Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Mukishoes Solstice, a lightweight barefoot sandal with durable cotton straps, natural cork footbed, and medium 6mm sole for casual and hiking.

Features

Last summer I reviewed the Monk Ruivo, which is a classy yet agile barefoot sandal that can handle both roads and trails, but I wanted to find a vegan option to compare with.

So I asked Mukishoes for a pair of Solstice to test, and with the wider straps and slightly thicker tread…

It’s kind of like plant-based armadillo with some furry fabric and scaly rubber armor for off road adventures.

Upper/Lining

Because the Solstice has an extra-wide toebox with a smooth natural cork footbed for light padding, rugged organic cotton straps, velcro for quick adjustment at the front, ankle, and heel, and beefy triangle connectors for extra durability.

Sole/Tread

Underneath you’ve got a medium 6mm zero-drop sole with great flexibility in all directions, as well as a firm ground tread for roads and dry trails.

Testing

Not having used a cork sandal before I was kind of curious to see how it would feel compared to other materials, like rubber and leather.

Walking

So heading out for a walk on roads, my general impression was more firm than leather, but softer than rubber, although, honestly, the difference was minimal. and like my Ruivo’s there was plenty of flex for the Mukishoes Solstice to roll along smoothly.

Hiking

Switching over to trails the flat tread provided some great protection from sticks and stones without sacrificing ground feel…

…and cruising through wet grass and humid air the cork did a nice job of wicking away moisture, while also being more grippy compared to rubber, although it might deteriorate faster in extremely wet climates.

Making my way up dirt paths and down rocky slopes the denser lugs were highly puncture resistant, and Mukishoes’s non-slip rubber is one of the best I’ve tried for everything except muddy conditions, which might require a more aggressive sole.

Casual

Finally, for casual use the black cotton straps and cork sole looked super classy, giving the Solstice more versatility than technical sandals, like the Xero Z-Trek, and the cork worked well both on hot days and as an insulation for cooler weather.

Conclusion

Overall, the Mukishoes Solstice is a great option for anyone who wants a tough hiking sandal that can also transition seamlessly to more formal occasions.

Pros/Cons

Because the toebox is extra-wide without feeling bulky, the cotton straps are tough and easily adjustable, and the 6mm zero-drop sole can handle anything from roads to gravel paths and rocky trails.

However, the velcro sections could use a bit of padding to smooth out the edges, the cork footbed isn’t ideal for wetter climates, and the lugs could be spaced out a little more to improve traction on mud and steep hills.

Alternatives

In terms of similar barefoot sandals…

Resources

If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links above/below, browse and filter more products with the shoe finder tool at my website barefootwear.org, or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about going minimal.

Finally, if you have a question about the Mukishoes Solstice, or about barefoot sandals in general, let me know in the comments.

Thanks for watching, catch ya next time. Peace!