Mark F. Miller
I thought I needed an upgrade from flip flops and these seemed to be well reviewed so I bought a pair. The straps are a bit annoying in that you need to loosen and tighten them EVERY time you put them on. I saw the buckle and erroneously thought you adjust the straps to your foot once and then just snap them on and off with the buckle. This is not the case as the "buckle" is just a tension adjust that you adjust each time you put they on. Might not seem like a big deal, but Im accustomed to wearing slip on sandals and Birkenstock EVA, that you just slip into. Also these are quite a bit heavier than most flip flops. They are built on a sturdy slab of material that is molded to fit most feet. It has a nice heel cup that keeps the back of your foot steady. However, the synthetic material is not like the Birkenstock cork and leather that moulds to your foot over time. Make sure these fit when new, as they dont look like they will form to your foot later. The layer directly against your foot is lightly embossed with a grid pattern but not enough in my opinion to allow ventilation. The straps are woven Nylon and heavy duty, well made --should last quite awhile. I do like the tread pattern on the bottom -- allows for good grip, but not an excessive dirt trap. The first day I got these I went to a festival and did a lot of walking. My calves were sore at the end of the night. Others I know with Chacos told me, its my muscles getting used to the supportive footbed, and that sensation will resolve after I wear them a while (I hope so.) So far I think they may be correct. Also this model without the toe strap, is rock solid --no slippage when I walk at all. I dont know why Id want a toe strap. In any case Im liking these, despite the weight and adjusting straps. In just a few days I can tighten them up with hardly thinking about it anymore. Ill post an update if anything changes.
