Handmade Shoes and Huaraches
And so, I have been on a do-it-yourself kick, looking into making my shoes so I can not only relish in the amount of money I will be saving, but also gloat in having others ask about my footwear and be able to say, “why these? I made them”. Nothing impresses people like having made something by hand. It is because everything is so automatic these days, of course.
While huaraches do sound similar to cucaracha, they are not a funny dance, but instead a minimalistic running sandal worn by the Tarahumara Indians in South America. The Tarahumara are discussed in Born to Run because of these sandals that allow them to run in the barefoot style.
And while the videos got me excited about making my own shoes and sandals, this time around I really want to “make” the shoes myself. That includes reviewing and purchasing the materials, cutting everything out, etc. I still want a Vibram sole, and I found this link for them so I think I am going to order my own directly if I do decide to use the Cherry sole (product #7175).
I also found an excellent video of a runner testing his homemade Huaraches in rocky Los Angeles and it looks like they hold up quite well:
But these last two videos sparked my interest the most as they were made with completely recycled materials (tires!) and have quite a distinct look, something that would stand out and make people notice, and something I could make a bit prettier if I felt like enlisting my artistic side:
Watching these last two videos shows that you can make these barefoot running sandals out of nearly anything, that is the point after all! Low cost and less consumerism. Well that was my point anyways. Returning to the days of investing love and time into something so you care for it and cherish it. And who knows, maybe friends will want a pair!
I will update with an entry if I make these or order the kit and write a review. Has anyone else used these sandals or tried any DIY shoe making? Leave some tips if you have!
Los cucarachos were not a dance band, they were the Mexican Communists trying to take over the country via their usual manner, which is to sabotage the infrastructure and claim that the present form of government is inept and that if the people only rise up and overthrow it then we will take over and the workers will live in the workers paradise where every one earns the same, except the elite rulers who deserve to live in splendor.