Now that it’s been a year since initially making my huaraches, it seems like a good time to give a status report on them. While moving (again) last month, they suffered their first major failure when one of the tie cords pulled through the sole. I'm hoping to make a new hole in a slightly different location in order to salvage this pair.
In general, the huaraches are very comfortable, and one of the reasons they did fail was that as long as the weather was warm enough, they have been my primary pair of shoes for the last year. They get a little hot walking on asphalt in the summertime due to the thinness of the soles, but this happens rarely enough that it hasn’t been a reason to stop wearing them.
One place I would recommend not wearing them, at least with a sole this thin, is on gravelly trails. Since the sole is so close to the ground, there isn’t any protection from gravel coming into the footbed, which is a particularly unpleasant experience. I have been considering making another pair from my thicker soling material (the Vibram Cherry). The increased sole thickness might significantly reduce gravel intrusion, but it’s hard to tell without testing it. Alternatively, I could wear close-toed shoes while hiking on gravelly trails which is probably the smarter solution.
So, if you’re looking for an easy project to get started with shoemaking, I definitely recommend making some huaraches. They’re super comfortable and I found that in most situations they’re the perfect summer shoe.
In general, the huaraches are very comfortable, and one of the reasons they did fail was that as long as the weather was warm enough, they have been my primary pair of shoes for the last year. They get a little hot walking on asphalt in the summertime due to the thinness of the soles, but this happens rarely enough that it hasn’t been a reason to stop wearing them.
One place I would recommend not wearing them, at least with a sole this thin, is on gravelly trails. Since the sole is so close to the ground, there isn’t any protection from gravel coming into the footbed, which is a particularly unpleasant experience. I have been considering making another pair from my thicker soling material (the Vibram Cherry). The increased sole thickness might significantly reduce gravel intrusion, but it’s hard to tell without testing it. Alternatively, I could wear close-toed shoes while hiking on gravelly trails which is probably the smarter solution.
So, if you’re looking for an easy project to get started with shoemaking, I definitely recommend making some huaraches. They’re super comfortable and I found that in most situations they’re the perfect summer shoe.
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