A little while back, we shared that we had purchased the Leadville Gordo LUNA Sandals to try out and review. We’ve had the chance to test them for a few months on hikes, runs and as an everyday shoe.
Wearing the Leadville Gordo sandals when hiking has been a dream! Have you ever walked through a river that is supposed to be a trail and had soggy feet for the next few days? Not with LUNAs!
In a matter of minutes your feet will be dry again and the sandals not long after. The only places that will hold water is in the laces, but, hey, I would rather deal with wet laces then a waterlogged shoe.
Now, you may be thinking, what about when it’s 30 and 40 degrees out AND IT’S RAINING? For us, we have hiked without any type of insulation down to around 40 degrees and lots of rain and mud without a problem. I’m a cold natured person and my feet never felt cold while hiking.
For days when it’s really, really cold, LUNA Sandals offers a bootie called the Tabu that works with any LUNA Sandal model. The Tabu bootie will help keep water and other debris off your feet while hiking and running.
If you are looking for something warm, but not necessarily concerned about keeping water off your feet, enter Injinji Nu-Wool toe socks. It’s like wearing a glove for your foot, plus you can wear these around camp after a hike.
So, this is definitely a different approach for the average hiker looking for shoes to take on a hike or even a thru-hike, but they have performed wonderfully and now we couldn’t imagine wearing a heavy boot up a mountain.
LUNA Sandals Pros & Cons
Pros
–Lightweight: All you gram counters out there rejoice! 13.1 oz for size 11 (both sandals)
–Performs great in rain and mud
–Easy to put on and take off
–Comes with added “tech straps” for a secure fit. Just out for a walk? Detach and leave at home for later.
–Comfortable: With a 15mm Vibram sole, you’ve got a pretty sweet ride.
–Happy Feet: Your toes will thank you for all the air flow and movement.
–Customizable: Don’t see your size, or your in-between sizes, send LUNA Sandals an email. They will take care of you!
–Price: Non-customized models range from $80 to $125
–Awesome customer service: I always received a quick email reply and they made me a new pair when I realized I had ordered the wrong size. Easy to get my refund and return.
–Supporting a small business is AWESOME! Learn more about LUNAs in our previous post.
Con
-The only con, which really isn’t a con, is it can take a little while to get the laces to feel just right. Knowing this, just take some time to practice with the laces and walk around with them on and adjust as you feel necessary. I also noticed that I always end up tightening more than I would think after few minutes of hiking, but after that, I’m good to go.
Jake and I can’t wait to wear these on our upcoming Appalachian Trail thru-hike! Stay tuned on social media for photos of them in action.
Disclosure: The author owns this product and was purchased using their own funds.