u/jjopm

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/trek-speed-limiting-its-emtbs

Took these bad boys on a journey from my front door to my mailbox and back this morning, so I figured it’s time to get a “first run” review accomplished for them.

0.2 mile round trip. 68 degrees. 27 feet of elevation change. 14:47 average mile speed.

First off, let me say that these are stupid looking as hell. They are just Nike Crocs. That said, after the Adidas Hyperboosts jacked up my heels and ankles a few weeks back, I panicked and bought everything I could to help aid in my recovery. I tried these on at Foot Locker, and they immediately felt annoyingly good underfoot, so I willingly spent $52 on these things. I know, I know.

Fit:
They do not have half sizes, so as an 8.5 guy I tried both a size 8 and a size 9, and sizing up was a must. The 9’s fit perfectly on my feet and hug the foot just enough to keep things in place, but are also voluminous enough that they feel like proper “post-run after care” slides/whatever these are. I had reservations about it the hardness and “solidness” of these things, as I am not trying to have my “recovery slides” dig into any part of my foot or feel rigid, but yeah these are built very ergonomically. I will say that I can’t personally wear these without socks. The rubber or rubber-like material (I could research these things, but I am not an actual shoe reviewer, so I will let y’all do the research) feels really sticky and overly grippy on my bare feet, so I need socks. I am sure most people would be fine without socks, but I am a little sensitive to textural stuff like that.

Ride:
I mean yeah, these are extremely comfortable. I have had them for a few weeks and I wear them all day long while working from my home office, and I wear them while standing in the kitchen and cooking dinner for my family. I did wear them out to the grocery store once, and while it was the most comfortable grocery shopping of my life, I swore to myself I’d never do that again. I cannot become “wears my Nike Crocs as my main shoes all day and also out in public” guy. Self respect and the ability to function in society is important, folks.

The foam and cushioning of these things is a truly restorative experience. It’s firm but squishy, and extremely stabilizing. I would love to only mock their existence, but having these on, instead of having my feet directly on wood and tile all day, has really helped me to have fresher feeling feet when it comes time for my next run. I’m 40 years old, so I’m not an old man, but I’m not in my 20’s anymore. Protecting my limbs is increasingly important to me. These have been a real gift in that area.

Overall thoughts of these things:
If you can promise yourself that you can possess these and not become the person who wears these everywhere, instead of your actual shoes, I highly recommend them. They are comfortable and a joy to wear, and if you are someone who is being mindful about protecting your feet and legs, these are truly a worthwhile tool to invest in. I am pretty sure you can get them for between $35 and $45 right now, so they are entirely worth it.

If you fear that you might like these too much, and you could find yourself at Olive Garden on a late-Tuesday afternoon, alone and in your pajamas and your Nike ReactX Rejuven8s, you may want to avoid ever letting yourself get near these things.

As far as recovery slides/Crocs/rubberized slip on “shoes” go, these are about as good as it gets.

9.8/10 in this very specific realm/niche.

FYI: You are going to feel like you PROBABLY could, in an emergency situation, run in these. I implore and assure you that you cannot. You will roll an ankle, knee, elbow, and everything that can roll. Do not do it.