Selva Classics - Men

Huaraches that Honors the Tradecraft and Evokes Nostalgia 🇲🇽

My father was born in Comala, Mexico in the 40s; dirt poor having to make his own huaraches from discarded pieces of tires and petate (dried palm leaves). As a kid growing up along the Southwest border, I owned a pair of modernized huaraches which were hand made of leather and machine stitched. Honestly, I didn’t know the origin or symbolism behind them until later in life. I’ve travelled many parts of Mexico since then and although I appreciate the authenticity and craftsmanship of many of the huaraches I’ve come across in the curios, puestecitos, and mercados I’ve never been included to purchase a pair until I came across the online store Espiritu. I did my due diligence to ensure they were upholding the highest traditions of huarache making and that they were supporting the indigenous communities that live of this tradecraft. Espiritu is indeed doing so and the owners seem to be placing those commitments as their top priorities so I decided to purchase a pair made in my favorite color green. Well, although the wait was long from ordering to delivery, it was very much worth it! The unboxing experience slowly took me back to my childhood years and brought up so many fond memories of my father. The distinct smell of leather huaraches and the artful craftsmanship was impactful. The weaving and stitching and color dye workmanship was impressive. The comfort and structure of the huarache was indigenously marvelous. I’m a Virgo with strong perfectionist tendencies and rarely provide a review unless it has exceeded my expectations on all levels. These huaraches have been lauded by many prompting me to refer them to Espiritu. You all have captured the indigenous spirit in these huaraches and have transported me back in time evoking nostalgia and pride in my heritage every time I wear the Espiritu huaraches. Bravo!!!

Beautiful product, but the logistical headache leaves a bad taste

The Product: 4/5 I ordered a pair of Espiritu Huaraches back in March, and in terms of quality and branding, they are spot on. They look great, fit well now, and the packaging was beautiful—the shoes came in a lovely box with a very high-quality dust bag that will be perfect for travel. My only critique on the product itself is a slight lack of consistency; the pair I received has a much thicker sole than what was pictured in their Instagram posts. The Shipping & Customer Service: 1.5/5 While the shoes themselves are great, the ordering and shipping process was a massive headache. My initial order was severely delayed, requiring a frustrating back-and-forth email chain with customer service. To their credit, they were gracious enough to offer a 10% discount for every week it was delayed, resulting in 20% off. However, when the shoes finally arrived, the sizing was off. While the exchange process itself was efficient and easy, I was forced to pay for return shipping. Given the extensive delays I had already endured, making me foot the bill for the return felt like poor customer service and left a bad taste in my mouth. The Operational Chaos: To highlight the operational issues they are clearly still working through: just this week (months after my initial March order), another package showed up containing the original size 8 pair I had already exchanged for an 8.5. Final Verdict: The craftsmanship and branding are there, but the fulfillment and customer service experience left a lot to be desired. Because of the shipping chaos and the return policy after a company-caused delay, I would likely look for another provider before ordering from them again.

Ultimate comfort

I get complimented regularly on my Espiritus. Buy without hesitation, distinguish your image.