Sanuck "You Got My Back?" Slip-On Shoes : "Sidewalk Surfers"

Sanuk is a small surf shoe company in southern California with a wide-eyed Gumby-ish icon. The company moniker means "pursuit of happiness and balance" in Thai. Being a fan of both Thailand and Gumby, I can really get behind (or, into, as the case is) their tattered-looking "sidewalk surfers."

Sanuk's founder Jeff Kelley, a surfer who began making sandals out of inner tubes and indoor-outdoor carpet, set out to design super-comfortable footwear durable enough to tackle the steep steps to his favorite local surf spot. The "You Got My Back?" slip-ons that I have feature a flexible, breathable upper wed to a pliable sandal bottom. Somehow he got it just right: my feet have enough room to wiggle but I feel perfectly secure on rough surfaces and serious inclines.

These funky hybrid dogs are cool, in part because they're as comfortable as bedroom slippers and look as if they'd been swiped from the set of "Gilligan's Island." It was February when I got mine so I started wearing them indoors with thick socks. But I kept them on while cruising around the hood, despite the cold. When I went to Puerto Rico in early March for a kayak race, I wore them for five straight
days: on the plane (perfect for the remove-your-shoes drill through airport security), during an all-day amble through Old San Juan, walking along a slick ledge to a deserted beach, and out at night for casual dining.

The first time I spotted someone else wearing a pair was sort of thrilling. I was having lunch with a bunch of guys on the sleepy island of Culebra when I noticed that the paddling physician from Wisconsin--sitting right next to me-- was also sporting a pair of Sanuks.  I slid one of my black "You Got My Back?" shoes next to one of his multi-colored "Donny's" like a senator in an airport men's room, and cleared my throat. A South African paddler in traditional flip-flops didn't quite get the joke. "You guys look like a couple of old men in a retirement home!" Confident, secure, and unable to disagree, we strode silently away in blissful comfort.  

Also available in black. Sanuk also makes a variety of women's and children's sandals and Sidewalk Surfers.

Bottom Line: : An addictively comfortable sandal that has a shoe attached to it. So un-cool that the likes of Brad Pitt and Johnny Rotten have been spotted wearing them.--J.G. (April 08)

Price: $48

BUY ONLINE : , ,Shop our eco-conscious collection of shoes, bags, and apparel at OnlineShoes.com.

Manufacturer's Site: www.sanuk.com

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