Juil Vista Sandals Review

Check out this great Review from contributor Steffani of the Juil Vista Sandals.

Although I have never before worn a pair of barefoot shoes, I am definitely a barefoot kind of girl. Growing up in PEI, I had the toughest feet of anyone I knew. As soon as the snow melted, my feet wanted to be free.

Now, being an urban dweller, going barefoot is not a safe option. I have heard Kennyo talk about barefoot shoes. I have seen his Vibram barefoot shoes. However, prior to June 16 (also my move into first home day) I had never put my feet into a barefoot classified shoe.

Kennyo arranged for me to test drive a pair of Juil sandals, but having never paid attention to barefoot shoes before, I had to google Juil in order to learn their claim to fame.

What knowledge did I acquire? Juil has an exclusive Energy Flow Technology™ which claims to channel the body's rejuvenating energies residing in the earth's surface.  From reading the information provided on the Juil.com, I learned that regular footwear blocks the flow of electrons from the earth to our bodies. Electrons from the earth help rid the body of radicals that build up due to things like stress or infections.

Juil has incorporated copper into their footwear as part of their Energy Flow Technology™. These copper circles are placed to host your heal and toes while walking. Below is a diagram of the placement of the copper circles.

Source: http://www.juil.com

Now, what did I think of my Juil Vista sandals?  When I first put them on, I thought that I would definitely end up with blisters between my toes as the strap seemed rough. Not my idea of a barefoot feeling. However, I was pleasantly surprised when my Vistas were gentle on my feet after about 15 minutes of walking.

Although I didn’t quite notice any of the benefits of the Energy Flow Technology™, I quickly became a believer of the barefoot category of shoes. My feet were so comfortable - I had trouble changing into my dress shoes when I got to work. My feet almost ached for my lunch break walks so they could be slipped back into the Vistas. The EVA foot bed forms to the foot imitating the feeling and benefits of barefoot walking.

Every time I wore my Juil sandals, I wished I could find a pair of dress shoes that were half as comfortable.  Although I normally spend as little as possible on shoes, I could be very tempted to purchase another pair of Juils.  They’re almost as good as going barefoot. 

Pluggz Shoe Review

My review for this week is done on a pair of Pluggz sandals. Pluggz sandals are produced by LiSTEN Brands Inc, they created an exclusive line of casual, fashionable and lifestyle footwear under the brand name pluggz, which is embedded with a proprietary “grounding” technology. In order to review Pluggz shoes I must first look at the idea of grounding.


So what does it mean to be grounded? The Pluggz website states "This technology grounds the person wearing the footwear to the earth which creates the powerful benefit of reducing inflammation in the body by restoring electrons to a more balanced state."


I was reading online and found this somewhat hippie definition of being grounded, The earth chakra is located approximately 12 to 18 inches below the soles of the feet. Often called the earth star chakra... it is not within the actual physical body but is part of the etheric body. This chakra aligns you with the magnetic core of the earth... and connects you with Mother Gaia.


I think this Video below does the best in explaining grounding..

Pluggz Review:

The pair of Pluggz shoes that I received was a men's graphite flip flop. The shoe looks like a normal flip flop when wearing them but it does offer a slight arch support and is designed with their proprietary “plug” technology that allows to to get grounded.


The Pluggz flip flops are made of high quality 100% rubber soles for comfort and long wear, all feature wide matching color rubber straps.

When looking at a barefoot shoe I look for a lightweight shoe with a zero drop heel, that has a large toe box to allow your toes to move free. So Flip Flops by design have a zero drop heel, super lightweight and all the freedom in the world for your toes to move when standing still.


The issues with Flip Flops is what happens when you start walking, in order for you to keep the Flip Flops on your feet you must grip the Flip Flop with your toes as you walk causing your muscles and tendons to become stressed. Also when walking in Flip Flops you tend to shorten your walking gate to keep the Flip Flops on, thus messing with your bio mechanics.


I must say that Pluggz Flip Flops grip your feet pretty well but I still found myself gripping with my toes. Pluggz shoes are well designed, durable and comfortable.


Conclusion:
If you are considering Pluggz Flip Flops the question you must ask yourself is, do you believe in "grounding" and are your aware of the health considerations of wearing Flip Flops. If you settle those questions then Pluggz Flip Flops are a great choice.