Eva has already had a lot of experience with wearing barefoot shoes. Her new EXPEQ Wide is her 4th ZAQQ shoe, which she didn't want to keep at first. But after initial doubts, she fell in love with them. Since then, she has done many tours with the barefoot shoes and is delighted.
Eva, we hope you continue to have lots of fun with your ZAQQs.
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It can only be the bare foot alone - barefoot and 100% breathable and waterproof. But good shoes can also make us feel great. Like so many women, I also suffer from cold feet, so I thought I would give it a try. Wearing as few shoes as possible on my feet, and if my toes have enough freedom and are more active, this is certainly an advantage. First of all at work with my first toe shoes, which after 13 years still carry me colourfully around the company. I now own countless pairs of barefoot/minimal shoes and sandals, from 11 manufacturers, which protect my wonderful foot when barefoot is not possible.
By chance, while looking for a sandal that can also be worn with dresses, I came across the ZAQQ CLIQ, an elegant, minimalist leather beauty that is absolutely comfortable to wear in summer. And then came the PEAQ Broque Cognac as an addition when the barefoot look with long trousers shouldn't be so noticeable. Incidentally, these are my favourite shoes when I'm walking extremely long distances in the city or on the asphalt, as the wide toe box always offers enough room for the toes when the foot swells a little as normal. The seasons change and I wanted a shoe model for autumn and winter for hiking and everyday winter wear. After all, I was hiking in the Austrian mountains every weekend in the summer, mostly barefoot or as minimal as possible. Winter is always my biggest problem, as my toes tend to turn into icicles and thick socks and toe freedom are important, so once again I browsed the ZAQQ online shop. I stumbled across this model because of the wide toe box, non-slip sole and the fact that this model is also waterproof.
EXPEQ Wide Grey Waterproof
No, not love at first step - I didn't like them at all at the beginning. Too much sole - too high - too stiff - simply a grey mouse. "THE" doesn't fit and so it even ended up in the shoe box 3 times for return BUT it stayed. I don't know why, but I kept slipping them on and then the first hike. I was constantly comparing them with other models and this pair didn't have it easy with me. Over the months we grew together and now I really love this shoe.
Like all ZAQQ shoes, this model is also very comfortable at the beginning and they really mould to your feet over time. What bothered me at the beginning was the heel part of the sole, which is not so flexible, but I now find it excellent because the heel remains stable in position and the forefoot can screw inwards as in spiral dynamics, which ensures optimum stability. The outdoor sole has a tremendous grip, I have tested everything that is slippery and unstable in nature, from wet moss on rocks, damp roots and forest passages, easy climbing routes in light snowfall and over icy paths on winter mountain hikes.
Waterproof: yes, the shoe is waterproof when hiking trails are wet, muddy and snowy, but I haven't yet been out in the heaviest rain with it, but I also have a pair of waterproof socks with me for this eventuality. And because this shoe is so wide, I could wear thick socks and/or warm insoles in winter and still have enough room for my toes to move. When the temperatures went up at lunchtime, I took the season off to walk a longer distance barefoot. Afterwards I was too lazy to put my socks and EXPEQ back on so I skipped the socks and just walked barefoot in the shoes, not only was it surprisingly soft and comfortable, I also discovered the best thing about these shoes for me.
When I took them off, the inner lining came out with them, as it is only firmly sewn at the top edge. The inner lining is turned inside out, allowing the shoe to dry perfectly whether at home or when travelling. When wearing the shoes, the inner lining stays in place and doesn't slip. These shoes are a little too warm for me for summer hikes and it's a good thing that ZAQQ has the EXPEQ Mid in its collection.
Conclusion: yes, there are models from other manufacturers where the sole is thinner, more flexible and the shoes are lighter in weight, but none of my other models are, as my friend said when trying them on, "feels like a glove". She was also overwhelmed by my soft, beautiful PEAQ Broque Cognac and the EXPEQ Wide, which weighs 652g in size 39 and 396g in size 38 for the QUIQ Trail
I'm planning a three-week long-distance hike along the Via Alpina in the Swiss mountains this summer, and I've tested all the models I own for this hike. Despite being a little heavier, I will be wearing the Zaqq QUIQ Trail Blue in good weather, as they not only have the successful outdoor sole, but also have this initially strange inner lining. But this was also very convincing in the practical test, as it offers some resistance and so the foot doesn't slip in the shoe even on steep mountain passages. In rainy weather, the smaller brother Expeq Mid will protect my feet, as it is waterproof, non-slip and the inner lining can dry perfectly in the sun. Other models will certainly end up on my shoe shelf over time, as the choice of models there is outstanding.
