Vibram Huarache Running / Hiking Sandals : 7 Steps (with Pictures)

Step 1: Tracing Feet on Paper

1. Hold pen or pencil perpendicular to paper and trace along the edge of your foot.
(Tip) Try not to bump into your ankles.

2. Mark just in front of where your ankle bone for side hole placement on your sandal.

3. Mark the beginning of the gap between your big toe and second toe (holding pencil perpendicular to paper). This mark will be where you make the thong strap hole.

Step 2: Determining Sandal Shape

1. Once finished tracing your feet go back and add buffer zones - to add material to the sandal edges. Create and draw in the final sandal shape that you will ultimately use with a dotted line.

Tips for creating a good sandal shape from your foot tracing:

- Have buffer area in front of your toes.

- Cut out and exclude some of the arch area where you do need extra material.

- Exclude foot features that do not actually touch the ground (e.g. bunions).

- Keep sandal heel wide enough for side holes and straps

Step 3: Cutting Out Tracing and Transferring to Sole Material

Cutting out Paper Sandal Ouline

1. Cut closely along the dotted line you created in the last step. Be sure to keep the tracing facing up so you don't accidentally make two right feet!

Transferring to Rubber

1. Use the cut out paper sandal outline and transfer it's shape to the side of rubber sole that will be contacting your foot.

2. Hold paper outline firmly on rubber soling material.

3. Work your way around the perimeter of paper sandal while marking the rubber soling material with chalk.

4. Mark both ankle hole locations and use a pen to punch through paper to mark the thong strap hole.

Step 4: Cutting Out Soling and Punching Holes

Cut out your sandals

Tips: STAY SAFE! (Never cut towards fingers)

There are many ways to cut soling. Keep in mind that denser rubber soles will be more difficult to cut. Be sure to take your time and stay safe!

1. Use a box cutter or pair of scissors to cut out your sandals. Slowly cut along the center of your chalk line.

Punching Lacing Holes

1. Use hammer and 4mm hole punch to punch out holes.

2. Punch out thong strap hole directly on marked dot.

3. Punch out side holes in about 1 cm from the edge of the sandal. This centimeter buffer is important for making sure the lacing doesn't tear through your rubber sole material. For larger feet error on the side of adding more than 1 cm buffer.

Step 5: Smoothing the Rough Edges

Making them Look Pretty

Trimming

1. Flip sandal over with tread facing up.

2. Use box cutter to trim out bumps and smooth out edges.

Sanding

1. Buff out any lingering bumps and blemishes along sandal edge with sand paper.