Crocs Unisex Specialist Clog

This is my third pair of Crocs-style shoes. Before owning a pair, I saw numerous people walking around in them in stores and my thoughts were, "They must be comfortable" and "They look kinda sloppy" and "I can't imagine that I'd like them". Then, about 1-1/2 years ago I was given a pair of Crocs-like (but not Crocs) shoes. This first pair was a two-piece blue and gray design that looked kinda cool and they sure were comfortable! I wore them most of the time I was home until it became cold. In cold weather I usually wear boots to keep my feet warm, but when I get home I'm like to easily slip my wool-socked feet into something more comfortable. The ventilation of the shoes worked too well, so I bought a pair of conventional at-home-type slip on shoes which didn't allow so much airflow. But when the weather got warmer the soles on my first pair were getting worn so I looked for the cheapest Croc-style shoe I could find, and it was on Amazon for only $10. That second pair was comfortable, but only when I wore socks... otherwise I didn't like the way it felt when my bare toes touched the front of the shoe. I wore them all this summer and they wore out very fast because I wore them almost anywhere. Toward the end of the summer I wore them to a friend's house in the country and as we walked on a gravel road on his property I noticed that I could count the rocks under my feet. They were too thin and flimsy to venture far and the soles were becoming too thin.So I was learning about this style of shoe — it's extremely comfortable but can vary in performance. There are several designs but all that I've seen are meant to fit somewhat sloppy, not tightly formed to your feet as most shoes. The material is a tight closed foam made of EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) co-polymer resin. But one EVA is not necessarily the same as another EVA because the characteristics vary according to the percentage of vinyl acetate content. Crocs are made of Croslite, which is a proprietary formulation of EVA. EVA is very tough and crack resistant. EVA foam is used as padding in sports equipment and is so non-toxic it is used for mouth guards and even some medical implants.I decided for my next (third) pair I would buy a pair of genuine Crocs so I could determine any differences. These were a little more expensive but are much thicker. With the thickness comes more comfort... it's much like walking on semi-firm sponges. These particular Crocs were designed for the services industries such as restaurants and medical fields which could have liquids on the floors and require shoes with closed uppers and heels. These also have thicker uppers to help protect from dropped items and thicker soles to make standing all day comfortable. These are named "Specialist Clog" and there is a similar version named "Bistro Clog" which is the same except it has a special non-slip sole glued on the bottom. I find the EVA sole to already be quite non-slip, but I guess the Bistro version is even more so.It's already getting cold now and so far these non-vented Crocs are keeping my feet warmer than the fully vented type. I also like that it has a taller heel which helps keep my feet dry in the rain and when washing the car. They are basically impervious to water and can easily be washed in a bucket of water then towel and air dried.These Crocs Specialist Clogs are comfortable for all the reasons they are designed for specialists — the thick soles provide very pleasant cushioning for walking and standing, the thicker uppers provide more protection and structural stability, the non-vented feature provides greater warmth (but would allow no ventilation in warm surroundings), and being non-vented with a higher heel helps keep your feet dry in wet situations. So they are exactly what I was looking for and I'm happy enough to add them as an ongoing item in my shoe closet.

This is my first pair of crocs. I never really cared for their style and have been more than happy with slippers/flip flops so I didn't see a place for them in my life. However, people at work have been using them to walk around the office with more comfort and I decided to give them a try.I am a 10 1/2 for most shoes but I have heard mixed things about how to get the right size. I've read that you should go half a size down from what you wear but the people that I know that use them recommended getting a size up. I got the size 11 and find them to be just what I needed.My feet slip into them fairly easy and there is a good amount of space for my feet but they aren't too big for them. I think that if I went with a size 10 that I would have been a little too snug in the shoe.I have not used them for long yet but I find them to be comfortable and far more comfortable than wearing a work shoe or sneaker around the office. The black closed toe style doesn't quite look formal where you could wear them to a nice restaurant or court but they are nice enough to wear around the office without drawing too much attention to your feet.For the price, comfort, and style I am satisfied with my first pair of crocs and would recommend them to others.[update]My feet never sweat much at all that they ever feel damp. The crocs I ordered are closed toe and combined with the material they don't breathe well meaning for the first time ever, my foot was damp.This isn't a huge deal for me and I was wearing thicker socks but i think some people might be concerned about something like this so I updated my initial review. I won't remove a star because they are still comfortable and I like them.

In my experience, Crocs run big - deliberately - for comfort. However, this style fit true to size for me and fortunately, that works out well for my needs. 1) Comfort, 2) Protection, 3) Easy careI have Fibromyalgia which can limit how long I can stand or walk. I resisted buying Crocs for years - I thought they were ugly, over-priced and "trendy". A few years ago I was shopping at Nordstrom with a gift card, my feet were killing me, and the Crocs were on sale so I finally succumbed.They have literally saved my feet! I never wore them "in public" except one summer when I was able to complete 2 rooms of wall murals that required standing for up to 6 hours a day. I mostly used them for gardening and had only one problem - the ventilation holes that kept my feet cool also let the dirt in when I'm digging - it drove me crazy!!When I went online to research footwear, I could not believe how many more options Crocs had. But the reviews can be very confusing - the same item can be panned because it "runs big" or "run small". I will qualify MY assessment by revealing that I have short, fat feet (what used to be called "Fred Flintstone" feet - now called "Hobbit" feet!) I wear a size 7, but usually have to buy "wide width". My original Crocs were a size 7 and were very roomy, but the Specialist style is much more snug - still there is no chafing or irritation. I was also concerned about sweaty feet, but that has not been a problem either - and it is 80 degrees here in So. Cal.I am so happy with my new shoes, I have renounced my Croc snobbery - I ordered a pair of Croc flip-flops - yep, to wear IN PUBLIC!!