Luna Sandals - MONO - Out for one month trial...

Out for one month trial... 

So, I've used the MONOs in training for Boston exclusively for the past month.  I was reluctant to try the MGT footbed since I thought that having grippy rubber underfoot in immediate contact with my skin was going to precipitate hot-spots and set me back training wise...thankfully none rubbed out since I have some pretty Calloused Soles!  That said, I do miss the silky smooth feel that the Shell Cordovan Horse butt leather offers...There is nothing quite like quality leather on human skin either in boot or sandal form.  I have a few pairs of quality European Alpine hiking boots and some American made logger boots that are leather lined.  I wonder what the Pittards High Performance Leather footbed feels like and grips like in comparison to MGT.  

After a few weeks of using my MONOs, I was having some issues with the excess strap material at the end of the buckle loosening and going back through the buckle instead of tensioning on every stride.  This caused my sandal to loosen mid run which necessitated pulling over and snugging up the sandal.  I spoke with the monkeys at Luna and they suggested a few things:

1) Try and shift where the buckle sits on your foot so that it is as flat as possible and does not sit lopsided on a bone or tendon.

2) Try securing the excess strap material in the lace holder better.

Since Luna Sandals stands behind their products, I was told that I could send the sandals back in and they would take a look at them.  It could just be a faulty buckle.  I was told that I am the first to be having this issue.  I said I would like to try and experiment with them for a bit longer and then if need be, send them back in or inspection.  My feet could be those one in a million pair that just wont work for these sandals.  My wife has told me that I have ugly feet, but come on, I just want to run in my MONOs without a care in the world.

I don't think I ever once fussed with the elasticized leather straps on my Catamounts.  I was washing the MONOs after each run since the salt and sand from these New England winters can weather and do a number on Nylon - especially the sand dust, it gets in between the fibers of the Nylon and starts abrasively tearing them down.  Perhaps I was washing away salty grime and dead skin build up - yum - that would otherwise allow the polypropylene straps to have some friction and stay put at the buckle.  

Aside from that, these appear to be very competent contenders particularly for long distance road or trail runners and hikers.  I look forward to smattering them with thousands more miles.