Homemade Running Sandals

Reposted from 2012…

I am now thoroughly converted to the barefoot and minimalist running thing, and so it was time for me to make my own running sandals (huaraches). I used the excellent step-by-step instructions at invisibleshoe.com. You can also buy ready-made sandals, or buy full kits with everything you need too, but I decided to go for the even cheaper route of using any old bit of rubber and some climbing cord for laces.

Homemade Sandals, what I used to make them:

• Sheet rubber - I used a cheap car mat from Halfords which I scraped off the rubber nibs.
• Laces - I used 3mm climbing cord.
• Hole punch - I’ve got an old leather hole punch which I used to make the holes in the rubber.

Then just follow the instructions at invisibleshoe.com.

Here is a picture of my home made running sandals (version 1.0):

I then upgraded them to version 2.0 by gluing on a second layer of rubber (as the car mat I used was very thin) using Shoe Goo glue. I also found that the knot under the sole was irritating me, so instead of the knot I melted the end of the cord to make a blob which stops the cord pulling through, and I backed up this up with some Shoe Goo. By the way, the Shoe Goo stuff is quite amazing, it is a combination of glue and filler, and is perfect for repairing shoes. I’ve also used it on the soles of running shoes which have worn through, as Shoe Goo effectively forms a replacement rubber sole.

I have future plans to experiment with neoprene rubber sheet, which is what Barefoot Ted uses for some of his Luna Sandals, and it is available in a range of thicknesses (1mm to 6mm) on eBay. I am also looking for rubber sheet which has a deep tread pattern so that I can make some off-road sandals which will give me good grip in the mud and grass.