Barefoot Sandals – My Top Picks

*Disclosure – Anya’s Reviews is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

This summer I tried A LOT of sandals, far more than any one person should own. Most of them I purchased myself, some I returned, some I sold, and some I wear only occasionally. But which ones do I reach for over and over? The following are my top 5 most worn sandals of summer 2019.

1. Luna’s Rooted Brujita

The Luna Roots sandal took me by surprise. I didn’t get them until the warm season was half over, but have hardly taken them off since. I purchased them myself off the website using the Roots builder so that I could get black (black for life!). I sent them back initially because one knot underneath the toe post was super thick, but they have fixed that for the 2020 season.

I love that I don’t have to deal with adjustments or buckles each time I wear them, and they can pass for both dressy and casual shoes. The sole is just the right thickness for long wear, but still very flexible. The style is simple and versatile. These are THE shoes I need in the summer.

The leather does stretch so I have had to tighten them a few times, but they aren’t difficult to deal with. Use this link for 15% off!

*This year I tried the multi-wrap! Check them out here*

2. Earth Runners

Sitting right next to my Brujitas are my charcoal Alpha Earth Runners. Like my Brujitas, they’re incredibly comfortable and I don’t have to fiddle with buckles each time I put them on. These are more secure to my foot than the Brujitas, so better for rugged wear, but after a while the strap irritates between my toes. I tend to swap between the two to mix things up.

Here is a video Earth Runners made with tips for adjusting the straps.

I find the fabric on the footbed difficult to clean (can’t rinse it off, you have to scrub it), for that reason I usually don’t wear these in dirty conditions. Instead I use them for urban walking. When I do get them dirty I clean them with a toothbrush in the shower.

The neutral colors match just about everything I own, and I love that you can get different sole thicknesses to match your needs. I reach for these over and over.

*You can get a 10% discount with my code ANYA

3. Deliberate Life Adventure Sandals

Whenever I’m hiking or there’s water/mud involved, my DLA sandals are what I reach for. I reviewed these in more detail here, but they’re easy to clean, easy to slip on, and I prefer the thinner toe post. These are the only sandals on this list that were given to me in exchange for feedback, so I did not spend my own money on them, and would not have even known they existed had they not contacted me! But they’re actually the only athletic sandal I own (I seem to have lost my Xero Z Treks!!) and I don’t feel the need to buy any others because they work so well for me.

They gave me the coupon code ANYASREVIEWS to share for 15% off (not an affiliate code, just a perk for you).

4. Crupon

Crupon Cross Sandals

Aesthetically, these are my favorite. They are so adorable, and the sole is perfect. It’s very flexible, just the right amount of cushion, and the leather feels so good on my feet. The only reason why these aren’t #1 on this list is because they are narrow and my little pinkie toe is smooshed. Honestly, it’s tragic, because I love this company. But I still wore them a fair amount despite this. See my review of the brand here.

Crupon Sandals now offers a more barefoot line with a wider toe box and thinner sole! You can get the Febo sandal in a rainbow of colors and save 10% with code ANYA for 10% off

5. The Drifter Leather

I’ve worn these Cut Here sandals for two summers now and they are just so comfortable. They were custom made to my foot shape, but have stretched a fair amount and feel loose now. I’ve heard this complaint from a number of others too, if I could do it over I would request them made smaller from the get go. Ordering from the Drifter Leather is an ordeal, so it does take planning (see my advice here), but I really love their shoes and plan to invest in more shoes from them in the future.

As long as they don’t stretch anymore, I should be able to get a lot more use out of these beauties.

And there you have it, my top 5! Next summer I am looking forward to trying out the Xero Naboso Sandals, Tikki Sandals, and Zaqq sandals.

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16 thoughts on “Barefoot Sandals – My Top Picks”

  1. It looks like you could rotate your right foot ER strap for a little more comfort. It’s counterintuitive to have a strap vertically in between the toes, but it works best for me that way. & Tikki sandals are amazing. I prefer the across foot strap style instead of the big toe loop. I don’t want any of my toes confined! The only negative for Tikki sandals is their sole is so thin and the placement of the uppers attaching can be felt under foot.

  2. Anna – Do you have an affliate discount or code for Luna? Your link isn’t working. I’m planning to buy a pair (thanks to your reviews) and wanted to make sure you get credit!

  3. I’ve looked through so much of your stuff now I can’t find certain things! Do you have any discounts for Crupa? Where can I find that info? Thank you!

  4. I just purchased the Crupon Cross sandals and am looking for some advice on whether I should try stretching them, or just send them back. My foot is slightly too wide around the ball and arch, so that one of the straps cuts into my inner foot, just behind the ball. My foot hangs slightly over the strap. Do you think stretching the leather will be effective, even if my foot is always going to be a little wider than that part of the foot bed, so it will rest on top of the strap where it attaches to the shoe? Is there hope I can get these comfortable? Thank you!

    1. To me, that sounds like a totally fixable problem. Just a little bit of overhang shouldn’t affect your movement and you can stretch the straps. I stuffed the straps with socks when I got them to stretch them out. You just want to be careful to not overdo it. Maybe stuff them for an hour or two at first to see how they do, and then you can go longer if you need.

  5. Do you have a problem with the Luna leather strap staying tight enough at the instep? I don’t mean tight to the foot, more that it loosens enough that the knot moves toward the toes significantly and is visibly looser.

    I’ve had mine less than a week, so it might be that I need to soften them up or something.

    1. The leather breaks in over time and you have to keep tightening it. It doesn’t move as often after a while, but I do find that I need to adjust it more than my sandals with buckles.

  6. Hi Anya!
    I just purchased a pair of Luna Rooted Brujita sandals identical to yours. How long would you say it took for yours to break in? How long did it take for them to form to your feet?

    1. Hmmm, it’s been a few years so not very fresh in my mind. Probably several wears. I got a new pair last year with the ankle wrap and it reminded me how much stiffer they start out. You can also take the sole in your hand and flex it back and forth, even trying to make it do “the wave.” It speeds up the process.

  7. Hi Anya!
    Would you mind sharing what configuration of the Luna sandal you show here? which sole and which which sole color?

    thank you!

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Picture of Hi. I'm Anya.

Hi. I'm Anya.

I first discovered barefoot shoes after a long history of foot issues. By changing my footwear and strengthening my body I was able to completely transform my life. Anya’s Reviews is my way of sharing with the world that healthy feet are happy feet!

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