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Luna Sandals Rooted Brujita – Review

Luna Rooted Brujita sandals boast their extremely simple but effective way of binding and minimalist and at the same time modern design. Ever wanted to be able to put together your own color combination of sandals? With Luna Sandals, this is possible.

The story of the birth of the Luna Sandals brand is one of the most inspiring I have ever seen. It’s the story of how Barefoot Ted met Manuel Luna in Cooper Canyons, Mexico. Ted asked Manuel to teach him how to make a pair of their traditional ‘huarache’ sandals. A pair of these simple sandals made from used tires lit the first spark in Ted, from which the Luna Sandals brand was then born. You can watch the full video with the story here.

This American brand of sports sandals is best known to the general public for its running sandals, but their sandals are more than just that. Luna Sandals prefer to name their sandals as ‘adventure’ sandals that you can wear practically anywhere – for running, walking, hiking, playing. Their Rooted Brujita line of sandals with leather straps is a line that brings a fantastic option of eyeryday sandals.

Their sandals have a distinctive yellow and black moon logo that you will definitely remember. Just look at these vibrant colors that await you when you open the package.

Disclaimer: I bought these sandals myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. I’m also Luna Sandals affiliate and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase on the Luna Sandals website through the links on my website at no additional cost to you. Thank you for all your support ♥

1. General

  • Brand: Luna Sandals
  • Model: Rooted Brujita Slip-On Sandal
  • Colour: sole: Oil Tanned Leather – Caffe Mocha, laces – black and colar pink
  • Tested on: woman, medium-wide feet, 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide (10.3 cm between metatarsal heads), low instep, skinny ankles with narrow heels, fin-shaped foot (see my how to measure guide and foot type) – wearing size M9/W11

| Made in USA | Adults | Leather | Ship worldwide |

2. Material characteristics

2.1 Upper

Luna Sandals are made of high quality materials and both the Vibram sole and the leather are of excellent quality. The production of sandals is precise and stylish. Even their logo on the heel works very nicely and matches the image of the brand and sandals.

Different types of leather can be used for the footbed. In my sandals a smooth, oil-tanned 2 mm thick leather in the color of Caffe Mocha is used, which is part of the standard colors of the Rooted Brujita model.

For all those who would like to put together their own color combination, I recommend using their Rooted Brujita Sandal Builder when ordering. This way you will be able to choose between five different colors and types of leather for the footbed and many colors of laces.

Want more? Check out their Roots Builder for more advanced options. You can also choose from a variety of soles here, but not all sole options offer leather footbed.

Rooted Brujita sandals use a traditional ‘huarache’ tying system, where a single leather lace is used, which is threaded between the toes, over the heel and then fixed over the instep with a knot.

The laces are available in many different colors and it is also possible to buy them separately. The black color in the photo is part of the standard Rooted Brujita Slip-On colors, while coral pink is only available in Rooted Brujita Sandal Builder. Not all colors may be available at this time.

The Rooted Brujita model is available in two versions – as a Slip-On or Multi Wrap model. The difference between the models is in the length of the laces and the way of tying. The model in the picture is a Slip-On model that only needs to be tied once, then the laces no longer need to be adjusted and tied again and again. When you put them on, you just tighten the knot (see the video in this post).

The multi-wrap model has longer laces that you wrap around your ankle. You spend a little more time putting them on, but they look very nice.

2.2 Sole

For the sole is used an 8 mm thick Vibram rubber. There is not much profile on the sole, but this is enough for this type of sandals and their purpose of use (check their Roots Builder for more options). The total stack height of the sole is 10 mm. The leather laces end with a yellow plug that is aligned with the height of the sole, so it doesn’t interfere while walking.

The sole is thicker and more compact, so it requires a little more effort to roll it into a roll. In the longitudinal direction, the sole is harder to bend. Due to the thickness, you will not feel the ground under your feet well, so they are also suitable for those who like a little more cushions or for slow transition to thinner soles in barefoot shoes.

Regarding the thickness of the sole, I was very fascinated by the video about the birth of the Luna Sandals brand, which I mentioned in the introduction. It was extremely interesting to me when Ted mentioned that one year later he went back in Mexico with his first pair of sandals, which he made all by himself. These sandals had a thin sole, which, however, did not interest Mexicans at all. Their logic was, if you’re already wearing sandals, you need something more robust, and for everything else, you can just be barefoot.

The brand new Luna sandals sole is flat, which will mould and take the shape of your feet after some time of wearing them. The leather laces may become looser too, so you will need to readjust them.

Once the sole moulds to your feet, it becomes even more comfortable to walk and sandals feel more “connected” to your feet. Also, the leather can slightly change the color under your feet over time. It will also become even more comfortable to walk on. Leather laces also stretch with use.

Also check my video for the close-up and to see how they look on my feet.

3. Sizing information

3.1 Length

Finding the right size of Luna sandals is very easy. On the Luna Sandals website, you just need to print a template to find out if the length, width, toebox shape and the placement of the hole suit you. Be sure to print the template at the correct scale.

My foot length is 26.3 cm and I wear a size US M9 / W11. This size fits me perfectly. The position of the hole between the toes is also in a good place.

With sandals, you don’t have to choose as much extra space in front of your toes as with closed-toe shoes. But you need to make sure that your foot will stay on the sole while walking and that your toes do not hang over.

When standing on the template, it is important to align your foot with the marked hole, which significantly affects on the position of the foot while walking. Namely, the position of this hole is fixed, so all the extra length will be at the heel.

The length of the sole in size W11 is 27.5 cm (measured from the middle of the heel to the point between the big toe and the second toe). At the point where my second toe is positioned (which is the longest), the length of the sole is 27.2 cm, which means that the sandals are 9 mm longer than my longest toe.

See post How much space do we need in shoes if you want to know more about that.

3.2. Toebox shape & width

The toebox shape of Luna Sandals is most suitable for foot type 2, 4 and 5. Due to the milder slope towards the little toe, more space may remain in front of the smaller toes in foot type 1, which can cause tripping. How disturbing this is also depends on the width of the foot and how much extra space is left in front of the little toes.

More about different foot types you can read in post What is my Foot Type?

Square-shaped feet, may run out of space for little toes, but as the position of the toes depends on the location of the hole, the problem of a square foot may be less problematic for feet with shorter toes.

Sandals are best suited for medium wide and wide feet. If you have narrower feet, a cobbler can professionally trim your sole and adjust the shape. Those of you who have very wide feet make sure that your toes stay on the sole while walking as your toes and foot expand in length and width.

3.3. Fit around the instep, heel and ankle

The sandals are fixed to the foot using a single leather lace system that runs between the toes, around the heel and over the instep. In the beginning, it takes a bit of playing with the laces to tighten and adjust them optimally. In case you bought an additional color of laces, be sure to tie the new laces correctly.

The laces are long enough to fit all foot volumes. I needed to shorten mine by approx. 15 cm.

When adjusting the laces, make sure that you don’t tighten the laces at the heel too much. The laces should be moderately tightened. If you adjust it too lightly, you will trip and an over-tightened laces will no longer be equally comfortable. I like to tighten the strap over the instep a little harder to make them really secure on my feet.

With the Slip-On model, you don’t need to tie the laces every time you put them on. All you have to do is to slide the knot along the strap forward and then tighten it back again.

The sandals tied in this way are nicely fixed on the foot, but when I walk for a long time, I still notice that the laces can move a little through the side holes, so that the heel part is additionally tightened and the thong strap loosens. In this case, you will just need to readjust them a little.

4. Comfort

Many times people worry that the laces between their toes will be rubbing them, but with Luna sandals I have never had any problem with this. However, I notice a difference in softness between different leather colors. Black laces are softer than coral pink and for those who are more sensitive I would recommend choosing colors made of softer leather.

5. How and when to wear them?

Rooted Brujita sandals can be worn as ‘casual’ sandals for every day, for a walk in the city or to work. Due to the possibility of combining the colors of the sole and the colors of leather laces, they allow countless combinations. In fact, you can get multiple pairs of sandals with just one sole and different laces.

6. Price & where to buy

Luna sandals can be purchased on their official website, and some sports models can also be purchased from various retailers around the world (including the EU). Rooted Brujita models can only be purchased on the official website.

Price for the Rooted Brujita starts at $78 for the Slip-On model. If you live in Europe, take in mind that you will also have to pay tax, customs and the costs of conducting the customs procedure.

7. Shipping info

Luna Sandals are shipped almost all over the world. Shipping costs depend on the shipping country. For the USA shipping is free for orders over $105 ($5.95 for orders under) and for international orders shipping is $15 (express delivery $29- $60). You can read more about the delivery price here.

8. To sum up

Simple and attractive minimalist design, a thong strap that offers maximum freedom for the toes, a Slip-On option for easy on-off and, of course, a wide range of colors that is totally my taste. The possibilities of colour combinations are almost endless. For me, sandals are one of my top summer choices. High quality, comfortable from the moment I put them on and easy to wear with everything.


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