Moccasin-inspired sports shoes seem to be all the rage at the moment. fter yesterday reporting that Danner had updated its iconic ’60s Canoe Moc to create a moccasin-inspired hiking boot, today we’re spotlighting Vivobarefoot’s new Sensus, which also gives the Native American footwear a modern makeover.
Originally conceptualized as “the glove runner,” the new unisex Sensus could well be Vivobarefoot’s most barefoot running shoe yet.
The Vivobarefoot Sensus, which comes in three colorways (white, olive and tan), and retails for £140 (appproximately $153) on the brand’s website. The moccasin-inspired upper is made of soft leather, and each shoe is crafted with only 14 components.
The Sensus also features a super-thin sole with treading inspired by the footprints left in the Great Rift Valley in Engaro Sero, Tanzania.
The Sensus’ sole also features an ergonomic fit which helps fulfil the shoe’s “like a glove for feet” tagline.
“Modern footwear inspired by ancestral wisdom,” says Vivobarefoot’s blurb. “Drawing inspiration from the earliest foot coverings crafted by humans, this moccasin fits and feels like a glove for your feet. Embodying simplicity and craftsmanship, the Sensus features a 3mm sole for a closer connection to the earth and is made with premium wild hide leather. Its unique design enables you to walk in our ancestors' footsteps.”
The brand is promoting the Sensun as a lifestyle shoe rather than a running shoe, but we’ve all seem Daniel Day Lewis (back in the days when it was still acceptable white guys to play people of color) running, running, running and then running some more while wearing moccasins in the 1992 film version of The Last of the Mohicans. So expect to see the first ultra runner in a pair of Vivobarefoot Sensus soon… Possibly.
- The best barefoot running shoes 2024: feel the ground beneath your feet
