Key Differences Between Earth Sandals & Naot Sandals

The story begins in the 70s when a tourist returned from a trip to Germany with a pair of Birkenstocks. The ‘ugly shoe’ proved to be one of the most comfortable shoes she had ever worn. After selling a few pairs to neighbors, she approached local stores with no success, but eventually convinced Birkenstock to make her their official U.S. distributor. That was over thirty years ago, and the ‘ugly shoe’ has become the healthy shoe, sparking an entire revolution in the way people view footwear.

Two of the major players in the healthy shoe market are Earth and Naot, makers of shoes that feel good on your feet. While the products of both companies have a lot in common, there are also a few key differences that make Earth sandals and Naot sandals distinctive and unique from each other. Those differences do not make one shoe a ‘better’ sandal than the other. “Better” is an individual decision that has a lot to do with the shape and needs of your own feet. The following is a rundown of the differences between Earth sandals and Naot sandals to help you decide which is better for your feet.

The Sole of the Shoe

What makes both Naot and Earth sandals unique is the construction of the sole. Both companies follow principles of design that are meant to stabilize the heel and ankle, maximize support of the foot and help your feet move the way that nature intended. The similarities are marked:

• Extra width to give your feet the room they need to move naturally




• Flexible, cushioned core materials which provides shock absorption while molding to the shape of your foot.




• Wide toe beds allow the toes to grip naturally when walking.




• Molded insoles to help stabilize and position the foot properly




• Heel support to provide greater stability and allow natural movement

While those qualities make Earth and Naot sandals seem very similar, there are distinct differences in the way that they are executed and realized.

Naot sandals…

• focus on the foot bed, building it from the inside out for comfort and stability




• use a blend of natural latex and flakes of cork to build a footbed that is designed to absorb moisture and adapt to the shape of your foot as you wear them




• are covered in high quality suede to pamper your feet and absorb moisture




• include a layer of natural latex sponge to cushion your feet and absorb shocks when walking




• hallux support provides stability for the front of your foot, preventing the big toe from slipping forward and helping your toes grip naturally with each step




• are molded with an elevated central footbed to provide support and ease strain on the joints of the foot




• support arches with a molded arch support that conforms to the unique shape of your foot




• offer exceptional heel stability by indenting the heel bed to help hold the heel and ankles in the right position




• feature replaceable heel beds so that you can keep your favorite shoes longer

Earth sandals…

• incorporate Kalso Negative-heel technology to position the heel lower than the toes to position the body in a more ‘empowering’ stance




• feature a gel insole made of Gelron 2000, a memory gel that shapes to your foot and retains the shape naturally, cushioning your foot in comfort




• encourage a more natural posture that helps tone and firm calves and other muscles, translating to whole-body benefits




• were designed by a Danish yoga instructor to encourage correct posture and movement




• claim to increase the calories that your body burns in walking and doing every day things because the muscles are stretched further when wearing Earth sandals




• are built to incline the foot so that the heels are 3.7 degrees lower than the toes




• have just a few styles with footbeds designed to incline the heel. Most have the feature built into the sole

The Earth Company touts its sandals for their healthy difference, claiming that the slight change in positioning encourages the body to be more ‘empowered’. The degree of the incline is derived from a Yoga exercise that positions most of the weight of the body on the heels, which are meant to support that weight.

Naot, on the other hand, claims that the unique design of their footbed puts the foot into a more natural position, allows the toes to grip properly without slipping inside the shoe and relieves stress and tension on the joints. The more natural position encourages better posture, placing less strain on your joints, and the natural cushioning provides shock absorption to reduce damage caused by impact stress.