johnnyfdk
Loading...

Barefoot Sandals: Luna Mono vs. Xero shoes Sensori

This is my 1 month review after wearing both the Luna Monos and Xero Shoes Sensoris.  For those who aren't familiar, these are the two best barefoot running sandals on the market.

Why wear "barefoot" running sandals?  

They are the best sandals to walk around in day to day with the benefit of being able to randomly run 10k or even do a two day hike.  I personally wear these types of sandals because they give less cushioning which forces my feet, ankles, and joints to get stronger.

The problem with wearing normal flip flops is that they are extremely comfortable put actually really bad for your feet.  Barefoot type shoes and sandals have made my feet, joints, ankles, and supporting muscles and bones stronger over the years.

luna monos vs. xero shoes sensoris

Living in Thailand, you end up wearing Sandals 99% of the time, so I wanted the best.  You can get used to wearing flip flops, but once you start wearing proper sandals you'll never go back.  

Review of the Xero Shoes Sensori's:

I first heard of this company after reading the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall.  They were originally called Invisible Shoes and sold do it yourself huarache style sandals.  Their latest pre-made shoes are called Sensori's and seemed like they would be perfect.

barefood sandals xero shoes luna sandals
Brand new Lunas and Xero Shoes
Review of Xero Sensori's:

Pros:
  • Half the price of the Lunas at $39.99
  • Extra durable rubber soles
  • Reflective material laces
  • Best Xero Shoes model yet.
Cons:
  • Not as comfortable as Lunas
  • Laces do not stretch for comfort
  • Sole does not mold to your feet
  • Floppy sound when walking/running
  • Hurts to wear on concrete/hard floors
I owned the original Xero do it yourself shoes and hated the tightness of the laces.  These are much better, and I like the idea that the soles will last a long time.  However, even with 2 years of wearing barefoot shoes and sandals, these were too painful to walk around in on concrete or indoor hard floors.  

I love the price point and durability, but I never want to wear them day to day so they are pretty much useless aside from wearing once in a while to go for a run on semi-soft surfaces (asphalt, grass, dirt) 

Luna Mono vs. Xero Shoes Sensori Sandals
Luna Monos on the Left, Xero Shoes Sensori's on the right


Review of the Luna Monos:

Pros: 
  • Super comfortable from day one
  • Molds to your feet and gets even more comfortable
  • Barefoot feel and zero heel drop, yet wearable on concrete and tile
  • Elastic back for comfort and on/off ease
  • Great to walk around in all day in
  • Suitable for long runs and hikes
  • Fantastic customer service
Cons:

  • At $75 they are a bit expensive
  • The soles wear out too quickly
My Luna Venados after 6 months of wear.

I've owned the Monos now for a month and had the Venados before these.  I thought the Monos would last a bit longer, but I was wrong.  Maybe it's because I love them so much and end up wearing them every single day, but after only a month of use, the bottoms are starting to get worn out.

In an ideal world the Luna sandals would have better durability.  But after speaking with the CEO of Luna Sandals, Barefoot Ted he informed me that there is a compromise between durability and moldability and you can't have both.  

Edit: He was right, I bought a pair of the Luna Oso's while have tougher soles but they don't mold to your feet, so the Monos are still by far my favorite.


30 days of  use in my new Luna Monos

Final Thoughts:

Even though I wanted to like the Xero Shoes Sensori's as they were half the price, and last a lot longer, they just aren't good enough to wear on a daily basis.  I ended up forcing myself to wear them once in a while just so I could write this review, but honestly it wasn't for that, they would just be sitting in the corner of my room.

The Luna sandals are better in every single way and are worth the extra price.  My only two complaints are the initial cost and the durability.  It's a bit annoying to have to pay $75 every 6 months which is how long my Luna Venados lasted, but they are worth it.

Edit: I've met friends who are much smaller in size (i'm 5'10 and 210bs) and their Lunas have lasted a lot longer. So if you're not heavy built they might last a year+.

luna mono sandals
In Chiang Mai, Thailand wearing Luna Monos

Sizing Tip:

Get a half a size smaller than what you normally wear.  I wear a 10.5EE (Extra wide) shoe for every brand including Nike, New Balance, etc. but for both the Luna Sandals and Xero Shoes the size 10 sandals have fit the best.


best barefoot sandals
Winner of the Best Barefoot Sandals for 2014

Final Thoughts:

The Luna Monos win by a landslide, they are easily worth 3x the cost of the Xero Shoes Sensoris.  I wear my Monos on a day to day basis, have ran in them and even did 2 day hike in them.  I've previously completed a tough mudder race and a 15,000 ft elevation climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu in barefoot shoes and would absolutely consider doing those same events in Lunas.  

If you can't afford to buy $75+ sandals, I couldn't either a year ago until I decided to design my life putting my health and happiness above all else.  You can read about that story here.  It's time to stop wearing cheap throwaway flip flops as they are ruining your feet.  Once you get the freedom of wearing sandals that you can not only walk in, but run to a full sprint or climb a mountain on a whim, you'll never go back.

You can check out the winning sandals at LunaSandals.com - Start preparing for your next trip to Thailand or wherever your new location independant life takes you.  The Luna Monos are the best sandals for digital nomad entrepreneurs.  See you on the other side of the world.

Edit: 1 Year Update.  It's now August 3rd 2015 and I'm still wearing my Monos and love them. I just went through another pair but love them so much I bought my girlfriend a pair as well which she loves just as much. They're worth it. Buy some.

Warm Regards,

Johnny

Like This Post? Share It!

travel 2782215619521607587

Post a Comment

  1. You know that Vibram just got sued for saying that barefoot shoes make your feet/ankles stronger right? They settled for over $3 million.These look like another law suit waiting to happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw the lawsuit, but will continue to wear these and my Vibram five fingers. Not to use on concrete but as for walking on natural surfaces such as dirt, grass, sand, etc, they really do work.

      Delete
    2. I know this is an old post, but to be clear.. there's a legal distinction between "being barefoot provides benefits a, b, c" and "these shoes (which allow your body to move as if barefoot) provide benefits a, b, c". That Vibram settled the lawsuit has nothing to do with the veracity of claims that our body mechanics are are better barefoot, that consistently being barefoot strengthens feet, or that footwear that doesn't interfere with those barefoot-like mechanics can allow you to take advantage of the same benefits. Or to simplify it, if all carrots would improve eyesight, except that all pesticides in general use eliminate that benefit, and I invent a pesticide that doesn't, then I have to be careful that I don't say "Using my pesticide instead of the other pesticides improves your eyesight". Because it doesn't. It just doesn't take the benefit already provided by the carrots away.

      Delete
    3. Hey thanks for the update...the legal stuff definitely hurt the company financially but if anything it spread the word so they are still better off in the long run.

      Favorite Sandal Update: It's been almost a year since I wrote this review and still love my Luna Monos. If you're going to get barefoot sandals, the Monos are the ones I recommend.

      I also bought the Osos but the strap isn't stretchable or comfortable.

      Delete
  2. I have had a few people mention this lawsuit against Vibram. As a minimalist shoe wearer and someone with a few brain cells it's obvious to me that wearing minimalist shoes will improve the strength and flexibility of my feet (when compared to supportive, restrictive, toe crushing conventional footwear). I don't care what the lawyers say, I know the truth from my own life-experience

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, a lot of it is just common sense. If it's working for you, keep doing it buddy.

      Delete
  3. Hi Johnny. Hope all is well in Taiwan! Just started researching barefoot sandals, as I don't think Havaianas are doing my feet any good! Probably going to go with either the Venados or Mono's now, having read your review. Which sole did you go for... MGT?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey JK, I like the MGT soles and after trying both my favorites are the Mono's and recommend those. Let me know how you like them!

      Delete
  4. Have you tried amuri cloud?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey never tried the Xero Amuri Clouds but honestly I've given up with Xero, their non-stretch laces are extremely uncomfortable and the extra cushion of the cloud will help, but overall they still won't compare to the Lunas.

      Delete
  5. Hi, thanks for your review of xero and luna's, I wish I had read it before i bought my xero sandals. I just do not like them at all! I don't feel barefoot when having them on, and I'm conscious of them all the time and they are not comfy at all. I only use them for walkabouts in town with my son, since he refuses to be seen with me walking barefoot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Anita, sorry to hear that! I haven't worn my Xero's since I wrote the review as they are so uncomfortable. Let me know what you think of the Luna's, I personally love them.

      Delete
  6. Thanks for your review, I have a pair of xero sandals that I detest. They are only useful when walking in town with my son, since he refuses to be seen with barefoot me. Luna will be my next buy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I haven't tried the Luna or the Xero sandals yet, but I've been wearing Bedrock Sandals Synclines (www.bedrocksandals.com) for over a year now and I absolutely love them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Nick, the Bedrocks look good but I haven't heard of them until now. Thanks for the heads up.

      Delete
  8. You could put a layer of shoe goo under your luna's for longer lasting. I put that under my shoes with leather sole only and it hasn't worn off for quite some time.

    ReplyDelete

Please take a second to log in before you comment. I've turned off the anonymous commenting option. I'm open and respectful with you, please be the same back. Stay positive, trolls and spam comments will be automatically deleted.

emo-but-icon

Home item

Blog Archive

Are you an Insider yet?

Search this Blog

Keep in touch




Recommendations


Any product or service I recommend on this blog I personally use and would recommend to both friends and family. All links on this site are affiliate links so please use them in the resources page or anywhere on the blog if you want to give me credit for referring you.

If you want to learn more about how to start your own blog and make money as an affiliate by earnestly recommending products, check out my course Income Boss.

Featured Post: Read Me!

2020 Travel Plans and 2019 Recap: 11 Countries Traveled!

Want to start an online business?

Want to start an online business?
A post written for friends and family - Step by Step instructions on How to start your own online store.