www.elnaturalista.com
Traveling is a lifestyle we embrace (even when it means heading to a city surrounded by mountains only to spend a weekend trapped in a fluorescent-lit convention center).  As such, products that echo our love for world travel hit our wander-lustful sweet spot.  El Naturalista’s shoes reflect the company’s passion for travel by letting the love of a place influence the design. The Campos are perfect example. The shoe’s sole have been crafted to look as if you’re flying high above the earth, gazing down on acres of farmland, the rocky topography of mountains, the serpentine twists of rivers—it’s a detail everyone should notice, even though it’s hidden until you kick your feet up and relax. But this shoe has more than excellent topography on its underside. The soft rubber sole is married to the rest of the shoe by jute, an all-natural, fully-waterproof hand-spun vegetable fiber that looks like coils of rope.  The silky-soft uppers also boast the same hand-stitching and attention to detail, with micro-perforations to help breathability without reducing water resistance, and an off-tone patch of leather at the heel.  The insole and microfiber lining sport silver microparticals—said to create a magnetic field that improves blood circulation and reduces inflammation. We’ll get back to you on that claim. But we do know that the silver ions enhance the evaporation process, improving moisture management inside the shoe. The microfiber absorbs up to eight times its weight in moisture, which eliminates odors and prevents bacteria.  The price is dear for your standard casual shoe—but the subdued-yet-stylish profile, and the Spanish company’s unabashed affection for all kinds of travel—have made these comfortable shoes one of our personal favorites.