I have owned a pair for 2 + years and I am in my late 50's and overweight. I have worn them on holidays all over Italy walking on cobbled streets, up and down stone stairs and on pebble beaches. I wear them as everyday footwear here on The Gold Coast in Australia instead of bulky sandals or thongs (Jandals in NZ). They are so comfortable and easy to pack. They are also great for business trips to throw into a carry on bag. They are however no good if you are one of those people who slide and scrape your feet along the ground each step instead of lifting them and taking a step. The fronts will fold under.
I'm hoping to try some of their other shoes as well. I love the idea of the minimalist shoes but would love to try out some style more suited toward every day function. I'll bet they are great for the Gold Coast though!
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 In addition to the Clouds I also have Prio, Terra Flex, Hana in black and brown, Daylight Hiker EV, Alston in black & brown, and finally a pair of Veracruz. I started with a pair of Merrel Vapor Glove on the barefoot shoe path and it has been great. The Hana are probably the most comfortable.
Great review man! I have a pair of their Genesis sandals. I bought them as something to try out as I prefer to be barefoot and they quickly became my favorite footwear. I wear them just about every day. I’ve had them for about a year now and average around 11k steps a day. They still look new! My only gripe about them is that small debris can get in between your foot and the sandals and it’s super annoying. I’ve been looking at getting another pair of barefoot sandals and have watched reviews on the various brands: Earth Runners, Luna, Shamma etc. After watching your view of the Clouds I’m convinced that they will be my next pair. I appreciate you going into the detail that you did with the review.
I have been trying to find a good review of the Aqua Clouds. Thank you, yours was the best. I bought a pair for an upcoming trip and am hoping to use them in and out of the water. Cheers.
sadly no. They are a good quaility built sandle. I believe that I have them adjusted correctly, however they do not work for me in the water. I find that they fold under while trying to walk in a few feet of water. but other than that they were excellent.@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552
That is a great suggestion, unfortunately I retired those after getting the new ones, soles still were good though. What really impressed me was how they held up against lava rock in Hawaii, that stuff is probably one of the harshest terrains you can find.
I just placed an order! I'm in love with my Prios so it was logical to purchase my sandals from them too. Also how does the 5,000 mile guarantee work? How do they know if you've done 5,000 miles or not?
They are a small enough company that if there are any issues with your gear they can give you personalized assistance making it right. At least that’s been my experience, I’m guessing the mileage guarantee is more of a “if the soles wear out, we’ll make it right” kind of scenario. You are right, that would be nearly impossible to figure out!
The 5000 mile is just their guess on a warranty period. If the soles wear out they will give you 65% off a new pair. I’ve been wearing my Z Treks for 5 years and they still are almost like new.
Lol "I contacted customer service with the picture of my destroyed sandal, but it was totally unexpected that they replaced them" Then what the hell were you looking for by contacting them anyways? it was totally not their fault that the dog chew them, but you sent the picture for a reason
Seeing that this comment is responding to story I share 10 minutes into the video, all I can say is “Thanks for Watching!” Haha, yeah... I figured they were the type of company that might be willing to help me replace them with a discount or something, wasn’t an expectation but was a hope, and that resulted in a complete replacement 👍
Yeah, I've been impressed with the overall quality. I worked at REI for a while and went through their footwear training. 3 years is a pretty good lifespan for hiking boots, especially if they are used hard! Bottom line is that al footwear has a limited lifespan, that's just the reality, the question I guess is value for money. I'm trying out the EV Daylite hikers by Xero and have some mixed feelings so far...
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 I actually had a plant spike here in Baja California punch through the vibram soles of my Merrell trail gloves. I thought it was a nail but no, a spike. The offending bush was nearby. I was amazed. Soles aren't worn down at all, it just happened to hit right in between treads and the exact right angle.
Teb Tengri yikes! There were thorns from the Kiawe trees where we used to live in Hawaii that would even punch into my work boots, nearly an inch deep! Stay safe out there, those sharp things aren’t messing around.
hey two questions,, would you prefer the cloud or the genesis? I was hoping you mentioned the heel in your video. is it beneficial? also, looking for clarification, you said the cloud was great on the lava rock which was a one of the hardest surfaces, but then you say you use different shoes for longer/tougher surfaces. would you say just time on your feet with the cloud is what makes you choose a different shoe or another reason. i ask these questions cause i use the altra lone peaks for trail running and im looking for a road running shoe. thanks. good video. i appreciate your thoughts.
Hey Nikko, the clouds have a small amount of foam padding, which I have appreciated and would prefer. It is not so much that it takes away the barefoot feel that you want from something like this but it softens the blow over sharper stones and the other medium sized stones that can cause some fatigue. There is still no heel on these, it’s mainly that bit of padding that sets them apart. There are some surfaces that have quit a bit of scree, to me it is super annoying when the loose material gets caught between my foot and the footwear and that constant stopping to clear things out is a pain. Also I’d prefer some more significant grip in steep conditions in rainy/wet/ slippery weather. The other time I’d use different footwear, maybe with ankle support is if I would be doing a multi-day hike with a loaded hiking backpack. For trail running you might want to look into the Xero HFS - or sometime similar if you want the barefoot feel with a bit of protection. I’ve hiked a pretty wide range of terrain and conditions with the clouds, and they have done a decent job but I can recognize the value of different styles for different reasons. Hopefully that helps you out 👍
I walk 20-30 miles a day for my job alone, according to my Fitbit. When you add that up 5k miles is not all that long. I'm not saying these aren't worth it. I'm simply saying if I wore these I would get less than 8 months, closer to 6, out of them before I hit the 5k mark. Which is impressive for a thin sandal or any shoe really. The fact you had those for 3 years and those soles still look brand new is suspect to me. They don't even look like they have 1k miles on them.
honestly, I doubt I hit 1K miles too! The thing that really impressed me about them was how they held up against lava rock compared to other shoes I tried. I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii for a few years with lots of hiking trails on old lava fields and these truly are durable.
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 yes, I recall that part because I have seen sharp Terran Alice thru the rubber like razors. So that is impressive. I'm prolly gonna get a genesis kit
I have owned a pair for 2 + years and I am in my late 50's and overweight. I have worn them on holidays all over Italy walking on cobbled streets, up and down stone stairs and on pebble beaches. I wear them as everyday footwear here on The Gold Coast in Australia instead of bulky sandals or thongs (Jandals in NZ). They are so comfortable and easy to pack. They are also great for business trips to throw into a carry on bag. They are however no good if you are one of those people who slide and scrape your feet along the ground each step instead of lifting them and taking a step. The fronts will fold under.
I'm hoping to try some of their other shoes as well. I love the idea of the minimalist shoes but would love to try out some style more suited toward every day function. I'll bet they are great for the Gold Coast though!
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 In addition to the Clouds I also have Prio, Terra Flex, Hana in black and brown, Daylight Hiker EV, Alston in black & brown, and finally a pair of Veracruz. I started with a pair of Merrel Vapor Glove on the barefoot shoe path and it has been great. The Hana are probably the most comfortable.
Great review man! I have a pair of their Genesis sandals. I bought them as something to try out as I prefer to be barefoot and they quickly became my favorite footwear. I wear them just about every day. I’ve had them for about a year now and average around 11k steps a day. They still look new! My only gripe about them is that small debris can get in between your foot and the sandals and it’s super annoying.
I’ve been looking at getting another pair of barefoot sandals and have watched reviews on the various brands: Earth Runners, Luna, Shamma etc. After watching your view of the Clouds I’m convinced that they will be my next pair. I appreciate you going into the detail that you did with the review.
Awesome, thanks for the kind words Corey!
Thanks for a good review of your shoes and your personal experiences with them and the company. Very helpful and informative!
Glad it was helpful!
I'm size 9 too and I love my Xero thin sandals too. People are always asking what kind of sandles are thoes. The most comfortable footwear I owe. 👣 😎
So helpful! Thanks for reviewing 🥳
I have been trying to find a good review of the Aqua Clouds. Thank you, yours was the best. I bought a pair for an upcoming trip and am hoping to use them in and out of the water. Cheers.
Thanks! Hopefully they did the trick for you 👍
sadly no. They are a good quaility built sandle. I believe that I have them adjusted correctly, however they do not work for me in the water. I find that they fold under while trying to walk in a few feet of water. but other than that they were excellent.@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552
Thanks for your review! Just ordered a pair for my husband for father’s day
Nice! Happy to help
Great review. Thanks👍
I'm getting ready to buy these. Thank you for the information. I wasn't sure between these and the z strap.
Glad I could help 😊
I weight 275 lbs. I have 1/8th of an inch I could cut off in front of the toe. Do you think that would help me on my hikes?
You should show the sole of the shoe that you had been wearing for 3 years, not from the new pair. Any chance you still have the surviving shoe?
That is a great suggestion, unfortunately I retired those after getting the new ones, soles still were good though. What really impressed me was how they held up against lava rock in Hawaii, that stuff is probably one of the harshest terrains you can find.
I just placed an order! I'm in love with my Prios so it was logical to purchase my sandals from them too. Also how does the 5,000 mile guarantee work? How do they know if you've done 5,000 miles or not?
They are a small enough company that if there are any issues with your gear they can give you personalized assistance making it right. At least that’s been my experience, I’m guessing the mileage guarantee is more of a “if the soles wear out, we’ll make it right” kind of scenario. You are right, that would be nearly impossible to figure out!
The 5000 mile is just their guess on a warranty period. If the soles wear out they will give you 65% off a new pair. I’ve been wearing my Z Treks for 5 years and they still are almost like new.
Fitbit or any other fitness watch?
Lol "I contacted customer service with the picture of my destroyed sandal, but it was totally unexpected that they replaced them" Then what the hell were you looking for by contacting them anyways? it was totally not their fault that the dog chew them, but you sent the picture for a reason
Seeing that this comment is responding to story I share 10 minutes into the video, all I can say is “Thanks for Watching!” Haha, yeah... I figured they were the type of company that might be willing to help me replace them with a discount or something, wasn’t an expectation but was a hope, and that resulted in a complete replacement 👍
My clouds were dead after 3 years :-D. They even have a whole :-D. Yours look brand new...
Yeah, I've been impressed with the overall quality. I worked at REI for a while and went through their footwear training. 3 years is a pretty good lifespan for hiking boots, especially if they are used hard! Bottom line is that al footwear has a limited lifespan, that's just the reality, the question I guess is value for money. I'm trying out the EV Daylite hikers by Xero and have some mixed feelings so far...
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 I actually had a plant spike here in Baja California punch through the vibram soles of my Merrell trail gloves. I thought it was a nail but no, a spike. The offending bush was nearby. I was amazed. Soles aren't worn down at all, it just happened to hit right in between treads and the exact right angle.
Teb Tengri yikes! There were thorns from the Kiawe trees where we used to live in Hawaii that would even punch into my work boots, nearly an inch deep! Stay safe out there, those sharp things aren’t messing around.
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 did a quick google search, given my location and what the images look like I think it was a Palo Adan/Adam's Tree
hey two questions,,
would you prefer the cloud or the genesis? I was hoping you mentioned the heel in your video. is it beneficial?
also, looking for clarification, you said the cloud was great on the lava rock which was a one of the hardest surfaces, but then you say you use different shoes for longer/tougher surfaces. would you say just time on your feet with the cloud is what makes you choose a different shoe or another reason.
i ask these questions cause i use the altra lone peaks for trail running and im looking for a road running shoe. thanks. good video. i appreciate your thoughts.
Hey Nikko, the clouds have a small amount of foam padding, which I have appreciated and would prefer. It is not so much that it takes away the barefoot feel that you want from something like this but it softens the blow over sharper stones and the other medium sized stones that can cause some fatigue. There is still no heel on these, it’s mainly that bit of padding that sets them apart.
There are some surfaces that have quit a bit of scree, to me it is super annoying when the loose material gets caught between my foot and the footwear and that constant stopping to clear things out is a pain. Also I’d prefer some more significant grip in steep conditions in rainy/wet/ slippery weather. The other time I’d use different footwear, maybe with ankle support is if I would be doing a multi-day hike with a loaded hiking backpack.
For trail running you might want to look into the Xero HFS - or sometime similar if you want the barefoot feel with a bit of protection. I’ve hiked a pretty wide range of terrain and conditions with the clouds, and they have done a decent job but I can recognize the value of different styles for different reasons. Hopefully that helps you out 👍
I walk 20-30 miles a day for my job alone, according to my Fitbit. When you add that up 5k miles is not all that long. I'm not saying these aren't worth it. I'm simply saying if I wore these I would get less than 8 months, closer to 6, out of them before I hit the 5k mark. Which is impressive for a thin sandal or any shoe really. The fact you had those for 3 years and those soles still look brand new is suspect to me. They don't even look like they have 1k miles on them.
honestly, I doubt I hit 1K miles too! The thing that really impressed me about them was how they held up against lava rock compared to other shoes I tried. I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii for a few years with lots of hiking trails on old lava fields and these truly are durable.
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 yes, I recall that part because I have seen sharp Terran Alice thru the rubber like razors. So that is impressive. I'm prolly gonna get a genesis kit
Bro these are sandles not shoes 💀
“Xero Shoes” is the name of the company that makes the sandals.
Ooh you're a handsome fish
Correct
@@drewreussmakeitbetter6552 🥰🥰🥰🥰