FIVE FINGERS SAZZI, VIBRAN AND INJINJI

Flip Flops Meet Five Fingers (SAZZI) or Vibran on Zappos.com and Socks Injinji Run Lightweight + safeTstep at Payless, Surfside Water Sock, Water Shoe

Look how ugly these sandals are. They look like a radioactive gummy bear pooped on a milk crate. But these Sazzi sports sandals are actually biomimeticly designed to keep your feet safe from uneven terrain, if not deeply judgmental eyes.

Barefoot running has been popular for a few years now. The five-fingered shoes you see pounding down the sidewalk really do help people stabilize themselves while they run by letting the muscles in your toes and feet do the work they were meant to do. Same goes for the Sazzi sandals, except, like, as sandals.

You probably won't be putting in a ton of roadwork with these, but they might warrant a look. Er, wear. They warrant a wear. Don't look directly at them. They'll be out in May for $80-$100

After selling his company to Deckers 10 years ago, Teva founder Mark Thatcher is now back in the outdoor industry with a new brand. Following the barefoot trend, the Sazzi line of sport sandals and technical flip flops are built around a four toe post system that promises to make you light on your feet, agile, and strong. 

Named after the ancient pueblo dwelling Anasazi people of North America, Sazzi recreated the tribe's footwear adding a modern twist. The original Anasazi sandals featured two toe posts that would stabilize their feet over rough terrain. Sazzi footwear incorporates four toe posts for extra stability, also allowing for a split toe footbed. 

Branded Toe Motion Footwear, the Sazzi design propagates your toe motion through the entire footbed for better connection with the terrain beneath you. All the Sazzi footwear is made using 100% recyclable PLUSfoam material, so you simply send the shoes back in to be recycled when they are no longer useful.  

The initial Sazzi products include the Digit and the Decimal, both featuring the four toe post footbed and front strap with four toe separators. The Digit is a sport sandal design with a quick dry construction heel strap for a more secure fit when navigating rivers or uneven terrain. The Decimal is a flip flop style, perfect for around camp, town, the beach, or to throw on after yoga. 

1% of the Sazzi profits go to the Colorado Plateau Inter-Tribal Conversations Organization and the Grand Canyon River Trust. Both of these organizations are dedicated to the conservation of land and improving lives of Native American people throughout North America. 

The Sazzi Digit ($100) sport sandal and Decimal ($80) flip flop will start shipping in May.