BootsnAll Travel Community

Here in Bali every other trendy Euro / Taiwanese family on holiday is decked out in Crocs , the plastic shoe made in China. These things go for between $40-$50 and look like they're worth about $1, still they've been the favourite footwear in Hawaii for the last few years.

Are Crocs good as a travel shoe?

Crocs as travel shoes? Read this first

crocs should be outlawed. i think they are hideous... but whatever works - if you don't mind them :-)

Not only are they ugly but I think they would take up a lot of space.

Crocs make a great BACKUP travel shoe. They are feather-light, comfy, and waterproof. I love to wear mine around camp after a long day of hiking.

Crocs are good at the beach, for lounging around, or when your primary travel shoes are wet.

I would never use crocs as my primary travel shoe - I need something with laces. But they really are amazingly comfortable and light. Oh, and the cost is more like $30US

I just used some as my second pair going around Alaska for five weeks. I was always glad to put them on after a hike, and didn't care if they got wrecked. Good for iffy hostel showers too. I'd take them again. Agree they are ugly!

quote:

Not only are they ugly but I think they would take up a lot of space.

I agree. I have better things to fit into my pack than a pair of crocs.... they should stay in the garden or at the campsite.

I love my crocs and I own 4 pairs! My feet have never felt better! I wear them to work, to walk the dog and just generally around the house and to do the grocery shopping!! Yes they are damn ugly!!! but they are sooooooooo comfortable. I have a black p[air of Mary-Jane crocs that I think look quite cute!! One tip: as soon as the tread goes - replace them (I nearly went arse over after slipping on blood at work)!

I don't know which came first, the crocs or the generic branded variety, but I remember seeing the generics in Italy first for between 7 & 10 euro a pair before spotting them in shops in Oz for 40-50 bucks! I have several pairs for wearing in the garden but couldn't wear them in public (Italy being what it is for 'la bella figura').

My only problem with wearing them as gardening shoes is that thorns and pine needles get into the little holes at the front and then trapped (unlike flip-flops) so I end up with lots of little splinters and stuff embedded in my feet.

Don't know about wearing them for travel but I guess it depends where you envisage going - if you're going in the jungle or doing lots of hard walking, I'd say leave them behind. They're cool in Sydney. Not in Tuscany.

I have seen them ALL over Europe, including Tuscany and tons of Italians in them. We are in Croatia now and it is FILLED with Italians and almost all of them seem to have crocs on. I just watched a man in a purple pair with his son in a yellow pair.

I HATE crocs, but we have succumbed to them because I have problem with my feet and they actually are a good walking shoe.

I bought 200 plus dollar primary walking shoes for our trip and hardly have been able to wear them as they give me blisters ( even tho I wore them in and hubby has had no problem with his identical shoes).

I have just used my Berkies mostly that I brought along as slippers primarily. I reluctantly gave the crocs a try out of desperation and they have been very helpful in many ways for long time travel.

They are super comfortable for the most part and cushion the foot. They are great for taking showers in which is useful for me as I find many showers in Europe are very slippery.

The bad news: tehy are too expensive for what they are, they get hot in very hot weather, one can feel cobblestones thru them, things can get in those little holes like pebbles at a beach etc.

We have seen them everywhere from Turkey to Morocco and all thru Europe. Ugh! Still, I understand why as they do serve a good purpose. When your feet are killing you and you have lots of walking to do, one puts up with ugliness and being in a popular trend, for the comfort.

I rarely see as escalator these days, but thanks for the heads up ( altho I tend to be extremely careful on those things already).

So that is what they are! The UK is totally swamped with them, with stalls popping up at streetcorners selling them!

Business is lame, however, as you'd risk trenchfoot wearing them around here this 'summer'. Wellies are doing much better.

I was tempted, but seeing that they're so common I wouldn't be seen dead wearing them on the road

In general I think I a lot of people take footwear for granted. They treat it more like a fashion accessory rather than a crucial piece of protection between your feet (and therefore, the rest of your body) and the ground you're walking on. In general, footwear should have a sturdy, secure heel that keeps your ankle from over pronating in either direction. The sole should be firm but flexible enough to allow for comfortable walking. Arch support is also crucial. Whether Crocs are hideous or not is purely subjective. I personally wouldn't wear them, but that's not just because I think they're ugly, its because that pathetic excuse for an ankle strap would not provide my ankle with much protection.

Let's not even get started on flip flops. That has got to be the most ridiculous excuse for footwear ever invented. What's the point of it anyway? Absolutely no protection whatsoever (unless their thick enough to protect the bottoms of your feet from sharp objects). Read this:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/SummerSizzle/story?id=3505928&page=1

Flip flops:

For folks that would be bare foot 24/7 if not for broken glass on the streets, they offer a barrier and the least possible toe coverage of any foot shodding.

Personal experience dictates that they are a bad choice for welding... and brakeless fixed gear bike riding.

My pair of reefs finally wore out, after four years of wear. (winter too!) the bottoms wore off. I may have to give them a proper burial, they've been everywhere.

i got a cool colored pair of crocs (tie dyed lookin' thangs) last spring. they dont exactly have excellent support (i normally wear my orthodic inserts w/sneakers or my CHACOs) and are basically like being barefoot.

so, if you enjoy being barefoot, then, hell, get a pair. they are breezy (mine have holes in them and a strap on the back "mary janes"), they seem to be in fashion (egads!) and they are light as hell. i have no idea what they are made of to be so damn bulky yet so light. something endangered must have given its life for such perfect technology.

like other folks have said, prolly not the best shoe for everyday heavy-walking usage, but fine for putzin' around.

zopa

I travelled for a month in mexico and belize with my crocs. They were wonderful! One of the best things was not having to take off my shoes when I went in the water, it was very convenient. They are not pretty...but after travelling for a month wearing the same 3-4 outfits I wasn't too concerned about looking pretty. I don't think they would be good if you were hiking, but they are fine for a walking shoe or if you just hang around the beach like I do.

I'd pick my Havaianas flip flops (I've heard Reefs are good too) over crocs- super comfy, look better than crocs, cheaper, AND more compact. Crocs are comfy but take up lots of space and are hideous!!