The following is a guest post about Crocs submitted by Sammi Eubanks.
I know what you are going to say, and I agree with you completely. They are, in fact, the ugliest shoes in the world. You may be asking why I would spend good money on something so ugly. Well the truth is I didn’t. I came by my Crocs after they were too small for a friend who found them at a garage sale for five dollars. They are a chocolate brown color in the Mary-Jane style. They are terribly ugly, but I love them.
When packing for my three month trip to Australia and Asia, my Crocs were one thing I knew I would pack. Let me give you a couple reasons why they are fantastic.
Crocs are super lightweight.
Anyone who does serious backpacking, whether in the woods or abroad, knows how important it is to keep the weight of your backpack down. Crocs achieve this by weighing significantly less than my Chacos, my Saltwater Sandals, and my nasty sneakers.
Crocs are relatively inexpensive.
With most pair costing between $20-50 USD, they come much cheaper than other so-called “travel sandals”.
Crocs are durable.
My Crocs have survived continuous wear over several summers as a camp counselor, numerous camping trips, hiking through Cinque Terre, and so much more. They really do hold up.
Crocs are super easy to take on and off.
This was a big reason why I brought them to Asia. I knew that I’d be visiting lots of temples throughout my trip and it is customary to take off your shoes when visiting the interior sections. I wanted a shoe that was easy to take on and off but wasn’t so expensive I would be worried to leave it on the rack outside. It is also seen as a sign of respect to take off your shoes before entering any household and certain places of work, so Crocs fit the bill in that situation as well. And lets be honest, this is Asia. You WON’T be the only one wearing Crocs.
Crocs are very easy to clean.
They don’t gather the “funk” that some other sporty shoes can after extended use. The material they are made of makes it simple to run them under some water or simply wipe them off when they get too dusty. This can be a plus when you are going from beach, to dusty street, to fancy guesthouse all in one week.
Crocs are so terribly comfortable.
You will wear them all day with no pain. You will wear them all week with no pain. What more do you want?
The Downsides
Naturally there are a couple downsides to Crocs, but believe me they are few.
The one I have the most trouble dealing with is the fact that they are downright dangerous when they get wet. The bottoms of my pair don’t have much traction so when walking on wet tile caution is definitely needed (picture a wet pool deck)!
And of course the most obvious of downsides would be the way Crocs look. Yes they are ugly, but if you haven’t seen anything beyond the original clog style, it’s time to take another look. They have flats, sandals, even heels now and some of them are straight up cute.
>> Take a look at some of the different styles of Crocs on Amazon.
I know Crocs aren’t for everyone, but there is no shoe better suited to several months in Asia.
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About the Author: Sammi is a graduate of Appalachian State University in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. She studied communication and outdoor education and now makes her living as an environmental educator at Zoo Atlanta. She spends as much time hiking and backpacking as possible and loves to explore the flora and fauna of the southeast.
I agree! I tramped around SE Asia for 9 months and wore my crocs almost the entire time! Crocs aren’t necessarily ugly anymore either. Check these out: http://www.crocs.com/crocs-womens-huarache-flat/14121,default,pd.html?cid=4G7&cgid=women-footwear-flats
I used to be completely against crocs until I spent 3 weeks in France. I got the worst blisters on the bottom of my feet and between my toes. They took weeks to heal and made me want to walk/explore less on my trip. I am now open to these shoes, fashion be damned.
I’ve been trying out the Crocs Sexi Flips that I got as my new go-to travel sandals lately, and I’m 100% in love, so I agree completely. I have now found my perfect travel sandal.
They’re flip flops, but the strap goes back around the heel, which I need because I like my shoes to stay firmly on my feet. They look like reasonably classy sandals, but they’re rubber, so you can wear them on the beach and in the shower. Since they’re made of Crocs rubber, they’re super light, super comfy (I haven’t had even a sign of a blister, and when the strap felt a bit too tight on one of my feet, I just pulled and stretched it a bit, now they fit perfectly), and super cheap – I just saw them on sale somewhere for €15.
I don’t find them to be particularly slippery on wet ground, though – they seem to fare better than most flip flops I’ve had!
I bought the Crocs Kadee and was hesitant to wear them bc of how they looked, but when we got to Europe I was eternally grateful that I brought them with me! We walked everywhere and I had no sore feet!
I even brought them on a cruise and didn’t have to worry about them getting wet. Surprisingly they had good traction on deck. And I wore them to dinner with a dress too.
I also swear on my crocs! They are super comfy, you can walk anywhere and the shoes will not get damaged or so! I also use them for showering in hostels.
I <3 them 🙂
I travelled to India during the monsoon season. ‘Crocs’ (or in my case, Holeys) were the perfect shoe for the consistently wet weather. They dried quickly, easy to take off when visiting temples, provided toe protection when walking on uneven pavement, and didn’t flick muddy water (unlike flip flops). I wore them so much that I ended up with a super sexy croc tan! (Think polka dotted feet!)