Barefoot running, while as old as mankind itself, has experienced a revival of late, in no small part thanks to Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run. Born to Run introduced us to the Tarahumaras of Mexico, who are renowned for being able to run great distances with virtually none of the injuries that seem to plague your average runner. The Tarahumaras typically run barefoot or in huaraches, thin sandals often made from discarded tires.
Today you can purchase custom-made running huaraches for $50 and up. For about $20 (and up), you can buy a kit containing all the materials you need to make your own huaraches. Or, you can do what I did and test the waters with less than $5 worth of supplies.
This Instructable guides you through the process of making your own huaraches with a rubber car mat and parachute cord. If you have purchased some of the materials (such as the mighty fine Vibram sole material) to make your own huaraches, this Instructable may be helpful to supplement the instructions included with your purchase.
Today you can purchase custom-made running huaraches for $50 and up. For about $20 (and up), you can buy a kit containing all the materials you need to make your own huaraches. Or, you can do what I did and test the waters with less than $5 worth of supplies.
This Instructable guides you through the process of making your own huaraches with a rubber car mat and parachute cord. If you have purchased some of the materials (such as the mighty fine Vibram sole material) to make your own huaraches, this Instructable may be helpful to supplement the instructions included with your purchase.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials Needed
The materials needed, and the expense required, are minimal. You need a car mat (or some other thin rubber material), some parachute cord (about 6' for each sandal), and a pair of scissors. For better results, you can spend an extra $10 or so for a leather punch in order to make cleaner holes for the laces. The cleaner the holes, the less likely the rubber will tear. But if you don't have a leather punch, don't sweat it; just use a nail or a drill with a small bit. Worst case scenario, one of your huaraches tears, but you'll still have a good bit of car mat left over to make yourself another one.
When choosing your car mat, keep in mind that the top of the mat will be your tread, and the bottom with be your sole. So look for a mat with a nice even tread pattern - just picture the treads on sandals and shoes you currently use. And the bottoms of car mats are usually textured with little nubs (as in the second picture), so remember when you're selecting your mat that you'll have to slice all of those off later.
When choosing your car mat, keep in mind that the top of the mat will be your tread, and the bottom with be your sole. So look for a mat with a nice even tread pattern - just picture the treads on sandals and shoes you currently use. And the bottoms of car mats are usually textured with little nubs (as in the second picture), so remember when you're selecting your mat that you'll have to slice all of those off later.
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I haven't run in them but they worked fine with a 30lbs toddler and another 15 or 20lbs of gear on my back.
Thanks for posting this. Looking forward to making another pair soon.
Even when you stay on the path, you can encounter them. Did you ever have any problems in this?
So as long as the rubber is thick enough (and the holes cleanly punched enough), there shouldn't be any tearing or destruction for a long time!
thanks to all of you wonderful people!
so glad that i found this website :)
http://www.sterlingrope.com/products/455695
I'd like to comment about paracord. The reason it is made like it is is so that when your parachute opens at 100 miles per hour, the stretch in the cord will not yank on you too hard. Paracord is made from stretchy nylon. When nylon rope becomes wet, it will stretch for miles. One summer back in the 90s I pulled 75 feet off of a 50-foot hank of nylon rope and still had 50 feet left to work with. After that I converted to polyester (not polypropylene) rope. My preferred rope for most every application is Lehigh Group BPE650PW-P 3/16" X 50' Diamond Braid Polyester Rope. I get it at Lowe's for under $5, but other box stores carry it. Polyester will not stretch under extreme tension, wet or dry.
Leather would be a good idea for laces as long as it never gets wet. With shoes it is just a matter of time before it gets wet.
I made a pair of these some months back, and visually they're very similar to yours. I used rubber from a professional mower tire that I got for free from a place that rents them out (walked up and asked, walked away with two free old tires). It's thicker than what you're working with, but not nearly as heavy as most tire rubber. Plus, no steel belting or wire like car tires. I did ruin a hacksaw blade and a half cutting through it, but that's what? A buck or two?
To get the paracord through the thicker rubber, I used a hammer and nail to make holes, then my wife's crochet needle. I tapped it in the with the hammer, threaded the paracord, and pulled the needle through with pliers. I scuffed up the needle a bit (another dollar or so), but I think it's still good for sewing up crochet work.
There's a lot of plans for sandals like this online, and I think the thing that sells one pair over another is the lacing. Barefoot Ted's lacing instructions, which I think you linked to up there, are fantastic, and it's what sold me that these were viable footwear -- I had tried two or three iterations of nylon strap and buckles before finding it. I barefoot run in the nearby fields and woods, but wanted something for the large-gravel roads that are between me and where I run.
Unfortunately, the paracord seems hard to adjust. It seems to be either too tight between my first two toes, or too loose around the ankle. Barefoot Ted recommends and sells leather strapping and I've been wondering if I should make the switch. Have you had any problems with the strapping cutting into your foot? They're fine for walking, but the cord really bothers me after a bit. It's a shame, because they do stay on my feet a hundred times better than anything else I've tried.
Thanks again!
If you can't find a Tandy Leather dealer, you can Google it and find a dealer online.
Good idea on the mower tires. Prolly an old ATV tire would work too. But you'd have to work the tread down a bit.
Offseid, I'll check out the different instructions. You're right that I was using the "ancient Roman" style of lacing. It was a bit of a pain to go so far above the Achilles tendon. Any lower and it would tighten up on that -- does not feel great.
I usually buy my paracord in 100-foot lengths at a time. And when I get it home, I drop the whole hank into the sink and run some hot water over it. Then I string it out straight and let it dry in the sun. I'd hang it over the clothes line, but I have a Brown Lab who loves to pull stuff off the line. ;-)
I always recommend buying from an original military contracted mfg. The cheap paracord has a very loose sheath around "maybe" 3 or 4 strands in the core. Military grade has 5 to 7 strands for the core. The sheath is tighter and more uniform. Believe me, you will be able to tell the difference.
I found a guy on eBay that sells the good stuff at affordable prices. His handle on ebay is majesticdreams. He lives in Fort Worth, TX and he has 42 different colors to choose from. He stands behind his product, and if for any reason, I don't like what I get, he'll refund me.
www.supplycaptain.com is a good supplier as well, but I've found that they don't have as many color choices. Although I prefer the subdued military colors, there are folks that like the bright and vibrant colors.
As for the alternate lacing, I believe Steven Sashen of InvisibleShoe.com said that it came from one of the members of the Huaraches Google Group. I really prefer this lacing since it's a one-time deal, assuming you're happy with the fit. Besides, you'll look weird enough wearing these things - you'll look even weirder with the ancient Roman lacing that Barefoot Ted and the Tarahumaras use. Not that running barefoot/minimalist is about looks, but...
The paracord may not be the ideal lacing material. Since it was what I had on hand, it was a no-brainer. The stuff InvisibleShoe.com sells is a polypropylene/nylon blend and is most likely more easily adjustable as well as softer and more comfortable.
a) Sorry to hear that your knot wore out. Typically, the knot lasts for a long time -- I'm still using the same lace/knot that I started with 2 years ago. I got an email today from a customer who just finished his 10th marathon in the same pair.
Since the knot flattens out (and can be pre-flattened with a pliers and some heat, which is what we do when we make huaraches for customers), and is covered in flexible rubber, and is in between your toes, there isn't usually the kind of abrasion/friction to cause what you experienced. More about this in a second.
b) Had you simply called us, we would have not only happily replaced the lace, but given you the instructions (below) about what to do about it in the future. And, we still will if you give a shout or drop us an email.
c) In denouncing our entire company and product line, it seems you've conflated a "lace issue" with the fact that what your friend bought for you is not just the lace, but the best outsole on the market today for barefoot-style running -- the ONLY one made specifically for that purpose, designed by the former lead designers from Nike and Reebok... and he also purchased our labor in making the shoe for you, rather than you getting a kit for a lower price and doing it yourself.
d) I know people sometimes hate hear what I'm about to say: but the reason you're having the problem you describe is "form-related." Simply: There's one of two things you could be doing:
1) If you're actually wearing out the knot, then you're "scraping" your feet as you walk. The only way you can wear out the knot, and all the other materials you put on top of it, is with friction. And the only way you create friction at the toe area is by "pushing/scraping" in the 2nd half of your stride (backside mechanics).
2) If you're breaking the lace above the knot, then you're probably overstriding, which can cause the lace to move back and forth as you "jam" into it.
Remember, that one reason for using huaraches or being barefoot is to discover and address the ways our gait is less-than-optimal. And something like blowing through a knot is a bit of feedback to use for that purpose.
Oh, and if you had to make a 2nd knot, make sure you heated it to seal the lace material, per the instructions at www.invisibleshoe.com/kit. This makes the knot more solid and stable.
e) FWIW, the lace you recommend is a weaker material than one we include with our shoes (we tested it 2 years ago)... so it's surprising to me that you had better luck with that than with ours. It's possible that by the time you switched laces you unknowingly modified your stride, too, eliminating the cause of the issue, regardless of the type of lace.
The way gait changes happen is often unconscious -- we do something that feels wrong and our body figures out how to fix it before we realize we've done it --- that's why we can walk in cowboy boots without tripping over the extended toe; our brain quickly adapts to accommodate.
f) If you don't want to explore or address the form issue, then my suggestion is to use Shoe Goo or epoxy on the knot and the first 1/2-1" of the lace. It won't last forever (even water wears away rocks), but it's easy to add another layer every now and then.
-Steven
Thank you Steven!!
I deleted my comment because I understand that I was wrong.
Your thorough and lucid reply delineates that you have a very caring company.
First off: No, I am in no way offended that you told me I have a bad running stance!! Thank you so much! Now I can learn how to correct my stride and stance! I love being told I am wrong and I know I have much to learn. Thank you so much for all the information Steven!
I will write back a lengthier reply by this weekend. I have two exams this week and lots of labs.
Laminate them to each other laminate them to each other and then cut it out to match the size of the harder material. Spray adhesive sounds like the right application for this. A utility or an xacto knife with a #11 blade should do the job.
The shoe laces also seem like a good idea as they're flat and might be a bit more comfortable and form fitting for you feet.
Second on the list is I use heavy but pliable leather for the straps. You can cut it wide so the tension is not all in a focused area, and you can use two holes in the front to lace it down and forward, back up to the top. You do not need to make a knot at all, just pull an inch or so back to the top, and the friction will hold it in place. (Yes, it works.)
Total price: perhaps a dollar depending on how much gas you have to use to get to the dump and the leather store. ;) Enjoy!