At Health Essentials, we’re crazy about the outdoors. Whether it’s super sunny outside like it has been this August, or it’s crazy rainy like it tends to be from time to time on the Wet West Coast 😉 … We just can’t get enough fresh air!  Perhaps as much as we love being outside, we love spending time barefoot, which is why Luna Sandals are one of our year round footwear essentials.

It can be hard to navigate on some outdoor terrains without a little protection for our soles, especially since most of us are so used to having worn shoes our whole lives.  Luna Sandals are the perfect medium between protection and freedom.  

What are Luna Sandals?

Luna Sandals were created by a man named Ted MacDonald – aka: “Barefoot Ted” – whose journey of learning how to run pain-free led him to the concept of barefoot running. Running and moving without the impeding modern day “technology” of conventional shoes can have amazing benefits for our body, and actually reduce risk of pain and injury. Our bodies were meant to move – just not the way most modern day footwear forces them to.

Luna Sandals were inspired by traditional cultural styles of sandals, much like those in the Tarahumara natives of Mexico. On a trip to run a 50-mile Ultra Marathon in the Copper Canyons, Barefoot Ted became friends with a man named Manuel Luna, who made him his first pair of “huarache” sandals out of tire rubber and rope (see above). And thus, the name Luna Sandals came to be – inspired by and named after a true Tarahumara native.

Why we LOVE them.

We find ourselves regressing back to what our ancestors did and how traditional cultures lived again, and again when it comes to virtually all aspects of natural health and wellness. Allowing our bodies to express their natural biology seems to be the key to human vitality. Humans were created to move like humans, and Luna sandals allow our natural movement to be expressed to the fullest, while still providing protection.

Luna Sandals are a line of highly durable, adventure sandals that allow your ENTIRE foot to feel like it’s free!

This sandal is amazing for the heat – letting your feet fully breathe.
They are also fantastic for rainy weather – allowing water to wick away from the foot and rubber sole of the shoe.. puddle free!

There are different styles available for all types of weather conditions, terrain and preference, but they all keep the same simple concept in mind: Allowing your feet to act like the strong foundational bases that they are, allows your body to be aligned and supported properly.

One of our very favourite, and perhaps one of the most versatile Luna Sandal styles that we carry is The Leadville Pacer. Equipped with a 9mm Vibram rubber sole, and aggressive tread that is designed to help you navigate any terrain, this sandal is perfect for even the most adventurous types.