Feet, Shoes, & Work Around the Homestead - Xero Shoes Mesa Trail ii Review

Feet. Most of the time we don't think much about them, but if they didn't do their job, almost nothing I do all day would be possible. So they are pretty important. As you know, in the depth of winter I love my custom made fur boots and wear them every day. But in the warmer months, warmer being a general term around here since much of the summer we get freezes at night too, there are often times my feet need a little protection due to cold, sharp objects in the ground, or just not being tough enough to handle the abrasions of miles of hiking over the rocks in the mountains here. While I have no interest in a shoe that offers "support" or a cast like atmosphere that prevents my feet from operating as they were designed to do, there is a company I have liked for years, Xero Shoes. They make footwear that is just what I want. Some protection, much like a pair of gloves for my feet, without interfering much at all in their ability to function naturally.

 Actually I first purchased a pair of soles from them to make my own sandals before they even made sandals and only offered make-your-own materials. Then they started making sandals themselves, so I purchased those just to save the time on making my own. Then they started making shoes so I picked up a pair of those the next time I wore out a set I had. I've since purchased several more as I wear out each set. And then Xero Shoes sent out a note asking for shoe testers for their newest models. 

Now I get multiple offers ever single day from some company or another who sends me a message something along the lines of "We've seen your channel and have a product that would be a good fit. We'll send you one of our great new thingymajigits and pay you $xxx to feature it in an ad or video." Almost none of these offers are for items I can imagine anyone having a use for. Some of them are products I would actively encourage folks to avoid. But either way, those messages all get ignored. I only recommend items to others if I have been using and loving them for years all on my own. However Xero Shoes is very much in that later camp. So when the put out a call for shoe testers, I said sure! I would love to do that and help a company that already makes something I love and buy, keep producing great footwear. So a few months back they gave me a pair of one of their newest shoe models, the Mesa Trail ii to wear and review. 

Yep, that's me when I was a whole lot younger. As you can see from many of the photos my mother had snapped of those years, I did run around truly barefoot most of the time. But then I did live in a warmer part of the world, spent less time walking around the mountains, and wasn't working to clean up and reclaim a little abandoned and trashed (with bits of barbed wire and broken glass scattered around the property) acreage and turn it into a useful and productive little homestead .

I've now been wearing the new Mesa Trail ii's for many projects around our place for a few months and really like them. As you can see below, they have a nice grippy tread that looks like a mountain bike tire to me. And the traction is great on rock, snow, and ice. It's also good at picking up mud at this time of year as summer turns into winter.

Since I have been wearing these for a while without anyone noticing, you can see a whole bunch more of this pair of shoes in action around our place in this video too:

I hate hauling weight around in general and one of the things I've always liked about Xero's shoes is how lightweight they are. The next best thing to actually wearing nothing at all, is a shoe that weighs about 6 1/2 oz and can roll up like a sock. This is possible with all the pairs of sandals or shoes that I have purchased from Xero and that is also great for living in small spaces or going backpacking so they are a very good fit for me. 

They are also a good looking simple and practical shoe I think. Yep, they make them in all kinds of bright colors too if that is your thing. However I've always liked simple and more muted colors myself so all my pairs have been black, grey, brown, or blue. They do what they need to do and don't really catch your attention. Just what I like in a shoe.

They really are like a tough glove for your feet. With a much more aggressive tread than models like the Prio which I also have walked through several pairs of. Those are fine for summer, town trips, etc. but I really do like these better for any slicker conditions, rocks, and hiking. They are both quite comfortable to wear all day. Whether going for a hike, gardening, or just chores around the property. I know I will be wearing these till they wear the whole way out, and then buying more. 

Even Burley, Zipper, and Velcro all seem to like them, though you'd have to speak dog or cat to get their reviews. 

The chickens seemed more indifferent to them. Unless I'm wearing them with a scoop full of grain in my hands. At which they all come running!

Find your own at https://xeroshoes.com/go/FyNyth where if you make a purchase, they also send me a commission at no cost to you! And you'll be helping pay the bills, like buying chicken feed, around our little homestead. We all thank you!

P.S. If you are reading this shortly after I wrote this post, I just learned they are having a sale and you will save 20% on any of their new styles. And save an ADDITIONAL 5% when you grab at least 2 different styles. The discount will appear in your cart automatically!