Crocs Sandal ~ Traversing 100 Miles of the Sierras ~ Lounging at a Campsite
Written: Jan 06 '06 (Updated Apr 27 '09)
Product Rating:
Pros: Light, $30, no odor, quick drying, all weather use
Cons: Feet get dirty, not as solid as a shoe
The Bottom Line: These light, all weather sandals can handle all types of terrain for over a hundred miles. These are great for the price. Your feet will love you.
The Crocs Sandal: walk up mountains, do rounds at the hospital for 12 hours straight, wear them on your boat, and ford a gushing river. You name a task and I’ll tell you why your quality of life might improve by wearing Crocs.
WHAT ARE THEY? - The Crocs Beach Sandal is only a little over 3 years old. The creators marketed them at a boat show in July, 2002 “intended as a boating/outdoor shoe because of its slip-resistant, non-marking sole.” The reception of the foam/plastic sandal was outstanding. Soon after their introduction, Crocs actually acquired the company that made their first production run and are now selling them across the nation at outdoor, boating, and health shops. Even university bookstores are starting the sell them to Birkenstock loyalists.
They look weird at first. The Beach Sandal is a big looking clown sandal that has holes around the top and on the sides. They have a heel support strap that can flip up to rest on top of your foot or just rest easily against your Achilles heel. The arch support and foot support are layered with massaging bumps. The “PCCR” material is a closed-cell resin material that softens and molds to your feet with body heat. Many claim full day walks and shifts on Crocs without the back and feet problems they get with tennis shoes or hiking boots.
MY STORY - I started walking the Appalachian Trail with a pair of 5 ounce flip flops. I was sure that the saved weight was more important than the extra ounces for some sturdier sandals. Boy was I wrong.
I covered the first 100 miles without really understanding what I was missing by not wearing Crocs. It wasn’t until I hit the Smoky Mountains and a torrential downpour that I saw the light. My hiking buddy didn’t want to get his shoes wet so he wore his Crocs through the shin deep water, up and down trails, and walked as fast as I did at 3 mph. For any hiker, that is a fast clip in rain and in sandals! I ended up with soaked shoes and socks the next morning as my buddy put on his bone-dry trail shoes. He felt so sorry for me that he called some TN friends and had them deliver me a pair to our next shelter just South of Clingman’s Dome. They delivered these godsends (along with some dinner) and I was immediately a believer.
My new Crocs were on my packing list to the Sierras where I completed 100 of the 230 miles of the John Muir Trail in Crocs. You read that correctly. I walked over 100 miles in Crocs. I crossed streams, walked passes over 11,000 feet, climbed most of Mount Whitney (to about 12,500 feet), and even traversed snow along the trail. I made my brother a believer as I walked blister free at day 3 and at 60 miles into the trip. It wasn’t until his blisters bothered him so greatly that he switched to his sandals I recommended he purchase before the trip. Dozens of miles later, we were labeled The Croc Brothers and made believers out of hikers from Virginia, Berkeley, San Francisco, and San Diego. The word spread and word spreads today.
Of the 500 miles I walked this summer, I wore Crocs for about 150 of them.
THE PROS - Cushion. The resin does actually become softer as your feet become warmer. Your feet will be tired after 25 miles of walking – not because of your shoes. - The Holes. You can walk in the rain and through streams and your feet will be dry in minutes. Even in dry weather, the holes allow your feet to breathe much better than those wicking socks and leather boots. - Flip Heel Strap. You can easily convert your sandal from a fast-paced hike in sandals to a lounging stay at a snow melt lake. - Easy to Clean. The resin material does not stain with trail grime or any other liquid. Any grime comes off easily with a simple washing (no soap) and rinsing. The material dries quickly and is anti-microbial (no stink!) I cannot say that paint and oil won't be harder to clean off, of course. - They float - Some Traction. There are some ridges on the sandal that allow you to traverse rocks, trails, and stream boulders fairly well. This sandal had much more traction than a flip flop but not as much as a running shoe. - Lightweight. The Crocs will cost you about 16 ounces of weight total (men’s XL). For one pound, these sandals are worth the weight as they can be used on all types of terrain and weather. - Inexpensive. Crocs cost around $30. If you are charged more for them, you are being ripped off. $30 for a trail shoe/sandal that can last close to 200 miles is pretty cheap.
THE CONS - Sure, some of these were PROS - The Holes. The holes are great for air and water flow, however, your feet will most likely be stained with the dirt if you don’t wear socks and you might get a stick or rock that won’t budge without stopping. - The Traction. Do not cross high velocity streams, snow, or wet rocks without trekking poles. The Crocs have enough traction for the dry trails, however, they will give out when wet. Trekking poles will save you from falling. - Sharp Angles. These sandals will not protect you from sharp angled rocks if you step on them full weight. You will feel a lot of what you step on through the cushioned material if it is irregular. I used the thicker heel portion for these tough areas. - Sole Wear. I found that 1/2 my traction was gone after 100 miles. I walked rocks, dirt, and water in these 80 miles straight. I did not take these off for the hard parts so they got equal treatment on the miles of trails. - They don’t go with some outfits (tuxedoes, cocktail dresses, dancing wear, etc.)
CONCLUSION - For the price, you can’t go wrong with these things if you are on your feet a lot outside or even indoors. Over 1/2 of the staff of some hospitals wear only Crocs. For medical personnel, Crocs makes a closed sandal (Aspen) so you don’t run the risk of getting fluids onto your toes. Check out the Crocs.com website and see all the different varieties they have in addition to the Beach.
I mentioned fashion no-nos above. Crocs are so popular that you might start to see Crocs with khakis and denim. I’m not judging anyone as I love shorts and t-shirts, however, they are not too smart for crowded bars or to dinner if you are expected to wear a tie.
I’ve only used Crocs for hiking, yard work, and camp lounging, however, I expect that their outdoor uses are endless. Sure, you can’t climb vertical in them, but they do feel good at the end of that climb. They won’t mark up your boat, they don’t stink, they clean easily, and they only cost $30. I told many people on the trail that I don’t work for Crocs even though I was pushing them every time I was asked to comment. They are catching on they will be a must have for all types of camping in a short time. I found that they were more prevalent on the East Coast and that many in California have never seen them. Be the first on your block to sport these outside and tell everyone how you don’t know what you did without them.
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