Luna Sandals

On the left is the Recyclado on the right is the original Luna
(Yes, my skin really is that fair)

Today we went to pick up our Luna Sandals. I had mentioned in my previous post that I ordered a pair for myself and for my two year old son. Well, it turns out there was some confusion when the orders went through and they had made both pairs (one was the original luna with 1/2 inch equus elasticized laces for me and the other was a Recyclado with 3/8 elasticized laces for him) in my size. They won't be offering the Recyclado version of the Lunas any longer. 

They were very nice and simply offered to make it right then while we were there, and so we went for a little stroll around the neighborhood. Their sale was apparently a big hit, and they were currently out of supplies and awaiting the arrival of their shipment to get working on the hundreds of orders they had to process, but able to make his tiny sandals out of the left over scrap pieces. They also let me take the extra pair that they had made custom to my feet.

The littlest Lunatic?

While there at the front were the first pair of sandals that Barefoot Ted Mcdonald made in the copper canyons (as told in the book born to run). I can't even imagine the amount of running you would have to do to wear those things out, but one thing is for sure, you wouldn't be getting poked by any rock through those.

The 'factory' is located in a beautiful space with a lot of natural light. It's a simply room that  consists of little more then some tools for cutting and gluing (which include a tree stump), a few computer desks, a rack for raw supplies, and a table with a fruit bowl in the center.

My first impression of the sandals were that they were different then any sandal I had ever worn. They hug your feet and continue to when your foot bends. The leather almost immediately begins forming to your foot. When I took them off after our short walk around the neighborhood, you could already see the indentations from my big toe, and my forefoot. The toe divider is going to take some getting used to for me, but after some fiddling around with it this afternoon, I think I have figured out my comfort zone.

Original Luna (left)  Recyclado (right)
Also, notice the ever so slight difference in the arches of my right and left foot.

The knot underneath the original lunas didn't bother me at all. I can feel the one under the recyclado more, but even so, not really bothersome. The different thickness in laces makes a huge difference in the feel of the sandals and makes me want to experiment with different types. I was thinking of making some out of a felted wool icord - I think that would hold up fabulously, be cheap, easy and any color I want. Wool has the benefit over other materials like hemp in that as the fibers break, friction and heat will make them fuse together (felt) and become stronger. Its’ often said that a single fiber of wool is stronger than a single fiber of steel of the same diameter. 

My tendons have been feeling 100% better for the past two days so tomorrow I am going to go for a short (very short) run.