My Running Huarache Sandals Evolution – Edit
Posted: May 31, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Barefoot Running, Footwear Design, Handcrafted, Huarache, Huaraches, Pata de Gallo, Raramuri, Recycled Materials, Sandals, Sustainable, Sustainable Footwear, Tarahumara 4 Comments »My recent Running Huarache evolution has several improvement modifications from the original design on a previous post. I have since developed a design UPDATE that you can see clicking HERE.
Given my lack of form I decided not to endure further plantar strain and created this new sole design with an added a layer of Polypropylene plastic from a old blue trash can for added support.
The idea was to add some motion control to the floppy rubber Huarache sole, and the Polypropylene a widely available material with good energy return seemed ideal.
I also added a thin layer of scrap EVA foam for some psychological comfort (EVA foam sheets are widely available in Mexican school supply shops).
The new Polypropylene layer also allowed me to make recessed channels between the strap holes in such a way that the strap is no longer exposed to the abrasive running surfaces and will not wear down over time.
The recessed channels will allow me to experiment with other recycled materials that also offer some breathability.
After a first few runs the Polypropylene plastic unfortunately does not add any noticeable support to my foot. It does however have an unexpected motion control effect, in so far that it’s flatness corrects my foot position to help me land on my mid-foot and not my forefoot.
In case anyone is wondering? I couldn’t resist Photoshopping the Tyre Valve onto the strap. It hinted to an unusual idea of inflatable feet for increased cushioning.
hi there is any web site of yours where to buy YOUR uaraches?
Thanks
Sorry I do not sell Huaraches. Maybe one day when I have designed the perfect pair I will begin selling them. But my latest design is made with low quantity and personally salvaged used materials, so is not designed for a centralized mass production. You can try and make a pair yourself using local materials which you can salvage, maybe you will also discover a way to improve on my design that better suits your needs. Thanks for visiting, Markus
P.S. with so many people already crafting and customizing their own ‘Pata de Gallo’ Huaraches, maybe we are nearing a new paradigm, the Democratization of Running Footwear Design.
What did you glue the layers together with and is it holding up?
I used Resistol 5000 contact adhesive as it was all that was available. The blue Polypropylene layer has come lose from the rubber outsole in the toe area.This is probably due to flex and the waxy nature of PP. Maybe another glue or different material might have worked better. For example using thicker, stiff leather bonded directly to the outsole.