{"id":40446,"date":"2022-11-07T02:05:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T09:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=40446"},"modified":"2022-11-02T11:14:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T18:14:42","slug":"sandals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/sandals\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once a week we\u2019ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, but the possibilities they inspire are new.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Amphibious shoes<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Keen Sandals<\/strong><\/a>, $70+

Keen sandals have a solid shoe-like toe covering that I\u2019ve never seen in Tevas-like amphibious sandals. This covering keeps the sand out and eliminates stubbed toes. They\u2019re warmer than Tevas and almost not sandals at all. I think of them as very sturdy water shoes. They have arch support and sturdy, gripping soles. They lace with an elastic gizmo that fastens easily and securely. Best of all, water runs right out of them and they dry very quickly. No more dreading the wet footwear as I head off on my daily trek on the beach. I\u2019ve put about 300 miles on the current pair and they show little sign of wear. My beach has some steep vertical climbs that I traverse without fear of slipping. They seem to carry me easily between the water and the land. It took a little while to adjust to the idea that I could wear socks with them.\u00a0\u2013 John Sumser<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Open-toed hikers<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Chaco Sandals<\/strong><\/a>, Price varies

When weather permits, I live in sandals. Over the years I\u2019ve tried all the major brands. A few years ago a friend suggested that I try a brand, Chaco, that I had never heard of. Initially I balked at the price, but when I found a pair that was closeout priced I decided to give them a try. I\u2019ve never looked back.

While I own a variety of Chaco sandals, I primarily wear the general purpose Z\/1. The primary advantage of these sandals is their unique means of attachment to your foot; a single slide buckle. The strap for the front of the sandal is one continuous length that is threaded through slots in the sole. You initially adjust the sandal to your feet by pulling until you\u2019ve got the fit you want. You then take the sandal off and on by using the slide buckle. To put the sandal on you slip in your foot and pull down on the buckle strap. To loosen the strap to remove the sandal you pull up on the buckle bottom. This is so easy and natural to do that with reasonable balance you can take them on and off while standing on one foot, then the other. This design provides a superbly comfortable fit, primarily through the elimination of the typical stiff Velcro closures.

Another feature of all Chaco sandals is their unique contoured footbed. First, it has an aggressive arch support (that the manufacturer claims counters pronation). Second, it has a deep heel cup that helps your foot stay centered. For my foot, they are more comfortable than any other shoe I have ever worn. This is, of course, a very personal observation, and you should probably try a pair on before buying. Also, the company has recently switched to a newer footbed material that I haven\u2019t yet tried.

While they aren\u2019t marketed as such, I consider them a hiking sandal. They have a stiff Vibram sole with a very aggressive tread, just like what you\u2019d find on a hiking boot. The slightly oversize footbed protects toes from being stubbed. I wear them for everything: strolling around town, driving, canoeing, biking and hiking. In all these roles they are every bit as comfortable as well-fitting shoes, while also providing the glorious open-air experience. As added bonuses, they float, and can be re-webbed or re-soled.

In competitor Keens, your feet are quite confined. I don\u2019t really think of the Keens as sandals; they are really quick-dry athletic shoes with cut-outs. The Keen\u2019s soles are similar to those of an athletic shoe, while the Chaco\u2019s are more similar to the soles on hiking boots.

Keens definitely offer better toe protection. Still, I\u2019ve put many hundreds of hiking and biking miles on my Chacos and have never once stubbed my toe. I think that the thick, oversize soles are what provide the protection. If you don\u2019t seek the open-air feeling of true sandals such as the Chacos, the Keens would be a fine choice for everyday use. However, for serious hiking and river travel, Chacos are the answer.

As far as cost, the sandals list for $95, but annual design updates result in numerous Internet closeout opportunities in the early spring, and I\u2019ve never paid more than $65 for a pair.\u00a0\u2013 Dave King<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Heavy duty flip-flops<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Reef Sandals<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>$24+

I\u2019ve worn several pairs of Reef sandals for more than 10 years now, and they are simply the most solid \u201cflip-flops\u201d I\u2019ve owned. I\u2019ve tried other brands, but they fall apart in stressful conditions or delaminate after a few months of wear. Reef consistently holds up, and I usually wear mine until the rubber is paper thin on the bottom. Right now I\u2019m wearing the \u201cLeather Smoothy\u201d in black \u2013 the leather top seems to hold less odor. They have many different styles and colors to choose from for guys, girls, and kids.\u00a0\u2013 Camron Assadi<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Kevlar-soled moccasins<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
VIVObarefoot Shoes<\/strong><\/a>, $100

I\u2019m fascinated by feet, their function and potential, particularly. For the past year and a half, I\u2019ve been exploring the \u201cbarefoot running\u201d scene, and found a wealth of information regarding footcare and advice for those who wished to traipse \u2019round unshod. Unfortunately, without the proper sensitivity and calluses, it\u2019s near impossible to walk\/run in urban areas unafraid.

Thus, I went looking for a shoe that would emulate the foot as closely as possible. I tried the famed \u201cninja\u201d tabi-boots as well as Nike\u2019s much hyped \u201cAir Rift\u201d running shoe, without satisfaction. I wondered, what would be the most effective material to construct a sole that would make for a thin, yet durable shoe\u2026and hit upon the jackpot: kevlar. I googled \u201ckevlar sole\u201d, and came across a mention of the company \u201cVIVO barefoot\u201d in a podiatry forum by the CEO and creator.

Vivos are without a doubt the most lightest and most comfortable shoes I\u2019ve ever worn. Their lack of \u201carch support\u201d and elevated heel is actually a boon, as it allows you to walk\/run normally and regain natural posture. They also have a wide toe-box, to accommodate your feet without crunching, even have a zippered sole so that you can just replace them when they wear out, instead of buying a new pair! While the zipper tab does have a tendency to snap off, (a design flaw I hope will be remedied in future runs) I\u2019ve never felt any discomfort from wearing them, and surprisingly enough, they even kept my feet darn warm in the most recent Maine winter time with their removable \u201cinsulated sole insert\u201d. They also come in a variety of designs from slip on loafers to casual tennis shoes and look like totally normal shoes. While they generally run on the more expensive side, I managed to find a pair on eBay for forty-five bucks.\u00a0\u2013 Josh Samuels<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n
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Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 7<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[2387],"tags":[2388],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40446"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40446"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40449,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40446\/revisions\/40449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}