View Full Version : crocs.
The Phoenix
06-20-2010, 00:55
plain simple crocs... hiked all but 40 or so miles of the AT last year in them.
Spent less than 40 dollars on footwear... ended up being sponsered by them which didnt do much other than puff up my ego momentarily :rolleyes::confused::cool:
They are so cheap and efficient... I would say don't knock it until you try it. My ankles are not different than the average joe. I did the whites... maine... rain days... flash floods in VA... etc etc
They are durable... strong enough that nothing is really penetrating and hurting your foot.
I seriously would recommend anyone to take a day long or weekend stroll in the crocs...
I know I talked about them after and during my thru hike... but since I am prepping for my LT hike in a few weeks I figured I'd give them a little more love
I put over 1100 miles in one pair of basic 20 dollar crocs. 900+ in my 2nd pair of basic crocs...
Godspeed and rock the crocs...
The Phoenix
I love my crocs. I had plantar fascitis in my left foot and I swear the pain and limping went away the second I put them on. Wore nothing else for 3 months straight and haven't had a problem with it since. I swear by crocs!!
Now, if you're reading this and you do have plantar fascitis, you must buy the original crocs. My doctor said they work because of the thick plastic sole which gives the arch of the foot the support it needs. Knock offs don't have that thick sole.
Appalachian Tater
06-20-2010, 23:45
Just don't wear them on escalators....
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=crocs+escalator+injury
The Phoenix
06-21-2010, 00:00
:D thank you for that ever so helpful tid bit...
I will be sure to keep the crocs to long distance hiking.
Personally I think they are pretty ugly looking shoes and never ever wore them before about 40 miles into Georgia last spring on the AT.
NO CROCS on escalators! Moral of the story.
they wear them in prison, so you know they must be good. :D
Panzer
If I recall you wore blue Crocs
max patch
06-21-2010, 21:11
Someone wrote on the forums a few years back that Crocs were not a good hiking shoe because they were very slippery in wet conditions. Any truth to that?
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 21:13
It makes sense.
I bet the insides get slippery to if you feet sweat alot.
Old Hiker
06-21-2010, 21:21
I did about 3 miles in Crocs one day and got huge blisters on the insides of my ankles. I also slip and slide inside them when they are wet and they squeak like I'm wearing live puppies instead of shoes! That being said: I still have them for around camp as they are light, waterproof and very comfortable. I wouldn't want anything else for daily use for short distances.
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 21:22
I did about 3 miles in Crocs one day and got huge blisters on the insides of my ankles. I also slip and slide inside them when they are wet and they squeak like I'm wearing live puppies instead of shoes! That being said: I still have them for around camp as they are light, waterproof and very comfortable. I wouldn't want anything else for daily use for short distances.
LOL i bet you scared any bears off with your squeaking!
They probably thought Spongebob was coming!
Old Hiker
06-21-2010, 21:27
LOL i bet you scared any bears off with your squeaking!
They probably thought Spongebob was coming!
Had them in a canoe with younger Scouts down a spring-fed river*** - kept telling the Scouts it was baby alligators calling for momma and where ever there are baby ones, there are big, mean momma ones. They must have gotten whip-lash the number of times they would whip around and stare at the water.
*** - spring-fed = too cold for gators!
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 21:43
Had them in a canoe with younger Scouts down a spring-fed river*** - kept telling the Scouts it was baby alligators calling for momma and where ever there are baby ones, there are big, mean momma ones. They must have gotten whip-lash the number of times they would whip around and stare at the water.
*** - spring-fed = too cold for gators!
LOL!! thats pretty good!
The Phoenix
06-21-2010, 22:13
The slippery part was true at times... but for some reason it just worked. I got 0 blisters... and why I am quiet familar with the noise mentioned above it would often last only a short time and I quickly got used to them.
I sported basic black crocs for the first 1100+ miles and then road it home for the last 900 and whatever in blue crocs with red sox pins which brought them no luck whatsoever... just an ass kicking for the angels in the first round of the playoffs :(
I personally loved them and was able to do wet, steep, long days, water crossings... the whole deal in them... clearly some other people wouldn't think of doing it...
I climbed Huntington Ravine in it without any problems... in slick conditions...
Different folks different strokes I suppose...
vonfrick
06-21-2010, 22:59
Someone wrote on the forums a few years back that Crocs were not a good hiking shoe because they were very slippery in wet conditions. Any truth to that?
i've had a $5 pair of knock-offs since 2007 that i still wear nearly every day i can get away with them at work teaching. i had an aggravated achilles tendon early in the year and i switched back to crocs well before the snow was melted here and i swear it helped.
however, being as old and worn as they are (the sole is down to an 1/8" at best) they are very smooth on the bottoms. i have to be extra-extra careful on the marble curbs we have here in town and going into school if the tile floors are wet from weather being tracked in or the custodians cleaning.
i've never tried hiking in them. i hike in tevas, so i don't bring any other shoes.
It seems to me that Vibram 5 fingers are the "new Crocs".
Lighter, smaller, higher quality, nice grippy rubber instead of plastic.
I've seen others strap them to the back of their packs on my last 2 trips on the AT. Not so much for hiking, but OK for camp and town use.
The slippery part was true at times... but for some reason it just worked. I got 0 blisters... and why I am quiet familar with the noise mentioned above it would often last only a short time and I quickly got used to them.
I sported basic black crocs for the first 1100+ miles and then road it home for the last 900 and whatever in blue crocs with red sox pins which brought them no luck whatsoever... just an ass kicking for the angels in the first round of the playoffs :(
I personally loved them and was able to do wet, steep, long days, water crossings... the whole deal in them... clearly some other people wouldn't think of doing it...
I climbed Huntington Ravine in it without any problems... in slick conditions...
Different folks different strokes I suppose...
Did you wear socks with them?
SMSP
CNN's video of the Amazon hiker showed him street walking in Crocs.
Crocs seem to be disappearing from store shelves around here... Is the company in trouble?
It seems to me that Vibram 5 fingers are the "new Crocs".
Lighter, smaller, higher quality, nice grippy rubber instead of plastic.
I've seen others strap them to the back of their packs on my last 2 trips on the AT. Not so much for hiking, but OK for camp and town use.
Too much money.
I've never owned a pair of Crocs that fit me perfectly so I would never hike in them but I do wear them everyday. The more you wear crocs that more aware you are about how heavy other footwear is.
I wore crocs for some distance on my 2008 PCT hike. I was having terrible foot problems and they were a relief. I put superfeet in them and wore socks.
Jester2000
08-11-2010, 01:34
I did about 3 miles in Crocs one day and got huge blisters on the insides of my ankles. I also slip and slide inside them when they are wet and they squeak like I'm wearing live puppies instead of shoes! That being said: I still have them for around camp as they are light, waterproof and very comfortable. I wouldn't want anything else for daily use for short distances.
I wore live puppies through the Sierra on my PCT hike.
sherrill
08-11-2010, 11:21
Hiked in these, did ya?
9133
halftime
08-11-2010, 12:36
Crocs seem to be disappearing from store shelves around here... Is the company in trouble?
Crocks were popular in hospitals but understand that has changed due to some restriction....obviously would impact sales....not sure how that has impacted availability in stores however....have heard that company is in trouble but someone should confirm.
halftime
08-11-2010, 12:54
Crocks were popular in hospitals but understand that has changed due to some restriction....obviously would impact sales....not sure how that has impacted availability in stores however....have heard that company is in trouble but someone should confirm.
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=CROX:US
In 2009 the company flirted with bankruptcy (as have many due to recession) but appears to be hanging in there.
Cros have been and are available in my area at multiple stores. There's even a Crocs 'outlet' store.
SMSP
Sassafras Lass
08-13-2010, 13:56
Didn't want Crocs, my BIL & SIL rave about them and they were only $20 so got the Prepair slide style http://www.crocs.com/crocs-Prepair-Slide/10382,default,pd.html and they were no good at all. Fit my feet fine but I nearly fell over numerous times, numerous days, because something about the front of the sandal caught the ground while walking normally - I'm don't drag my feet, so I don't know what was going on, had to return them. DH had the Prepair too, gave him blisters, had to return them. MIL and FIL got Crocs too, gave them blisters, had to return them.
Perhaps we all have misshapen feet?
I think if I was going to hike in Crocs I'd look for something like these:
http://www.crocs.com/crocs-crostrail/10721,default,pd.html?cid=03I&cgid=men
It looks like the blue Crocs in The Phoenix's photos have laces. They are not the "Classic Crocs' that look like clogs from Holland. I had no idea Cros had so many styles and boots!
I use crocs as camp shoes. Light and airy. :D They're a Walmart knockoff that I paid like $8 for last year. My daughter now hikes with me but unfortunately I can't find them anymore. Does anyone know of any sources?
ChinMusic
08-13-2010, 21:37
A buddy of mine used Crocs on most of our JMT hike earlier this month. He did put on his boots for Half Dome.
Nice, but they are slippery around water sources!
Just bought a pair as camp shoes this weekend. I have always been very anti-croc but have to admit they sure are comfortable for such ugly shoes.
Sunshine Tami Jo
08-17-2010, 15:33
I think if I was going to hike in Crocs I'd look for something like these:
http://www.crocs.com/crocs-crostrail/10721,default,pd.html?cid=03I&cgid=men
Those were listed at $44.99 on the website you linked us to, but Amazon has them for just $24.70, so I ordered a pair. They only have them for men, so I bought the men's equivalent to my own size. Hopefully they'll work: my feet are definitely narrower than a typical man's.
Crocs are the most ideal hiking shoe for the AT. After 1500 miles in various shoes, we resorted to hiking in our Crocs out of necessity. It was amazing to come to the realization that we had been hiking with the most perfect hiking shoe of all time strapped to our backs while our feet were going through hell. We threw the shoes away and breezed over the last 700 miles walking on little happy clouds. The Sourpatch Kid and I (Bearhat) thru-hiked in 2012 in 3 months and 3 weeks, and the Crocs saved our hike and made it all possible (Injinji toe socks, then performance wool socks, then Crocs. Aided, of course, by trekking poles.)
It's natural to think that you have to hike in "hiking boots", because that is what the advertisements and shoe stores tell you. Traditional hiking boots are entirely too heavy for long-distance trekking, and the hard rubber and tight laces restrict the feet's movement and slowly pounds them down. As with most topics of long-distance hiking, the lighter and simpler, the better.
- lightest shoe you can find
- very grippy rubber
- waterproof, dries quickly
- soft cushy rubber is the most comfortable surface you can walk on
- loose design allows the foot and the toes to spread and move for the best balance and traction
Crocs might not be for everybody. If you are walking 10 miles per day with 50 pounds on your back, they may not be ideal. But if you are light, quick, minimalist, and want to have some very happy and healthy feet, take the Crocs off of your back and try hiking in them for a few miles, you might never go back.
perdidochas
07-12-2013, 17:36
Someone wrote on the forums a few years back that Crocs were not a good hiking shoe because they were very slippery in wet conditions. Any truth to that?
Yes, once they get worn down. I'm tough on shoes. I couldn't wear crocs for long distance hiking, I'd need a new pair every 100 miles or so.