Crocs Men's & Women's Specialist Clog - Comfortable Slip-Resistant Work Shoes for Nurses, Chefs & Healthcare Professionals | Lightweight & Easy to Clean

Buena marcaThis 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.These were awesome, just like any other pair of crocs. I bought them for my husband to keep his feet dry When working outside but unfortunately that also meant that his feet were always hot and sweaty. I still think this would be a good product for someone who is working in a cooler environment though.I bought these for my man and he was more than pleased with them. Also he stands on his feet all day while working and he said they feel great. Like working in ur slippers.SIZING - the unisex crocs don't have half sizes, and they run a little large. I normally wear an 11, and for these I have to use Champion extra thick socks PLUS an insole and there is still room in these shoes (Women's 13/Men's 11). By comparison the next size down was firmly tight with no sock on.SAFETY - inferior to non-slip leather shoes, inferior to non-slip hard sole clogs. Crocs have bands (not full length) of non-slip tread which suffer a triple flaw - 1) low profile, 2) soft outer sole + low profile means weight compresses nonslip tread making it less effective, 3) soft sole means quick wear. the nonslip tread was worn off within 6 months and even when walking carefully they slip with any liquid contactDURABILITY - The straps broke at 9 months. At 1 year, the lower and upper remain intact with no cracks or compromised integrity (yes I wore them well past their safety life cycle)COMFORT - the "molding" feature touted means the shoe is soft with no arch support. I use an insole to provide some support and with the aforementioned pair of extra thick socks they are comfortable. At 1 year of use my feet are starting to hurt mid-shift. These have no holes in the upper, which is a safety feature. After 1 year of use, my feet/socks have some odor after a 14 hours stint, but the shoes have no appreciable odorHEAT/COLD TOLERANCE - unlike a comparable hard sole clog of a different brand, 1 year of use in Arizona (temps 28 to 115 degrees) and hot garage storage resulted in NO shrinkage or expansion (except straps, see above)USE - average 60 hours per week, 85% indoorPRICE - name brand product competitively priced with generic knock-offs, and lower than other name brand nonslip shoes targeted at long shifts on one's feet in food/healthcare industryPURCHASE AGAIN? - Yes, just didI bought these to replace ones of the same style that had finally gotten cracked and too many rose thorns stuck in them. They are largely the same except that the strap is too tight to use at the heel, so I leave it over the tops. Nice soft shoes, and these are really easy to get in and out of. Easy to rinse clean with a hose. I also really LOVE the fact that these have a closed toe. So many Crocs clogs have open toe area drain holes, but I cannot use those in the yard. I hope Crocs continues to make this style.If you usually wear a half size, be sure to remember to order a size UP for these.Husband loves these crocs and says they are so comfortably. But please be aware that you will need to order a size smaller (for men only) as they are slightly bigger..my husband is a size UK 8 - we initially ordered that exact size but was too big so returned them and reordered UK 7 and they were a perfect fit...I later discovered this message on the mens sizing chart which says...."PLEASE NOTE: From January 2015 Crocs changed sizing for men, reducing all men's sizes by 1. If you have purchased men's Crocs before January 2015, please order one size smaller when making your next purchase (for example, a male customer who previously fit a size 10 will now fit a size 9). Sole sizes are US. Label shows UK. M = Men's W = Women's"Hope this helps and remember this downsizing is for mens crocs ONLY!Crocs are instantly comfortable, versatile and last for ages. What's not to love? These are ideal for wetter conditions than those with vents in, for obvious reasons, and are also perfect for walking miles around hospitals (what I bought them for).Just be aware of sizing descriptions as I got it wrong at first. My old crocs have 'M7 W9 on the sole' so in some confusion I ordered the 'M7 W8' originally. It transpires the sizes on the sole are USA sizes and those in the product description are UK sizes. Had to return originals and reorder the M6/W7 which are those with 7/9 on the sole and are also described as EUR 38/40. I'm normally a 40/41 and these fit perfectly. Clarks size 7/ 7.5 in case you were wondering.These are amazing, I'm a Student nurse who works in theatres and i'm on my feet all the time. I Have flat feet and have lots of pain in my feet. At first I didn't understand how these could help with this. But my God these are wonderful, the pain I have at the end of the day is reduced. So comfortable and they don't bother my arches, plus very easy to clean.Love love love these shoes!!! Wear them everywhere. Wanted Crocs without holes in the front as fed up with getting wet tootsies when walking in grass or picking up bits of grit. Be careful when buying though as they're often shown in mens sizes (I'm female) - so I ordered a size bigger than I needed (an 8) and when they arrived they were a 9 ??? Rather than sending back for an exchange, luckily I have a friend with big feet (sorry dear friend) ..... and she loves hers too!! I then ordered a smaller pair than I needed (a 6) and sure enough I received the correct size - a 7. Confusing.Anyway - these are so comfortable and much more superior than the cheaper varieties I see everywhere. I have the cheaper sorts but they're not as good.One thing I'm not keen on is when my feet are hot my shoes squelch ...... which sounds embarrassing when in a quiet room (as was the Vets the other week so had to blame the cat each time)! :-DWorth the money and recommend you buy a pair. Life is just not worth it without a pair of Crocs!!!I bought this as my work environment may involve the spillage of hazardous material. The problem is, my feet become extremely sweaty by the end of the day standing on these as the combination of synthetic rubber and lack of "ventilation holes" is a recipe for sweaty soles. I don't know if I am being harsh here: the picture clearly demonstrate that this has no "ventilation holes", however I still expected that some air circulation would ensure the problem is handled. I have tried other work purchased Crocs (different varieties) and this isn't an issue; so to me I feel my problem is related to the design. If you feel I'm being harsh, by all means disregard this review. Otherwise you have been warned!