LIZARD® Minimalist Footwear Is a Shoe-In For Spring/Summer 2012

Another brand we were introduced to at Outdoor Retailer, I have no doubt that LIZARD® will be a hit. Outstanding design, construction, and materials, plus the impeccable quality you’d expect from Italian footwear. I was smitten with the Kross, which has a lower MSRP than shoes assembled in far eastern countries. They’ll be hard to beat.

– Brian

Leading Italian Outdoor Shoe Maker Scales to the Top with Latest Minimalist Shoe Innovations

TRENTINO, ITALY (January 30, 2012) -LIZARD® Footwear, internationally acclaimed Italian manufacturer of one of the first minimalist shoes, continues to make strides in the U.S. market with its Spring/Summer 2012 collection for outdoor enthusiasts. Offering an assortment of well-crafted Italian sandals and shoes, LIZARD‘s lightweight, minimalist construction leaves feet solely connected and grounded. Take a hike, ride a bike, paddle a stand-up paddleboard, or simply stroll in LIZARD‘s versatile and adaptable footwear featuring Vibram® outsoles and anatomically friendly footbeds.

“The minimalist footwear market has exploded since its inception over a decade ago,” said Luca Pedrotti, president of LIZARD Footwear. “We believe shoes should be an extension of who we are. Our award-winning footwear is evolutionary in achieving this goal, touting innovative features and a natural barefoot motion.”

The Heat Is On

LIZARD offers a variety of minimalist sandals and shoes that help promote healthy lifestyles during the warmer seasons. Extremely lightweight, the Kiota H2O minimalist  sandal, in men‘s and women‘s styles, features a Cocoon sole unit, offering an aggressive tread pattern with multi-directional traction grip, which guides the soles naturally over rough terrain. A Quick Fit fastening system and six-anchor footbed further distinguish these sandals from other minimalist species. It flaunts an amphibious proprietary microfiber, and a specialized toe pad is lined with non-slip textured microfiber to provide maximum comfort while scaling wet surfaces. MSRP: $99.

Roam Freely

LIZARD‘s Hull, a member of the Cocoon sole family, with an aggressive tread pattern and multi-directional traction grip, parallels its fellow minimalist sandal in functionality. The sole units are lightweight, flexible and provide an anatomically shaped, suede leather footbed for added toe protection and heel support. Shoes adapt to match environments like sandy beach seascapes, rugged hiking landscapes and more. A Quick Fit fastening system and six anchor footbed enhances stability. MSRP: $99.

The Bare Minimum

Barely noticeable, LIZARD’s Kross shoe is a mere extension of the body, featuring a lightweight Vibram rubber outsole. The proprietary Kyodo Sole units promote natural barefoot posturing while a self-cleaning, multi-directional tread pattern ensures the best grip on rock, mud and wet surfaces. Microfiber and 3Dair mesh ventilate the foot. It offers anatomic footbeds, in male and female versions. MSRP: $89.

Grips Like a Gecko

The Fin Leather, LIZARD’s flagship minimalist shoe design (1997) and best-seller, swaddles active feet in Italian crafted leather. Engineered with a Vibram outsole and an exclusive Quick Fit Fastening System that securely embraces the foot, the Fin grips like a gecko. MSRP: $99.

Shielded From the Elements

Winner of the Outdoor Industry Award, the Shield Oversock, an extremely thin, breathable, waterproof stocking, fits over socks to keep feet warm and dry in adverse weather conditions, providing maximum comfort. The innovatively engineered ClimaSkin membrane (polyester with a proprietary PU membrane) allows one to adapt appropriately to a change in the environment -like a lizard. Uses include hiking, marine sports, and bicycling. It comes in Shield over-the-calf (MSRP: $45) and Shield mid-calf (MSRP: $39)

Shoe and sandal colors throughout the line include Smoke, Lime, Fire, Silver as well as Turquoise in select styles, and sizes run from 35-46 European (4 to 11.5 U.S.). Lizard Footwear is available in the U.S. through select outdoor and footwear retailers.

Rugged, tenacious, and innovative, Lizard Footwear was born in 1992 in the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy. Worn and tested by world-class outdoor athletes, the line features authentic outdoor sandals, shoes, boots and more. The number one sports sandal in Italy, Lizard can be found in 30 countries. For more information contact LIZARD U.S. at (646) 226-2844 or visit www.lizardfootwear.com.