Customer Reviews Xero Shoes Z-Trail EV

I have been on the hunt for the perfect backcountry camp shoes for the past 5 years. I am versatile and so are my trips. I range from warm weather wet hikes, to 16,000 ft+ winter mountaineering treks. While it is nearly impossible to find a camp shoe with this kind of range I generally look for a summer shoe and a winter shoe. The Z-trail EV is my new favorite summer shoe and has surpassed the all-reliable Crocs in several categories. I am so impressed with this ultralight shoe. Here are the criteria I have been using to find my perfect shoe. I will rate this sandal / camp shoe from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best for each criteria. Weight 4 These weigh in at 277.7g for a size 8. The crocs run about 328g and the Sockwa X4 and X8 come in as best in class at 175g. Traction 5 Amazing sole on this shoes. I recently wore these on a wet hike. I traveled through the Halls Creek narrows in Capitol Reef. As with all my wet hikes I pair water shoes with Seal Line waterproof socks for additional foot warmth and protection from gravel, sand and rock scrapes when bouldering. This shoe did not falter on wet or dry surfaces and I could climb!!! Agility 5 This criteria measures the shoes ability to stay on your foot during walking, hiking, climbing, scrambling etc. These performed better than expected. There is a little movement in the toe box area which can be easily corrected with proper strap adjustment. Once dialed in my foot stayed on the footbed surface and never came off that surface unlike the Crocs. Cushion 4 This criteria measures the shoes ability to absorb shocks to protect your feet when walking on variable terrain. I was able to walk on stones, sharp limestone without any foot pain at all. This is wear the Sockwa suffers. The Sockwa have great traction, but the sole are so thin and the footbed is insufficient to protect the feet when walking on jagged surfaces or even rocks. I find the Sockwa limited to sandy beaches and smooth campground floors. The Xero shoes Z-Trail can go virtually anywhere and therefore I give it a solid 4 stars. Only Tevas, Chacos and other heavy soled sandles/camp shoes at twice the weight perform better in this criteria. Warmth 2 This criteria measures the shoes ability to keep the sides and bottom of your feet warm. These are true sandals and provide no warmth to sides of your foot. However, the soles and footbed will keep the bottoms of your feet pretty warm when walking on cold surfaces at night down to about 30 degrees. The Sockwas make the bottoms of my feet cold on stone/surfaces below 40 degrees. These sandals are limited to warm weather adventures, but you can add additional warmth and protection in a comfortable way by wearing waterproof socks like those from Seal Line. This is how I wear my sandals for all wet hikes and river trips. Protection 1 This criteria measures the shoes ability to protect the sides of your feet, not the bottoms. There is no side protection without wearing socks. I love to wear waterproof socks with these sandals in certain conditions. Regular socks will add some protection and warmth in camp too. Packability 5 This is a really hard criteria to satisfy. Many shoes or sandals like the crocs come with bulk. Since camp shoes are designed to be worn after a long day of hiking, it is critical that they are lightweight and easy to pack away. The Z-Trail sandals lay flat and are easy to place anywhere INSIDE of my pack. No more crocs flopping around on the outside of my pack because they wont compress small enough to fit inside. Overall, the Xero Z-Trail EV sandals are my go to camp / wet hike shoes for future trails and trips. They are lightweight, provide tons of traction and cushion for my feet while being easy to pack away when on the approach or hike out.

Went through two pair in two years, just bought a third. Originally purchased as a camp shoe for the AT. Liked so much wore as everyday shoe since I live in South Florida. The first pair failed when the sole on the left sandal delaminated within three months, probably due to walking on hot sidewalks. The company promptly replaced it with a new pair under their 4000 mile warranty. The second pair had the straps fall off the sandal while I was launching a kayak in the muck. The straps are not covered by warranty.

I really wanted to like these because it's hard to find a sandal that's wide enough for my feet, and these are. They look and feel pretty nice. But the soles are too thin for me to be comfortable walking around the city in them. If I lived in the country and was walking on dirt roads and grass all the time, they may have worked. I've worn Xero sneakers for 3 years, but these sandals made my feet feel strained and unsupported even in my apartment, so I'm sending them back.

The womens Z-Trail EV is not wide enough for the ball of my right foot (old injury) so I ordered the mens. It fits great and I wear them for nearly all of my summer days. I wish the mens were available in all the colors the womens are. (Is this because of market research or gender bias?) If they were, Id have a rainbow wardrobe of Z-Trail EVs in my closet. :)

This is the most comfortable sandal on the face of the earth! And that's exactly what you'll feel (the earth) through these super-comfy soles.

I've been wearing the Prio for a couple of years so figured these would feel the same. These are even more minimal, so even if you've been wearing a minimal running shoe, give yourself a little bit of time to adjust to these. My feet are stronger now than they've ever been but it took some time.

Beware that on steep downhills they might be a bit smaller than needed and need to be tightened securely.

Love these sandals, great fit, snug to the foot but feel like I'm wearing nothing on my feet.

Ive just discovered the barefoot movement and in my learning came across Xero. I ordered the Z-Trail EVs and am glad I did. Since using them Ive noticed long dormant muscles in my legs have been firing and Ive noticed the gaps between my toes have grown as well. I no longer have soreness in the left, inner tendon behind my left knee. I will continue to work on barefoot running/walking, but when I need shoes/sandals Ill reach for my Xeros. I will eventually buy different styles. Keep up the great work Xero team!!! Thank you.

I love these sandles. They fit great, even with my very wide feet. I wear them everywhere.

A large bunion on the side of one toe makes wearing shoes almost impossible, especially since I prefer a minimalist/barefoot shoe, reducing the selection and options even further. This shoe is heaven for ALL purposes that don't require a closed shoe (basketball, winter, etc.). I bought the men's 7.5 after first trying the women's 8.5. The men's gave me the bit of extra width that makes the shoe perfect for the bunion. While I still prefer to walk and run barefoot, these are the BEST POSSIBLE shoes to wear when shoes are required.

Love the Z-Trails. I've run three 100 mile foot races in Z-Trails, including a PR sub 24 hour run at the '21 Long Haul 100 in January.

Hi, I have been a long-time user of Xero products...like other aspects in my life, when I find something I like, I stick with it. My Xero Z-Trail EV are a step up from my 'regular' sandals from Xero. You see, I use them hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Z-Trail gives me the tough soles that I need in the mountains. Thanks for another great product!

I couldn't explain you would have to try a pair on just to realize how comfortable they are for not being very thick there incredible

I liked the color so bought the men’s sandal in equivalent size for my women’s size. I live in these all summer. Love my xero shoes.

Honestly the most comfortable footwear I have ever worn. Very lightweight and you can feel the connection to the earth which is absolutely brilliant. Thank you Xero shoes for creating such a great product. They are very well constructed and materials should last and wear well.

Just got them, so not too many miles in em yet. That being said… they are dope. Great for trail running and hiking. Would recommend. Usually a 9.5 in shoes, sometimes a 10. I got the 9’s and they fit perfect

Love these minimalist treasures. I have never owned a shoe so comfortable. Thank you Xero!!

comfy

superb and very lightweight and super natural like you are wearing nothing! i am so happy with product ! thank you

Great fit and super comfortable. I dozed down even though I have a wide foot.

Super comfortable. Great for all day wear. You don't even know they are on your feet.

Fabulous shoe! Since I have discovered Xero shoes I don’t want anything else!

I was in love with them - up until I got a few drops of water on them. Suddenly they soles (on the top where my foot touches) got amazingly slippery. There is absolutely no way I'd ever walk any trails with these things. A little touch of water or wet grass and my foot slides around in them painfully. I was planning on buying a pair of shoes from you but now I'm thinking of getting something from Walmart instead, simple water shoes maybe, at least I wouldn't worry about the money I wasted.