dual layer sole increases comfort; MoreFlex up top provides firm cushioning, while NewFlex bottoms provide structure and wear-resistance. Elite Alphas are also great running sandals for use on hard, man-made surfaces like asphalt or pavement. While it does offer a truly dialed-in fit, the drawbacks to Shamma’s Elite lacing system is that it requires extra effort to get right, with slippage overtime requiring occasional adjustments.
- Price: $115
- Thickness: 12 mm
- List Weight: 5.0 oz
- Sole: Vibram Newflex (5mm), Vibram Morflex (6mm)
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Most beginner friendly minimalist sandals. Great protection against rocks and bumps without sacrificing flexibility. Still significantly lighter than Chacos. Optimized with two types of rubber. User re-sole-able.
- Cons: Less trail-feel. Modest grip. Ultragrip footbeds can get sweaty. Strap adjustment can be complicated. Straps aren’t set-it-and-forget-it, will require re-adjusting. Multiple points for slippage and failure.
Luna Leadville Trail
Launched in 2010, the Leadville Trail is Luna’s OG trail sandal. (Yes, runners have used this in the grueling Leadville 100 mile ultra race!) But this sandal is a great entry point for hikers starting to use running sandals. The Luna Leadville Trail is beefier, grippier, and more protective than the 9mm Venado. It uses a 11 mm Vibram Newflex sole with a good tread pattern. This sole will be more durable than the Venado’s Moreflex and give better grip in loose conditions. We also like the classic continuous loop “Performance laces,” with a heel pad and center-cinch with few potential abrasion points. Downsides are an increase in weight with thicker denser rubber. Stiffer sole with less trail feel. And the non-winged lace system is not for all hikers.
- Price: $120
- Thickness: 11 mm
- List Weight: 5.6 oz
- Sole: Vibram Newflex
- Traction level: Medium
- Pros: Great entry level sandals. Not too heavy. Good trail protection and grip.
- Cons: OG continuous loop “Performance laces,” not for all. Thicker, heavier, stiffer sole reduces trail feel and foot flexion.
Luna Oso Flaco Winged
The Luna Oso Flaco may be the lightest running sandals for BIG hikes. It can handle a wide range of challenging, wet and loose conditions — but with lower weight and more comfort than its peers. To do this, it uses a dual rubber sole. It has a 4.5 Vibram Megagrip outer sole with deep lugs which work well in loose conditions and provides grip when it gets wet. On top, it uses 7mm of a high-density expanded rubber (similar to Newflex) to lower weight and to provide cushion, comfort, and trail protection. The winged lacing keeps your foot well positioned on the sandal. Downsides are that the plastic adjustment hardware can create friction spots, and that it is heavier than necessary for most hikes and the megagrip lugs wear quickly, especially in hard and abrasive conditions. We recommend against sustained wear on pavement.
- Price: $120
- Thickness: 11.5 mm
- List Weight: 7.2 oz
- Sole: Vibram 7mm base, 4.5mm Vibram Megagrip lugs
- Traction level: High
- Pros: A light tool to get BIG hikes done. Rare combination of thin midsole with max traction in loose and wet. Stable, winged lacing.
- Cons: Heavy for most hiking. Overkill traction on many surfaces. Megagrip lugs wear quickly.
Best With Very Thick Soles (13+ mm)
While not running sandals per se, those with soles in the 13+mm range are no longer minimalist, and are generally not favored by experienced sandal runners and hikers. That said, they’re still better than classic Chacos and Tevas, and may offer niche benefits. You might choose them for dedicated pavement use, or extreme traction for use in mud.
Shamma Elite Ibex
Elite Ibex are a thicker hiking sandal, designed for rugged trails with an extra grippy 4mm lugged outsole. As such, they’re the heaviest and most protective option in Shamma’s lineup, but with relatively niche application. They’re best thought of as a tool in your sandal quiver, rather than the go-to option. While still highly flexible and a far cry from Chacos, they are definitely stiffer than their siblings, requiring a longer break-in, and limiting your sense of trail-feel. That all being said, they’re a great choice on rocky, muddy, or wet surfaces where secure footing is critical. These have the best traction out of every model we tested. As with all other Shammas, the Elite lacing system gives the most adjustable, dialed-in fit! But it also requires more fine tuning more buckles, straps, and Velcro, and slippage over time means re-adjusting.
- Price: $125
- Thickness: 13 mm
- List Weight: 7.0 oz
- Sole: Vibram Zegama (6mm), Morflex (6mm)
- Traction level: High
- Pros: Best traction on steep, slippery surfaces. Blocks lumps and roots. Still surprisingly flexible. User re-sole-able.
- Cons: Heaviest and stiffest. Limited sense of trail feel. Niche application, not a good everyday sandal. Break-in period. Ultragrip footbeds can get sweaty. Strap adjustment can be complicated. Straps aren’t set-it-and-forget-it, will require re-adjusting. Multiple points for slippage and failure.
Bedrock Cairn EVO
Bedrock Cairn EVO are built-like-a-tank sandals, but without a huge weight penalty. The thick, 14mm soles provide complete foot protection. They have a bomber set-and-forget secure strap system. So if you need protective sandals, they are significantly better than heavy, overbuilt Chacos and Tevas, which are nearly twice as heavy. Carin EVOs offer great traction and a locked-in y strap fit that you can set and forget. That being said, the process of adjusting them takes work as there are multiple buckles, hooks, and Velcro points.
Note, I prefer the straight Cairn EVO — no 3D and no PRO. The Cairn 3D’s contoured sole beds only work if they fit for your feet. It’s a disadvantage if the contours are in the wrong places, which was my experience. The PRO (Megagrip sole) provides more grip when used on wet rocks (good for water sports), but otherwise is softer and does not wear nearly as well as the standard sole (for running and trail hiking), which is nearly always good enough.
- Price: $115
- Thickness: 14 mm
- List Weight: 7.8 oz
- Sole: Vibram® XS Trek EVO
- Traction level: High
- Pros: Hugely protective against rocks and bump surfaces. Great traction. Y-straps feel locked in, set-it-and-forget-it. Comparable to, but better than Chacos and Tevas. Option to send back for resoling.
- Cons: Significantly heavier than 9-12mm sandals. Reduced flexibility and inferior foot mechanics due to thickness. Narrower forefoot. Toe straps are thick and take getting used ot. Y-strap is moderately complex to adjust with multiple buckles, hooks and Velcro. Lugged soles wear faster.
Luna Mono Winged
The Mono Winged is Luna’s best-selling sandal. A “do everything, go everywhere” sandal according to Luna. The Luna Mono is exceptionally light for a thick soled and lugged sandal. The 15mm lugged Moreflex sole is cushy and grippy, As such, it’s quite versatile. It’s light enough to be used as a running sandal (won Runner’s World top running sandal), but it’s also up to aggressive hiking as well as casual trails and travel. The winged lacing keeps your foot well positioned on the sandal as you move over more challenging terrain. Downsides are that its 15mm stack is far from minimalist and doesn’t deliver the best trail feel. The Moreflex sole is quite soft and will take a significant pressure set over time — nice for forming to your feet, but it can get significantly thinner at the ball of foot and heel. And the very soft Moreflex lugs wear very quickly and do not provide the wet traction of Megagrip.
- Price: $115
- Thickness: 15 mm
- List Weight: 7.8 oz
- Sole: Vibram Moreflex (11 mm base + 4 mm tread)
- Traction level: High
- Pros: Versatile. Soft. Comfy. Grippy lugged sole
- Cons: Heavy. Moreflex sole wears quickly. Pressure thinning at ball and heel of foot.
Buyer Considerations For Hiking & Running Sandals
Choosing the Right Sole Thickness
Choosing sole thickness for running sandals is a matter of experience, personal preference, and understanding what kind of surfaces you’ll be on. As people acquire experience and foot conditioning using minimalist sandals, they often begin to prefer thinner soles. For both comfort and health, beginner minimalist walkers should start out with something thicker, like the 12mm Shamma Alphas, and choose something thinner as their second pair. A secondary factor is what kind of terrain you’ll be on. For walking a hard and/or bumpy surfaces, it helps to have a bit of extra protection. And in that case, an experienced minimalist walker might also prefer the relatively thick Alphas over the moderately thick Maximus, even if that’s they’re default option most of the time.
Choosing the right Vibram Rubber
- Vibram Gumlite – Light, durable, long lasting. Resists compression and rock poking. Super durable. Blunts vibrations. Downside is lower energy return and stiffer sole flex. Denser, so heavier than expanded rubbers below.
- Vibram Newflex – Bouncy and Lightweight: Great for running due to its low weight and high energy return. Good flexibility. Good ground feel. Eventually compression molds to your foot shape. Wears faster.
- Vibram Blown Rubber (Bedrock) – “Goldilocks” Rubber : Falls between Newflex and Moreflex. So a blend of flexibility, softness, flexibility and durability. Doing well an all categories but excelling at none.
- Vibram Moreflex – Softest, lightest: Great for a top layer in dual density sandals. Dampens shocks and harsh surfaces. Foam/rubber hybrid. Downside is that it’s the least durable.
- Vibram XS Trek EVO – Stiffest, most stable. Acts as a rigid platform that prevents the foot from wrapping around a rock. Creates a predictable underfoot experience, but isolates the user from experiencing the ground below.
- Vibram Megagrip/Zegama – Grippiest, best traction. Used exclusively in outsoles and lugs where traction is the priority. Grippiest material on wet surfaces. Downside is that it’s heavier than other rubbers, and wears somewhat quickly when used to form aggressive lugs
Rubber vs Leather vs Canvas Footbed
We understand the appeal of a leather footbed; it’s natural and totally classic. That being said, leather gives less grip and requires more maintenance. Canvas is an excellent choice because it gives great grip and good feeel, but will fray/degrade over time. Rubber offers the best grip while dry and will last forever, but gets sweaty in heat. Ergo, there is no perfect choice here.
Why Traction is Overrated
Many buyers assume that they should hike in fully lugged minimalist sandals, like the Shamma Ibex. But unless the terrain you’re expecting is truly rugged (or wet), we think the modest grip of Warriors, Maximus, and Alphas will suffice. Unlike with shoes and boots, your minimalist will flex over uneven natural surfaces, compensating for lack of agressive tread with increased surface area. What’s more, the increased sense of trail-feel combined with a closeness to the ground will improve your balance, making it less likely that you’ll slip or need serious traction in the first place
Alan’s OG Barefoot Ted Lunas circa 2010.
Ancient Puebloan sandal pictographs
Conclusion to the Best Running Sandals
Minimalist sandals are a great choice for running, walking, hiking because they offer all of the benefits of bare feet while still protecting your skin. For all purpose use, I recommend models that are 9 mm thick, scaling up or down based on terrain. Happy trails!
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