OT Tevas (was: I am a cruel and heartless)

"Lynne" wrote:

So do they make your feet stink like Chacos or Tevas? .(Rubber soled
sandels.)

Huh. I wear Tevas about 8 months of the year - I have 5 pairs of them -
and have never, ever experienced that.
Then again, a) the pair I wear most is leather, with a suede insole, and
b) I tend to wear socks with them (smartwool in cooler weather, aer-e-ators
in warm) unless I'm hiking in hot weather and want to be able to wade to
cool off.

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:32:47 GMT, "Sionnach" wrote:

Huh. I wear Tevas about 8 months of the year - I have 5 pairs of
them -
and have never, ever experienced that.
Then again, a) the pair I wear most is leather, with a suede insole,
and
b) I tend to wear socks with them (smartwool in cooler weather,
aer-e-ators in warm) unless I'm hiking in hot weather and want to be
able to wade to cool off.

Wearing them with socks and wading in them without socks definitely keeps
the grunge factor at about nil. Wearing them while hiking with a heavy
pack and then most of the day and the evening day in and day out with bare
feet makes for some major funk. Though I'm talking about the rubber soles.

I used to wear Tevas but they don't hold up nearly as well as Chacos, which
also have better arch support and more sole options. But again, I'm
talking about the rubber soles.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:08:06 GMT, montana wildhack
wrote:

While I no longer backpack or hike, I still have body memory, and
Croc's wouldn't be good. They're good for the beach, they're good urban
wear, but you'd be swimming in them on a hike. But they'd smell good!

IIRC, they are soft and squishy, so they wouldn't offer any support for
carrying a heavy pack. The thinking used to be that ankle support was
crucial to prevent ankle injuries, but recently it's been shown (suggested?
proven? I dunno) that it's more important to have an excellent footbed to
protect the ankles, and that ankle support makes no difference. I have one
ankle with 2 permanently severed ligaments (I opted to pass on the surgery)
and another that I have sprained seriously twice yet hiking in sandals has
never created a problem so I'm a believer. It was nice to put the boots
aside, especially since I do a lot of stream crossings.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"Lynne" wrote:

Wearing them while hiking with a heavy pack and then most of the day and
the evening day in and day out with bare feet makes for some major funk.
Though I'm talking about the rubber soles.

Yeah, I could see where that would happen with rubber under bare feet. My
hiking isn't quite so extreme - tends to be 1-4 hours, and if I'm carrying a
pack it's a very small one (more like "tiny"). Although since I've gotten
into geocaching, I may invest in a better small-to-mid-size pack this spring
or summer.
I do have a good internal-frame pack - I've had it for 15-20 years - but
it's far too large for what I do. It mostly got used for traveling in the
days when I used to fly out to Seattle once a year. (WAAAAY easier to deal
with than a suitcase.)



I used to wear Tevas but they don't hold up nearly as well as Chacos,
which also have better arch support and more sole options.

I've heard that, but haven't yet been able to find Chacos in my price
range; I buy nearly everything off of eBay, or from thrift stores, or
sometimes from Sierra Outfitters Bargain Bin. I categorically refuse to pay
full retail prices for such things.
I have a huge advantage in buying footwear, both used and new, from such
sources because I have small feet even for my height, which means I can get
kids' shoes which are barely worn because they've been rapidly grown out of,
and women's shoes which were vanity-bought and then unworn because they
really were too small. G
Plus, at eBay and Sierra, I can often find brand new "discontinued models"
at half or less of what this season's are selling for.

WRT Tevas, I have two pair of kids' lightweight all-rubber Tevas for
knockabout light hiking/wading, one heavier-duty rubber with better soles &
support for everyday summer wear and/or hiking/walking and/or running
agility, and two leather pairs, one beatup natural leather, worn for
everything, and one in dressy black leather which I keep nice and gets worn
to work or for going out.

Lynne wrote in
. 97.142:

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:32:47 GMT, "Sionnach" wrote:

Huh. I wear Tevas about 8 months of the year - I have 5 pairs of
them -
and have never, ever experienced that.
Then again, a) the pair I wear most is leather, with a suede
insole, and
b) I tend to wear socks with them (smartwool in cooler weather,
aer-e-ators in warm) unless I'm hiking in hot weather and want to be
able to wade to cool off.

Wearing them with socks and wading in them without socks definitely
keeps the grunge factor at about nil. Wearing them while hiking with
a heavy pack and then most of the day and the evening day in and day
out with bare feet makes for some major funk. Though I'm talking
about the rubber soles.


Noooooo kidding.

I loveloveLOVE my chacos. I'm on my second pair because I can't bear to
part with them long enough to send them away to be resoled when its
time.

But boy-o boy, walking around city streets all day long, every day makes
for some major stinkeroo. I end up soaking and scrubbing them a few
times a week, but still.

I used to wear Tevas but they don't hold up nearly as well as Chacos,
which also have better arch support and more sole options. But again,
I'm talking about the rubber soles.

My first pair of this type of shoe was Chacos, and I adored them
instantly. They finally wore out (because I didn't get them
resoled....d'uh) and I decided to see what the big deal was about Tevas.
Uncomfortable, no support, no little massaging nubbies, and they broke
within a few weeks. Got a replacement pair, and the same thing happened.
Admittedly, I'm pretty hard on my shoes, especially in the summer on my
rubber sandals. I spend at least 6 or 7 hours every day walking around
the city streets on concrete, and don't always pick my feet up as high
as I should. But the Chacos consistantly last two to two-and-a-half full
seasons before needing sole replacement on the thick soles (my "season"
starts around April and lastst through late Sept), while the Tevos
lasted two to three WEEKS before the sole started separating from the
shoe. Both times.

PLus, I love the ethics and ideals of the Chaco company. Good to their
workers, and good to the environment.

Tara (doing the Chaco-Dance now)

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:23:38 GMT, montana wildhack
wrote:

Not enough. The sandals you're talking about are nearly an inch thick.
And I don't think your feet slide around on those sandals like they
would inside a Croc that is properly fitted. Although I understand that
people wear then "tight" like a shoe, that's not the proper fit.

Yeah, the Chacos with the toe strap do not move around on your foot at all.
When I'm not hiking and just kicking around in them, I don't tighten the
straps so they are more like flip flops. I would prefer to be bare foot,
but business owners frown on that.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:29:54 GMT, "Sionnach" wrote:

I categorically refuse to pay
full retail prices for such things.

I've got 2 pairs of Chacos. I can't remember where I got them (REI.com
outlet?), but I didn't pay anywhere near full price either. That would be
insanity! I'm a patient woman. Once I decide I need to let loose with
cash for something, I will wait as long as it takes until I find a bargain.

I wish I could say I had tiny feet like yours. That would sure make things
easier. But I'm just average (7.5), which is apparently very popular.

Thank goodness for on-line shopping or I'd never buy anything. I hate
shopping.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:36:53 GMT, Tara wrote:

My first pair of this type of shoe was Chacos, and I adored them
instantly. They finally wore out (because I didn't get them
resoled....d'uh) and I decided to see what the big deal was about Tevas.
Uncomfortable, no support, no little massaging nubbies, and they broke
within a few weeks. Got a replacement pair, and the same thing happened.
Admittedly, I'm pretty hard on my shoes, especially in the summer on my
rubber sandals. I spend at least 6 or 7 hours every day walking around
the city streets on concrete, and don't always pick my feet up as high
as I should. But the Chacos consistantly last two to two-and-a-half full
seasons before needing sole replacement on the thick soles (my "season"
starts around April and lastst through late Sept), while the Tevos
lasted two to three WEEKS before the sole started separating from the
shoe. Both times.

My son insists on Tevas as opposed to Chacos, but he's in for a rude
awakening this year. I'm not wasting anymore money on Tevas--they fall
apart for him very quickly, too. I think the higher priced Tevas hold up
much better (but since he's a kid and his feet keep getting even more huge,
no way am I getting the high end variety).

PLus, I love the ethics and ideals of the Chaco company. Good to their
workers, and good to the environment.

Ditto!

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"Tara" wrote:

I decided to see what the big deal was about Tevas.
Uncomfortable, no support, no little massaging nubbies, and they broke
within a few weeks. Got a replacement pair, and the same thing happened.

Huh. The ONLY pair of Tevas I've had that would have come close to that
description was a cheaper pair of kid's sandals - which broke after two
summers of wearing them hiking 3-5 times a week, in and out of water - and
possibly the one pair I've got that's basically glorified flip-flops. The
other three pairs have been very durable and very comfortable, even for
hiking.
Having said that, if I were going to walk around on city streets, I'd wear
the leather ones intended for that sort of purpose, not the rubber-and-nylon
ones intended for "offroad" use.

Which is not to say I'm anti-Chacos, just that my experience with Tevas
seems to have been more positive than yours. G

"Lynne" wrote:


I've got 2 pairs of Chacos. I can't remember where I got them (REI.com
outlet?), but I didn't pay anywhere near full price either. That would
be insanity! I'm a patient woman. Once I decide I need to let loose
with cash for something, I will wait as long as it takes until I find a
bargain.

Yep. That's exactly what I do. :-D



I wish I could say I had tiny feet like yours. That would sure make
things easier.

It does in terms of finding discarded shoes, but not in terms of finding
them from outlets - because the mfrs don't MAKE as many in my size, at least
not in women's shoes. Many outlet stores only carry the more popular sizes.

I'm actually not quite sure what my "real" shoe size is in U.S. women's
shoes, because when it comes to hiking boots and running shoes, if I buy a
woman's shoe (including the Tevas) I usually buy oversize to accomodate my
toes. I went barefoot so much as a kid that my feet never got deformed like
those of most U.S. women, so the toeboxes are usually too small for me.
In European/Asian sizes, I know my feet are a 34 or 35 (my idea of dress-up
shoes is embroidered or velvet martial arts slippers G), and in men's or
youth shoes I'm a size 4.


Thank goodness for on-line shopping or I'd never buy anything. I hate
shopping.

I only like in-store shopping at thrift stores and book stores. It's most
fun when done in a group with my S.O.** and his 14-yo-daughter. G Our
favorite store not only has lots and lots of clothes, but assorted household
junk and a big book/music section.

**He's an oddball; ex-military, and quite macho in many ways, but he also
loves to cook (he has sixty billion kitchen gadgets, and loves to watch the
cooking channel), likes to shop, does cross-stitch, and has also just gotten
into quilting. Plus he has no aversions to doing laundry or cleaning (or at
least no more than I do G).