Post by elalacran on Mar 28, 2012 12:37:21 GMT -5
Sandals first.
Back in 1970, I bought my first pair of sandals. These were leather, smelled pleasantly of leather, and looked like they would be good for a thousand miles at least.
They weren't. The leather sole broke in two after maybe 20 miles and a few weeks. Then the pieces of leather that circled my foot pulled out from the sole.
Next pair looked like it would last into the 22nd century; be bequeathed to my great grandchildren. They had soles cut from heavy rubber tires. And no, the soles did not break or wear out. But the leather straps pulled out after a very few miles. For a time I kept them functional by driving nails through the straps into the thick rubber. Truth to tell, all these sandals I wore mainly because I thought my feet looked cool in them, like some kind of modern Jeremiah, wandering in the streets.
From time to time some well-meaning donor would blow a dollar or two for a cheap paid of thongs for me to wear. These never lasted for more than an occassional trip from the bedroom to the bathroom. Anything else and the strap would break. Plus the "slap, slap" sound was most uncool. I HATE thongs.
Then in the early 1990s someone bought me a pair of the new all synthetic sandals for about $6. I loved them, wore them on long hot walks, and was broken hearted when the straps broke off after too few miles.
Back in the late 90s, I bought myself a pair of -- I think they were Nevados or Lanai river sandals, something like that. $12. They were the best I ever wore. The most comfortable I ever wore. After 2-3 years and many miles a neoprene heel strap started wearing down; finally a strap broke off; but the shoes were still wearable and very comfortable. But I left them in someone's car, and they probably were thrown away, much as I'd like to think they would be beginning a new life with a new owner.
I've never found sandals as good. Time and again I'd buy "river sabdals" only to find that if they ever got wet, all kinds of things would come unglued. Straps broke, the insole came unglued from the outsole, and the shoe would be ready for the trash after less than a hundred miles.
Then I decided to try leather again, this time in a fisherman's sandal style. These were truly awful! Get them wet a little and the leather would come apart, crack, the footbed would come loose from the sole, straps woud tear out. Tom McAnns cost twice as much as the worst but performed no better. So much for fake fisherman's sandals.
Right now I just repaired some Coleman "river sandals." Got wet, footbed came loose, strap came out. I filled the area with Gorilla glue. Maybe I can get another summer's wear out of them.
Yes, I know there are Teva and Keen and other premium brands. But paying a hundred bucks or more is imo flat crazy. I've never paid more than $40 for shoes, and my Rockports ran $26.
Back in 1970, I bought my first pair of sandals. These were leather, smelled pleasantly of leather, and looked like they would be good for a thousand miles at least.
They weren't. The leather sole broke in two after maybe 20 miles and a few weeks. Then the pieces of leather that circled my foot pulled out from the sole.
Next pair looked like it would last into the 22nd century; be bequeathed to my great grandchildren. They had soles cut from heavy rubber tires. And no, the soles did not break or wear out. But the leather straps pulled out after a very few miles. For a time I kept them functional by driving nails through the straps into the thick rubber. Truth to tell, all these sandals I wore mainly because I thought my feet looked cool in them, like some kind of modern Jeremiah, wandering in the streets.
From time to time some well-meaning donor would blow a dollar or two for a cheap paid of thongs for me to wear. These never lasted for more than an occassional trip from the bedroom to the bathroom. Anything else and the strap would break. Plus the "slap, slap" sound was most uncool. I HATE thongs.
Then in the early 1990s someone bought me a pair of the new all synthetic sandals for about $6. I loved them, wore them on long hot walks, and was broken hearted when the straps broke off after too few miles.
Back in the late 90s, I bought myself a pair of -- I think they were Nevados or Lanai river sandals, something like that. $12. They were the best I ever wore. The most comfortable I ever wore. After 2-3 years and many miles a neoprene heel strap started wearing down; finally a strap broke off; but the shoes were still wearable and very comfortable. But I left them in someone's car, and they probably were thrown away, much as I'd like to think they would be beginning a new life with a new owner.
I've never found sandals as good. Time and again I'd buy "river sabdals" only to find that if they ever got wet, all kinds of things would come unglued. Straps broke, the insole came unglued from the outsole, and the shoe would be ready for the trash after less than a hundred miles.
Then I decided to try leather again, this time in a fisherman's sandal style. These were truly awful! Get them wet a little and the leather would come apart, crack, the footbed would come loose from the sole, straps woud tear out. Tom McAnns cost twice as much as the worst but performed no better. So much for fake fisherman's sandals.
Right now I just repaired some Coleman "river sandals." Got wet, footbed came loose, strap came out. I filled the area with Gorilla glue. Maybe I can get another summer's wear out of them.
Yes, I know there are Teva and Keen and other premium brands. But paying a hundred bucks or more is imo flat crazy. I've never paid more than $40 for shoes, and my Rockports ran $26.