Luna Mono Winged Version Evaluate

Backside Line

The Luna Mono Winged version climbing sandals present an impressive mixture of stability, assist, and freedom on your toes. Whereas they are often considered a minimalist sandal as a consequence of their zero-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, their stable stack peak of 15 millimeters, which features a 4-millimeter lug depth on the outsole, nudges them simply barely into the maximalist vary. 

Throughout testing, these secured a spot on our listing of top-performing climbing sandals due to their distinctive array of options. Though three figures might sound expensive for sandals, we consider they’re moderately priced given their choices.

How We Examined

We had the Luna Mono Winged sandals on our toes for a few month. We wore them on forest roads, well-maintained trails, poorly-maintained trails, and for hours on finish whereas at camp.

Consolation

The straps! So easy! So silky! We attempt to keep away from talking in superlatives, however the straps on the Luna Mono Winged sandals would possibly actually be the perfect sandal straps we’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Just like the straps on most climbing sandals, these are produced from a woven textile. We’re guessing it’s nylon or polyester, although the fabric isn’t disclosed on the web site. 

Regardless, the perfect phrase to explain them is “supple.” They’re far softer than the straps on every other climbing sandals we’ve tried; because of this, they’re additionally rather more versatile. We have been in a position to pull the straps to create a good, safe match with out experiencing any discomfort—no digging in, no rubbing, no chafing. 

All praises sung, we’ve one minor grievance. The wings (the plastic items holding the straps in place) on the within of the sandal press towards our tester’s foot. She doesn’t naturally pronate her toes (flip the arch downward), but they nonetheless press towards them, so this may very well be a difficulty for people who do closely pronate. It wasn’t uncomfortable to the purpose of being painful, and our tester says she’ll nonetheless fortunately put on these sandals in every single place, however it’s a bit distracting. 

The footbed is impartial and suits our tester’s foot effectively. Folks with very slim toes would possibly skip these; they’re most fitted for impartial to medium-wide toes.

Stability

Due to Luna’s single-strap adjustment system, it’s attainable to attain an extremely safe match, enhancing total stability. Whereas it could seem that there’s just one adjustment level, these sandals truly characteristic a single steady looped strap. You may primarily alter them infinitely till you discover a match that works for you. 

The Mono Winged sandals characteristic a zero-drop midsole, but they don’t essentially really feel like a minimalist sandal. That is because of the stack peak being considerably thicker than that of a typical barefoot shoe, with a complete stack peak of 15 millimeters (11–millimeter midsole plus 4-millimeter outsole). Due to this fact, whereas there’s not a lot floor really feel obtainable, these sandals present ample assist and higher safety from sharp objects within the floor (howdy, pokey rocks disguised by a layer of filth). 

Regardless of its thickness, the midsole stays versatile sufficient to keep away from feeling cumbersome or restrictive. A thinner stack peak would possibly present extra flexibility, however we discovered these to strike a great stability between safety, stability, and adaptability. The wings beneath the ankle bone, whereas barely bothersome for our tester’s toes, assist guard towards over-pronation and over-supination, which may benefit these in want of a bit extra ankle assist.

Traction

We wore the Luna Mono sandals for a number of actions that offered various circumstances. First, we took them on an extended stroll alongside a dust highway in a central California forest. The highway floor featured silty segments, wonderful gravel, and even some stretches of uncovered, chunky rock. The incline was reasonable, by no means exceeding about 10%. We didn’t encounter any traction points on this stroll; the sandals carried out excellently in these dry circumstances. 

We additionally wore them for a time out at camp in a nationwide forest, which concerned plenty of relaxed strolling and exploring, a lot of it on barely-there trails or no path in any respect. The surfaces we encountered included considerably deep filth (2 to three inches; very delicate), a pine straw-covered forest flooring, naked rock, and gravel. We even wore the sandals to scramble up some small boulders for an epic sundown view. 

All through all of this, the sandals offered glorious traction and prompted us no points. On one other day, we wore the Lunas on a brief however steep summit hike. This path—1.2 miles and 1,300 toes to the summit—did current some slippage. It wasn’t vital, seemingly as a result of the path floor was pretty packed and there have been no scree sections, however it made us hesitant to take them on any trails harder than that.

Sturdiness

We count on these to final a very long time. The 11-millimeter midsole is dense and immune to compression. The outsole includes a 4-millimeter lug depth, guaranteeing the tread can stand up to heavy use throughout diverse terrain. 

The footbed, nonetheless, might put on down and lose its texture prematurely since there isn’t a lot to begin with: only a very mild hexagonal sample within the rubber. 

The straps, tightly woven and versatile, appear sufficiently sturdy. There are just a few plastic parts (the buckles and the wings on either side), and plastic is at all times susceptible to breakage, particularly given the character of outside actions.

Weight & Packability

Weighing in at 11.8 ounces per pair, the Luna Winged Mono sandals are among the many lightest choices throughout the handfuls we’ve examined. They’re definitely mild sufficient to function a second pair of sneakers, though their thicker stack peak could make them tough to suit into slim compartments.

We advocate dividing them into separate compartments or attaching them to the skin of your pack.

Ease of Use

It might take you a while to search out the best match with these sandals, and also you would possibly really feel annoyed with the single-strap/multi-adjustment level design. However persevere and maintain adjusting, as a result of when you uncover your good match, you might by no means purchase one other climbing sandal once more. 

Initially, we discovered the system cumbersome and annoying, however after adjusting the straps just a few occasions, we found a match that felt each ultra-secure and ultra-comfortable. In lots of different climbing sandals, you sometimes should compromise between these two points, however that’s not the case with the Luna Mono Winged version. 

When you’ve discovered your very best match, placing them on and taking them off is simple. All you’ll want to do is loosen the strap on the midfoot buckle to wiggle your toes in and slide them out. Simply make certain to do the becoming half earlier than heading out on the path, otherwise you’ll have a nasty time. (P.S. You may truly transfer the buckle round, too, and place it in essentially the most snug spot for you.)

Ought to You Purchase the Luna Mono Winged Version?

The Luna Mono Winged climbing sandals are an ideal match for hikers seeking to transition to barefoot-inspired sneakers with out diving in utterly. In addition they function a superb possibility for any hiker who prefers a zero-drop midsole however seeks extra assist and safety than typical barefoot sandals present.

What Different Ladies’s Mountain climbing Sandals Ought to You Take into account?

We’ve examined dozens of climbing sandals, and the next are a few of our favorites which have related qualities to the Luna Mono Winged version. 

Teva Unique Common Evaluate: These have an analogous stack peak and midsole in comparison with the Luna Mono Winged, however the outsole is much less rugged and isn’t as appropriate for technical adventures. The strap design can be considerably completely different, that includes three independently adjustable Velcro closures (versus Luna’s steady loop system). 

Earth Runner Alpha Evaluate: Maybe essentially the most barefoot-like of barefoot sandals, the Earth Runner Alphas supply an unimaginable degree of connection to the bottom. These are for you if you wish to really feel the earth beneath your toes whereas defending your pores and skin from path surfaces. 

Xero Sneakers Z-Path EV Evaluate: One other ultra-barefoot-style possibility, the Z-Path EVs are extremely light-weight and really feel virtually like carrying nothing. You would possibly even overlook they’re on. They’re undoubtedly value contemplating if that’s the vibe you’re going for.