Xero Shoes

Feel the World Inc.[1][2]
Xero Shoes[1]
Private company
Industry Minimalist running shoes
Founded Boulder, Colorado, United States (November 23, 2009 (2009-11-23))[1]
Founder Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
Headquarters Boulder, CO, United States
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Dennis Driscoll (Chief Development Officer)[2]
Products Xero Shoes
Website XeroShoes.com

Xero Shoes are a type and brand of minimalist shoe manufactured by Feel the World Inc. in Boulder, Colorado.[1] Designed for walking and running with shoes on, the footwear has thin, flexible soles that are contoured to the shape of the human foot.[1]

History

A huarache style sandal made from a Xero Shoes do-it-yourself kit, inspired by the Tarahumara tire sandals

A high-school sprinter, Steven Sashen got back into the sport after a 30-year break.[1] However, after two years of injury-prone competition, he joined a local barefoot running club in Boulder, CO at the suggestion of a friend who gave him a copy of Born To Run by Christopher McDougall.[3] As a result of running barefoot, his gait changed and injuries abated,[4] Sashen wanted to continue the barefoot experience in areas which required foot covering. So he developed his own modern huarache-style sandal similar to those worn by the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico’s Copper Canyon,[5] consisting of a thin rubber sole sourced from Vibram in Italy and nylon-polypropylene laces (this original style is now sold as the Xero Shoes "Cherry" in the classic kit).[1]

After making the first pair for his wife Lena Phoenix and a second for himself, Sashen got requests from friends for their own minimalist sandals. After organising a shoe making party outside the University of Colorado, Sashen and Phoenix formed Feel the World Inc. in November 2009, marketing a do-it-yourself barefoot sandal kit and custom-made sandals under the Invisible Shoes brand.[1][6] The original shoes were developed further by the addition of a bead stringing-style design.[1] With the input of lead designers who had previously worked with Nike Inc. and Reebok, the team specified and co-developed a new high-abrasion rubber trademarked as FeelTrue®, which enabled the launch of new pre-shaped and sized sandals in two sole thicknesses.[1]

In August 2012, the company engaged Dennis Driscoll who has previously developed products for Avia, Crocs, Dr. Martens and Wilson Sporting Goods as chief development officer, and renamed the brand Xero Shoes in December 2012.[2] Selling just via online retailing and with a unique 5,000 miles (8,000 km) warranty,[7] the company has since sold over 95,000 pairs of shoes in various styles and designs to 94 countries.[1][8]

On an episode airing in January 2013, Sashen and Phoenix pitched for an investment on ABC's reality television series Shark Tank (Show 52; Series 4, episode 14 "Bibitec").[2][8] After pitching for an investment of $400,000 for an 8% stake, the couple managed to only get one offer. It came from investor Kevin O'Leary who offered the desired amount, but for 50% of the company. Sashen and Phoenix chose not to accept the proposed deal.[9]

The company has since moved from online-sales only to also channel marketing via select high street based North American retailers and Amazon.com, priced from $19.95 to $79.99.[2]

Design

A pair of Sensori Venture sandals from Xero Shoes, a ready-to-wear huarache style sandal

The first Xero Shoes "Cherry" design consists of a thin rubber sole and nylon-polypropylene laces.[1][9]

The full retail range developed with the input of lead designers who had previously worked with Nike Inc. and Reebok,[1] enabling the launch of the new and unique high-abrasion FeelTrue® rubber sole, available in a patented pre-shaped and sized sandal design in two sole thicknesses.[1][10]

As Chief Development Officer, Dennis Driscoll analyzed over 4,000 foot tracings of existing customers, and concluded that most sandal companies place the toe post in the wrong location.[2] This led to the launch in October 2013 of the Amuri Venture range,[11] which has since become recognized for its design, wearability and comfort.[12]

The company's product line now includes sport sandal designs, without the traditional toe post, including Z-Trek and Z-Trail sandals [13]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "About Us". Xero Shoes. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alicia Wallace (January 31, 2013). "Boulder company Xero Shoes to appear on ABC reality show 'Shark Tank'". dailycamera.com. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ McDougall, Christopher (2011) [2009]. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. New York City: Vintage Books. pp. 168, 172. ISBN 978-0-307-27918-7.
  4. ↑ Steven Sashen (July 24, 2011). "The important barefoot running blister". Xero Shoes. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Running Shoes Gear Guide". National Geographic. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Best Barefoot Sandals | Tarahumara Huarache Running Shoes". invisibleshoe.com. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  7. ↑ "5,000 mile Warranty". Xero Shoes. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Shark Tank Episode 414". ABC. January 31, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Joe Rubino (February 2, 2013). "Boulder's Xero Shoes turns down investment offer on 'Shark Tank' reality show". Denver Post. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  10. ↑ "The 2011 MGBG Grovie Awards". Maple Grove Barefoot Guy. December 12, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Xero Shoes Amuri Venture Review". Minimalist Running Shoes. October 31, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Recommended Shoes". The Running Clinic. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Introducing the ultra-lightweight trail-friendly Xero Shoes Umara Z-Trail Sport Sandal". WearTested.org. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
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