Naot Sandals and the Removable Footbed System

Naot sandals are among the "new" trendy healthy shoe companies – shoe manufacturers that bill their shoes as comfortable and good for your feet. This group boasts some very well known names in addition to Naot – Ugg boots and Earth shoes among them. Like the others, Naot shoes boast that their sandals are uniquely designed to make your feet feel good with a number of technical innovations.

Naot shoes are made by YALEET, Inc., a company that claims to be guided by two basic principles – "we offer solutions, and we promise trust", says their web site. They began making shoes as a response to a need for healthful, comfortable footwear that was also fashionable. The company is committed to cultivating a base of clients that are satisfied with sterling customer service and high quality shoes that are beyond compare. YALEET prides itself on being a place where employees are family, with members who are free to suggest innovation while experimenting with new ideas. Many of those new ideas work their way into the company’s shoe designs and other products.

The key difference between Naot sandals and most other ‘healthy’ shoes is in the removable footbed. The inside of the shoe is designed to cradle the foot in comfort and support. It is uniquely designed to replicate the foot just like a foot print in the sand. The footbed is made of all natural materials that absorb perspiration and offer superior resilience and shock absorption.

The NAOT Footbed

Materials:

The footbed is made of all natural, resilient materials that cushion your foot and mold to it. The combination of natural latex and flaked cork gradually adapts to your unique footprint, personalizing the fit while providing superior support and stability. It’s covered in soft, breathable suede to help remove perspiration from your feet to keep them cool and comfortable all day long.

Construction:

The Naot footbed is molded using a unique process that retains the resiliency of the natural materials while allowing it to shape itself to fit your foot perfectly. The inner latex layer is combined with flaked cork and surrounded by another layer of natural sponge latex padding that provides a caress of softness while walking. The whole is covered with natural suede and inserted into the shoe. The footbeds are designed to be easily removed for cleaning and airing, and can be replaced when they wear out. They can also be removed and replaced with orthotic or prescription foot pads.

The Shape

The Naot footbed has a number of unique points that allow it to shape itself to your foot.

Hallux support

Your hallux, or big toe, actually plays a major role in your balance and your walking gait. Traditional shoes push your hallux into the other toes, and seldom give it anything to grip against. The Naot footbed incorporates a unique hallux support, a bar that helps keep your big toe in place and gives it something to grip when walking. It’s an unusual innovation, but one that makes sense.

Elevated footbed center

The center of the footbed is elevated to offer support and relieve strain in a place that most shoes ignore – that area behind the ball of your foot but before the arch. The gently rounded elevation provides support and massage that keeps your feet feeling pampered even after hours of walking.

Arch support

The arch support is vital to health of your feet. With each step, your weight lands on your heel, and is distributed through your entire foot by the arch, which serves as a sort of shock absorber for your body. The arch support in Naot sandals offers gentle support and structure to keep the foot properly aligned – and by extension, helps your body align itself properly above your feet. The unique material composition of the inner foot bed will shape itself to your foot, accommodating high or low arches so that your feet are always cushioned and supported

Heel indentation

The heel of the shoe is indented deeply to cradle your heel and hold it comfortably in place. The deep indentation is designed to cup your heel while keeping your heel pad in the proper shape to cushion your footsteps and reduce shock on your spine and knee joints.

Molds to your foot

One of the most unique properties of the Naot sandal foot bed is the way that it molds to your foot. As you wear the shoe, the foot bed will gently take on the impression of your foot to become uniquely yours. The footbed is designed to be flexible and move with your foot even as it offers support, however Naot is aware that the outer shoe in any shoe will last longer than the foot bed and insoles. When the shoe does wear out, you do not have to replace the entire shoe, just the foot bed. It is a unique and sensible solution.