We test and review fitness products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we may earn a commission. Read our disclosures.
When it comes to buzzy wellness recovery techniques, you can trust your friends at Garage Gym Reviews to test and review products, then get to the bottom of every marketing claim. We’ve tested and reviewed everything from the best muscle recovery tools to the best muscle recovery supplements and everything in between.
In this KURU MOMENT review, we tested these recovery slides to see if these sandals actually offer pain relief or are they just hokey house shoes? Let’s dive in.
We’ve Tested 80 Different Shoes for Athletes
Our expert testers at Garage Gym Reviews are well versed in athletic apparel and shoes designed for performance. We’ve tested the best running shoes, walking shoes, and shoes for deadlifting and cross-training.
Our team is also staffed with a wide range of fitness industry experts including Olympic-level athletes, certified personal trainers, CrossFit Level 1 Trainers, and avid runners.
For this KURU MOMENT review, Nicole Davis, GGR head of content, recruited her husband to test the KURU Footwear shoes. Nicole’s husband Rob is an avid runner, cyclist, and swimmer. He’s completed an Ironman and is currently training for his next. He’s no stranger to foot pain and was happy to review and score the MOMENT slides on a scale of 1 to 5 in several categories including appearance, construction, stability, and comfort.
KURU MOMENT
KURU MOMENT Slides
Product Highlights
- Recovery slides with built-in orthotics
- Pain relief for plantar fasciitis
- Medium width sandals
- Comfortable for all-day wear
- Patented design for heel support
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Supportive heel
- Uses orthotics, not memory foam
- Easy adjustability
Cons
- Only two colors
- No half sizes available
Bottom Line
KURU MOMENT Slides offer recovery for folks with foot pain or spend a lot of time on their feet. These shoes are designed to wear around the house or around town with an ultra-supportive heel and built-in orthotics. These don’t feature squishy memory foam that sinks, the KURU slides hold it’s supportive shape.
A Quick Look at the KURU MOMENT Slides
When you visit the KURU Footwear website, you may notice the brand’s tagline: Heel Better. The entire lineup of shoes—from sandals to sneakers—is designed with heel support and comfort in mind. All KURU shoes feature the KURUSOLE, a patented heel-hugging design that flexes with your movement to keep your heel supported no matter what you’re doing.
The KURU MOMENT slides are no different. These are not just a pair of comfortable shoes; they’re slides with heel support and built-in orthotics. You’ll also get arch support and an adjustable strap to accommodate high arches or wider feet.
Plus, you may like knowing the KURU website lets you shop by category including foot pain conditions like plantar fasciitis, flat feet, heel pain, heel spurs, and bunions. If you’re someone who works on your feet, you can filter shoes with your career in mind from healthcare to retail.
RELATED: Best Walking Shoes for Flat Feet
Before You Buy
- The Moment slides have a 12-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, so you will have quite the platform on these sandals.
- While you may experience foot pain relief, be prepared for a firm footbead on these slip-on shoes.
- We appreciate the 45-day return policy, but keep in mind shoes need to be in new condition for returns.
Are the KURU MOMENT Slides Worth It?
After our experience with the KURU MOMENT slides, we think the slip-on recovery shoes are worth it for the right person. If you’re someone who doesn’t have foot pain, plantar fasciitis, or require orthotics, the KURU MOMENT likely won’t be worth the $100 price tag.
However, if you have foot pain from plantar fasciitis or heel spurs, the KURU MOMENT slides offer heavy-duty recovery shoes to wear around the house, run errands, or put on after workouts.
Our tester, Rob, says the $100 price tag seems steep for slides, but says the shoes are super stable and firm, not like some of the inexpensive memory foam slides he’s ordered from Amazon in the past. Overall, the KURU earns a 3.5 out of 5 stars for value.
RELATED: Best Walking Shoes
Great for:
- Post-workout recovery
- Supportive insoles
- Comfortable house shoes
Not recommended for:
- Those on a budget
- Dressy occasions
- Folks who prefer sandals without a platform or lift
KURU MOMENT Slide Specs
| Price | $100 |
| Heel to Toe Drop | 12 mm |
| Size Range | Men’s 7-13; Women’s 5-12 |
| Weight | Men’s 9.0 oz; Women’s 7.4 oz |
| Materials | Synthetic, EVA |
| Width | Medium |
| Warranty | 6 months |
Wearing the KURU MOMENT Slides
Our tester, Rob, wore the KURU MOMENT slides consistently after work and on the weekends for two weeks before giving his full review. He tested the slides outdoors in the grass and on pavement. He also wore them extensively around his house on different surfaces like hardwood floors, carpeting, and epoxy-covered concrete.
While the slip-on sandals are advertised for pain relief and workout recovery, they are also suited for everyday wear.
Appearance and Design
When it comes to appearance, we know it’s a rather subjective category for our testers to score. During the scoring process, we ask our testers to consider the design and overall aesthetics, potential occasions to wear the shoes, and colorways. The highest scores are reserved for shoes that our testers would consider wearing as an everyday shoe.
Rob scored the KURU MOMENT slides at 4 out of 5 stars. While he’s designated the MOMENT shoes for around the house, he says, “The Jet Black sandals I ordered are pretty nondescript and would go with plenty of outfits if necessary.”
Rob notes the thick platform—plus the 12-millimeter heel-to-toe drop—was a surprising design element he didn’t expect or particularly care for at first. “The thick platform isn’t my style, but the shoes are super comfortable so I’ve come to not mind it as much,” says Rob.
The MOMENT slides come in two color options for men’s and women’s sizing. Both men’s and women’s sizing have a Jet Black option. Men’s sizing features a Midnight Blue color while the women’s sizing offers a lighter, Blue Fog color.
RELATED: Best Cross-Training Shoes
Construction and Durability
The KURU MOMENT slides are constructed from synthetic materials and EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), which is a common lightweight material used on the soles of sneakers and shoes. The MOMENT sandals only weigh 9 ounces for men’s and 7.4 ounces for women’s.
On Rob’s first test with the new shoes from KURU Footwear, he appreciated the firm footbed and solid construction. He compares the KURU shoes to a pair of Yeezy-style slides he ordered from Amazon and notes the footbeds on the Amazon shoes compressed over time. Rob senses the orthotic footbed on the MOMENT slides—called KURUSOLE—will not compress quite as much, however there’s already some wear showing, particularly on the heel area.
“Although I can’t feel it when I walk, there seems to be a bit of compression already happening,” says Rob after two weeks of wear. “I’m a bigger guy, so I guess it’s to be expected.”
For this reason, he scored the durability of the KURU MOMENT slides at 3 out of 5 stars. Nicole Davis, GGR head of content and Rob’s wife says, “Rob tends to be hard on his gear and his apparel shows wear rather quickly. So, I’m not shocked there is a bit of wear already, but for the price, I’d expect a bit more.”
RELATED: Anatomy of a Running Shoe
Stability and Performance
When our testers consider stability and overall performance, we’re looking for features that support the arch, prevent pronation, or stabilize the heel. Because the KURU MOMENT shoes are sandals, we didn’t expect much stability. However, Rob says the KURU shoes are really stable for a slide and even scored them a 5 out of 5 in this category.
The built-in orthotics offer foot-shaped support through the arch and heel. The cupped heel is the main feature to this shoe with the patented KURUSOLE design. The KURUSOLE features a higher-than-average TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) cup around the heel, which is a dynamic material that can flex with movement and provide stability at the same time.
“The footbed is supportive in a firm way but still feels cushioned,” says Rob. “Plus, I have flat arches, so the arch support is really nice for me.”
The KURU MOMENT shoes also offer a firm tread pattern with thick lines and a crosshatch pattern under the heel and big toe for added stability.
RELATED: Best Stability Running Shoes
Adjustability and Ergonomics
The KURU MOMENT slides earn a 5-out-of-5-star rating for comfort and adjustments. While the slides are pretty simple, our tester Rob was impressed that the MOMENT shoes were true to size, even though they only come in whole sizes. “I wear a size 12.5 but ordered a 13 and they fit great,” says Rob.
“The firm footbed is comfy but doesn’t give way to any squishing or bouncing, which I like,” says Rob. He not only thinks the MOMENT slides are comfortable, he also appreciates the adjustable strap with a hook-and-loop closure for a custom fit depending on your arch height or foot width.
KURU MOMENT vs KURU ATOM
KURU ATOM Shoes
KURU ATOM Shoes
Product Highlights
- Supportive heel cushion
- Versatile design
- Available in both men's and women's colorways
- 8mm heel to toe drop
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Supportive heel cushion
- Versatile design
- Designed to minimize foot pain
Cons
- 8mm heel lift may be uncomfortable for those used to minimalist shoes
- Expensive
- Not enough cushion for runners
Bottom Line
The KURU ATOM is designed to provided cushion and support to minimize foot pain and provide support for daily activities. It's versatile enough to wear in and out of the gym, though the shoes aren't cushioned enough for runners.
To be perfectly honest, recovery shoes—especially sandals and slides—are a new category our fitness experts are exploring. While we’ve tested the best shoes for plantar fasciitis and flat feet, we don’t have a ton of equivalent shoes for a side-by-side comparison of KURU MOMENT.
That said, we have tested another pair of KURU Footwear shoes for our in-depth KURU ATOM shoe review. Both KURU shoes are designed with the patented KURUSOLE heel-hugging technology, which means you can expect the KURU ATOM to have the same firm-but-cushioned feel through the footbed.
The KURU ATOM offers more versatility due to the fact it’s a sneaker with laces and can be worn securely for walking, workouts, or at work. The ATOM has more colorways, sizes (including half sizes), and both medium and wide toe box options. The ATOM could make a nice second pair of recovery shoes to add to your collection.
It’s worth noting KURU manufactures an ATOM Trail hiking shoe, but we tested the ATOM cross-training shoe.
| KURU MOMENT | KURU ATOM | |
| Price | $100 | $160 |
| Heel to Toe Drop | 12 mm | 8 mm |
| Size Range | Men’s 7-13; Women’s 5-12 | Men’s 6.5-14, Women’s 5-12 |
| Weight | Men’s 9.0 oz; Women’s 7.4 oz | 10.6 oz |
| Materials | Synthetic, EVA | Breathable mesh, rubber |
| Width | Medium | Medium or wide |
| Warranty | 6 months | 6 months |
Customer Experience
KURU earns a 5-out-of-5-star rating for overall customer experience. You’ll have a 45-day window to make easy, free returns, without the need for a shipping label (in most cases) if you don’t like your shoes. KURU’s policy states you have to return items in new condition and in the original packaging. In other words, don’t take these for a test run outside.
KURU Footwear is also backed with a 6-month warranty, which covers defects of workmanship. It does not cover normal wear and tear or color fading.
If you need to contact the company you can call or text the phone number listed on the website or email gurus@kurufootwear.com. The website also lists company hours so you know what to expect if you’re contacting outside of company hours, which are weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. MST.
Lastly, we found ordering shoes from KURU easy and we appreciated the fact KURU offers free shipping and financing options through Shop Pay.
Customer Reviews
At the time of writing this review, the KURU MOMENT slides have 97 verified customer reviews on the KURU website and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Most folks enjoy the support and note the shoes helped with foot pain. While there are few negative reviews, there are some customers that weren’t happy with the comfort or thought the 12-millimeter heel-to-toe drop was a bit much.
Final Verdict of Our KURU MOMENT Review
The KURU MOMENT slides offer a unique firm footbed with just enough cushion for extended wear. From our testing experience, we thought the slides offered more heel and arch support than the average slides. But with a $100 price tag for a pair of sandals, it may be hard to justify the cost. We recommend buying the KURU MOMENT shoes if you:
- Need more arch support for flat feet
- Want easy slip-on shoes with heel and arch support
- Experience heel pain
- Have pain from plantar fasciitis
Full Rating
KURU MOMENT
KURU MOMENT Slides offer recovery for folks with foot pain or spend a lot of time on their feet. These shoes are designed to wear around the house or around town with an ultra-supportive heel and built-in orthotics. These don’t feature squishy memory foam that sinks, the KURU slides hold it’s supportive shape.
Product Brand: Kuru
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 100
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.25
KURU MOMENT: FAQs
Do KURU shoes actually work?
Our testers found KURU Footwear to be firm but cushioned at the same time, which is ideal for folks dealing with foot pain from plantar fasciitis, flat feet, or heel pain.
Do podiatrists recommend KURU shoes?
KURU Footwear is recommended by some podiatrists for all-day wear for folks with heel pain or plantar fasciitis.
Is KURU a real company?
KURU Footwear is a legit shoe company with patented heel-hugging design to relieve foot pain.
What is special about KURU shoes?
KURU Footwear is designed with patented heel-hugging support, built-in orthotics, and arch support on all its footwear.
Further reading
Working the shoulders and biceps together means each muscle group isn’t tired from hitting the other. Here are 3 shoulder and biceps workouts to try. Read more
The Reebok Nano series is one of the most well-loved training shoes series available. Designed specifically for CrossFit, the Reebok Nano 7 is the next iteration of CrossFit specific shoes, however, unlike the previous iterations, this one falls flat. Read more
The best healthy meal delivery services offer convenient, tasty, and nutritionally dense meals for easy and healthy weeknights. Read more
A longtime CrossFitter and personal trainer takes a look at the newest CrossFit shoes in our Nike Metcon 9 review. Read more