Z-Trail EV - Trail Hiking, Running, and Recovery Sandal

Unfortunately, I had to send them back because they are too small for me

Not taugh enough

I love the design and the comfortable fit of the sandals but I am disappointed about its durability. It broke after 2 years of moderate use.

Improved since last purchase

This Xero Sandals seem improved since the last time I bought a pair. Seem more robust and stable. Not yet perfect. But looks good!

Good ultralight choice

Light, functional and comfortable shoes but the strap attachment points may prove too weak

Curate’s Egg - good in parts

I bought my Z-Trail EV back in February to wear during the summer months. I’m not that new to barefoot shoes as I’ve tried products from other companies but this was my first purchase from Xero. I found them easier to put on than others I’ve tried, with no separate toes to grapple with. The ground feedback was similar to my last barefoot encounter but I hoped they would be more durable. I was interested in the mileage guarantee but also sceptical. I walk my dogs early every morning for around three hours taking in a variety of different surfaces. These include jagged rocks, sand, gravel and a shingle beach. I rarely walk on paved surfaces with them. On average, I walk around 8km every day. I suspect I started wearing my sandals in early April and they are still only just about wearable. About 200 days wear which gives a mileage of 1,600km or about 1,000 miles. I found the wear rate of the soles very disappointing and the sandals have lasted just over six months. For €90 plus around €20 delivery, they work out very expensive in my opinion. I was forewarned by another wearer that the inner soles of the sandals were slippery when wet. I would heartily agree and find them very unpredictable on uneven terrain such as rocks when wet. They seem to have become even more unpredictable with wear. I was disappointed to notice the heel reinforcing patch on the left sandal becoming detached. This was soon followed by the toe reinforcement. Both patches are now missing so wear is increasing rapidly. At about the same time, a small hole appeared on the left sandal just in front of the reinforcing patch. Not long after, a similar hole appeared on the right sandal too. The holes have expanded over time so now the heel of the left sandal will soon detach rendering the pair useless. On a more positive note, the strap anchorages have lasted well although they are showing signs of cracking. I reviewed the helpful video on adjusting the sandals but found the straps seemed to stretch requiring further regular adjustment. My feet have certainly benefitted from wearing the sandals although extreme caution is required when on difficult or rocky terrain. There is little protection from stubbing your toe for example, especially once the sole starts to wear. From my experience, I would end by saying that these sandals are best suited to flat, even, dry, surfaces so are probably best for urban hiking unless you’re an experienced walker and are happy with the possibility of small injuries to your feet. Furthermore, having just reread the product details, I notice there’s no longer any talk of a mileage warrantee, I can’t think why! Maybe it was just my imagination…