No, these aren’t Crocs (www.crocs.com). These foam-based, clog-type, slip-on sandals are called Cloggens (www.cloggens.com), and they’re nearly identical to the design Crocs (mysteriously) has made immensely popular.
But Cloggens have removable insoles. The heel strap snaps on and off easily. And for some designs the company employs materials like leather and mesh and denim.
So they’re essentially Crocs, though upgraded with a few features and new materials. Plus, there’s an insole, which I found to add a bit of support, though I’m not sure if support is what’s needed for the activities you do in shoes like these. Cloggens’ press people, for example, recommend activities like “walking the dog or shopping at the mall, to beachcombing or just kicking around the house. . .”
(However, as an aside, at least two racers in last summer’s Primal Quest Utah wore Crocs for a 30+ mile desert trekking section of the race, and reports were that their feet stayed fine and happy after all that trekking in sand, while many racers wearing trail-runners and the like—me included!—ended up with TRASHED feet on that very segment of the race route.)
I’ve been testing Cloggens’ Cero Air Mesh ($40) and Pada ($30) models. Both are fine, nice-looking and comfortable actually. However, one big issue: The snap on the heel strap for my right-foot Pada shoe won’t stay snapped. It seems fine at first, then—CLICK!—it’s off. Annoying. I’ve resorted to just flipping the heel strap forward and leaving it be.
Otherwise no complaints. These shoes functioned fine during my OFFICIAL GEAR JUNKIE GEAR TEST of mowing the lawn and taking my little ones to the beach.
Bottom Line: Cloggens are essentially a Crocs wannabe, though with a few interesting twists. I’d wager to say they’re sharper looking. Check out the whole line here: www.cloggens.com
Regarding the removable insole, I’m not sold. As aforementioned, on a shoe like this extra support is unnecessary. I actually prefer the plain foam insole area on the yellow Crocs I own to these shapely removable insoles. Simple might just be better when it comes to kick-around shoes like Cloggens, or do I mean Crocs. . .
