I hate my feet. They hurt me. They’re narrow and bony and, I swear, they don’t have enough – or maybe even any – heel padding. But I have a very intense love affair with shoes. It’s a conundrum. How do I equate my undeniable shoe fetish with the fact that those objects of my affection hurt so much? And I’m not talking about just stilettos here. I don’t think I own a pair of shoes that don’t hurt – and that includes the various styles of athletic shoes that fill my closet.
Several weeks ago, while going through my email, I noticed a photo of an incredibly cute, candy colored pair of sport sandals from a company called Ahnu that asked if I’d like to receive a complimentary pair for review. The outdoor temperatures hovered around the freezing mark and there was snow on the ground but I jumped at the opportunity to review these little cuties for EverBeautiful.com. Ahnu sent me a sandal style called The Pescadero in Tango Red. It retails for $90.00.
A Little About Ahnu, the Company
Ahnu was started by Jenny Fredericks and Jacqueline and Jim Van Dine who sought to combine engineering performance with modern, organic aesthetics in a line of athletic footwear. The name Ahnu derives from the Celtic goddess of balance and well-being and the company’s commitment to their namesake is evident in everything from the use of certified post-consumer recycled fibers in their catalogs and packaging to their “give-back” policy of charitable contributions to organizations including The Breast Cancer Fund and The Wilderness Land Trust.
A Little More About the Shoes
Ahnu works with leading biomechanists, designers and athletes to develop footwear that will provide the appropriate balance of traction, grip, flexibility, cushioning and durability. Ahnu pioneered Numentum® Technology, designed to center and guide the foot to promote an efficient, stable and balanced stride.
Ahnu and Me
After enduring the seemingly endless winter, the weather finally decided to live up to its season and I took to the street wearing my Ahnu athletic sandals. They are so cute. I watched my feet walk in them for about half a block and then I got serious. I literally pounded the pavement with my feet. They didn’t hurt. When I returned home an hour later, there were no blisters. This is major. Every shoe I own causes me blisters. I swear that I could get blisters from socks. I get blisters on the backs of my heels, the sides of my feet and on my little toes. The top of my feet sport abrasions or scars from abrasions due to my ultra high instep. Ah, Ahnu! No blisters or abrasions! I think this is because of the way the shoe is engineered and its very soft straps and leather.
I then tested my sandals for balance. I am in the process of completing an athletic challenge where you build up to 300 squats in a month. I read about it on Facebook so it must be good. (Kidding – and I don’t recommend trying this if you don’t know how to properly do a squat or have bad knees.) I usually do squats the way I do everything else. Barefoot. Could I keep my balance in my Ahnus? You bet I could. In fact, I felt more stable in them than I do in my bare feet.
Third Ahnu challenge? I took ‘em to lunch. I paired them with a pair of skinny ankle jeans, a white tee and a jean jacket. So what if they’re athletic shoes? They’re so comfortable I didn’t want to take them off for a pair of dressier sandals. And, I even got compliments on them without my prompting.
Ahnu passed the endurance test, the balance test and the style test. I am officially a fan. (Besides, if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be writing about them at all.)
Ahnu sport shoes come in a variety of styles including boots, sandals and sneakers for men and women. They also have a line of yoga-friendly shoes that are so cute I’d wear them for a casual weekend in the city. Ahnu sport shoes are available on their website and at various retailers nationwide. Here’s the url so you can check out the entire line and locations for yourself: http://www.ahnu.com/
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