Alpine Swiss Reid Mens Sport Sandals Athletic Outdoor Walking Shoes BLK 13 M US Review

Comfortable sandal

I do quite a bit of canoe camping and backpacking. I have been using a closed-toe style sandal for years now. Mainly for protection from rocks, preventing stubbed toes.One of my biggest gripes against the keen-style sandals is that when you're wading through gravel filled river or lake beds, small rocks get into the sandals, making walking very painful.I recently did a whitewater rafting trip and both of the guides were wearing chaco style sandals, without a toe guard. I asked them about their choice of sandal and they both agreed that the annoyance of stuck pebbles was a far greater likelihood than a stubbed toe.I decided I'd test this theory out initially with an inexpensive pair of river sandals to see if I liked them before I dropped substantial cash on a high-end pair.I've been wearing these Alpine Swiss sandals all season now. I have 4 different multi-day canoe trips with them as my primary footwear, and 3 multi-day backpacking trips where I used them as camp shoes.I'm sold on this style vs. a toe cap style of sandal.Primarily due to the aforementioned issue of getting gravel stuck between your foot and the sandal. With a closed-toe sandal you pretty much have to remove it completely to get rocks out. With these, simply tip your foot downwards and give them a shake. Rocks are gone!The straps and velcro have held up remarkably well and keep the sandal secure on your foot, as long as you strap them on tight.My only complaint is that the rubber sole has started to delaminate from the EVA foam midsole.I've honestly put these things through the ringer. Getting them soaking wet, scrambling over rough, jagged lava rock, then setting them out to dry in the blistering sun. A bit of delamination is probably normal and can be easily fixed with a bit of shoe-goo.Next season I'm going to drop more cash on a high-end name brand that will be a bit more durable. However, for the casual user who will probably only be wearing these occasionally, they're just fine.I do recommend them.A decent sandal at a very fair price.

As summer nears, I needed a new pair of sandals. I don’t like to spend much on sandals as I’ve learned over the span of 45+ years they either naturally expire and fall apart (recycle before your eyes) even from little to no usage, or the midsole and outsole harden up overtime, becoming really hard on your lower back and knees. Yes, this includes expensive, and really expensive sandals as well. Ordered size 10 and they fit as expected no issues. Toe box is roomy, but of course with adjustable strap can be as roomy as you want, heck you could let your pinky toe hang off the sides if you want. Sandals stick out about an average of 1 inch up front, which is great, so you don’t stub your toes easily. The arch support is little to none, and for me that is great. I enjoy not having arch support and usually do almost everything bare footed (I work from home). When I do go out, I wear shoes that are low in arch support. Overall, I found these to be a great value and hit the mark for my needs and allows me to easily tend the backyard and run errands in the hot summer sun easily. Being adjustable allows for me to wear socks when needed allowing for breathability as well. No issues so far with slipping and the outsole grips well. The straps are nice, comfy, backed with neoprene, and have not irritated my skin either from all day wearing them inside for testing in the winter. All sewn materials & craftmanship is in good order. No issues with anything torn or any manufacturing defects.

These sandals didn't last a month

Lately, I've been dealing with feet that insist on swelling when confined in a closed shoe. A combination of normal heat build-up and my feet remaining in the same position for too long appear to be the culprits. I ordered these sport sandals in order to eliminate that first issue as a problem. I can control the other one. Recently, I've been having difficulty merely getting into a pair of shoes, let alone wearing them for any length of time.These size 13 sandals feature adjustable velcro straps on the front and back that open wide enough for my feet to slip into very easily, regardless of their condition. Just experiencing that sense of relief in avoiding the usual ordeal of putting on a pair of shoes is enough to make my day. These sandals fit well, with a bit more than an inch of sandal extended in front of my toes and perhaps a half an inch at the heel. That's just about perfect for me. I seal the velcro straps rather loosely, to allow for my feet to do whatever they intend to do, but just tight enough to allow for comfortable walking.The soles of these sandals are not the softest. They are not particularly cushioned and there's no arch-support to speak of. I can deal with that as I break these in, but I doubt if taking lengthy walks is recommended. If there was something about the insoles I would change, it is the following: they are coated in a rather rough, granular material that is slightly uncomfortable on bare feet. I hope that repeated wear will press that material down and smooth it considerably. These are minor, niggling issues that do not detract from my overall deep satisfaction about being able to wear shoes with some degree of comfort. If you're facing a similar issue with your feet, you might try wearing sandals rather than slippers indoors, and wearing them outdoors during the warmer months.