Monday, July 26, 2010

Crocs are a crock of +#$*%

I have owned and worn daily a pair of Spalding sandals for about 3-4 months and they finally broke down on me last week.  Since I paid only about $18 for them I thought they actually lasted a reasonable amount of time, particularly given the sun, heat and salt water they are exposed to in our daily boating lifestyle.
So, I was recently in the market for a new pair of sandals and many people recommended that I get a pair of Crocs sandals.  They are very comfortable, are made of strong rubber that holds up, are well made and will last a long time,  they said. 
So, I dished out $35 a pair for not one, but two, pair of Crocs Athens sandals.  They are described on Crocs website as:
“Crocs™ Athens, the trendsetter. The first Crocs™ sandal to feature the double cushioned footbed for additional comfort and support and with a croslite™ material toe post your feet will be thanking you. This shoe is classic Crocs™ style in an amazing flip-flop.
  • Offers a double-cushioned, extra soft footbed and the standard Crocs™ circulation nubs.
  • Slip-resistant and non-marking soles.
  • Odor-resistant.
  • Ergonomic Italian styling; wide, roomy foot bed; made with croslite™ material.”
I was so excited to get them, I actually wore one pair out the door of the store.  Well, literally two days after buying them, they sat on the dock (where all our other shoes stay (including those Spaldings) when we are at a dock) and they actually shrunk from the heat.  Yes, they SHRUNK!  And, I never put them in the washer/dryer.  Furthermore, they had no warning label at all, let alone a warning that said  “If you wear these outside during nice, hot, sunny summer days, there is risk of shrinkage; therefore we advise only wearing them on cold, cloudy days.”  If they did, I could understand this happening.
I have never in my life actually heard of a pair of foot wear shrinking, but these Crocs have done it!
So, while Crocs is “the brand” everyone seems to love, these just did not impress me.  Hopefully, if Crocs reads this blog, they may add a comment on how they  might correct this problem.  Otherwise, I am giving them to Danielle who is now 11, because they are way too small for my feet but fit hers just fine.
Michael (in La Paz)
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4 comments:

  1. MichaelJuly 27, 2010 at 2:38 PM

    Well, I just heard back from Crocs. Here is what they said:

    Thank you for contacting Crocs Customer Service. Crocs material, otherwise known as Croslite, is very sensitive to prolonged heat. If you do leave this material in a hot car, direct sunlight, near a heater vent, in a hot dishwasher or dryer this material will shrink. Consequently as this is a natural defect of the material we would be more than happy to do a one-time dealer warranty for your Crocs.

    Looking forward to my new pair....

    ReplyDelete
  2. bubbiefredaJuly 27, 2010 at 8:57 PM

    The way to go Michael! I knew you would figure out a way to return them - especially for customer satisfaction - and that's no croc!

    ReplyDelete
  3. bronnaJuly 28, 2010 at 4:33 AM

    Actual conversation this morning:
    Bronna: "Sammy...wanna hear the latest blog post?"
    Sammy: "No..when are they going to just stick to one country already?"
    I think he's ready to visit you at home in San Fran!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Neophyte CruiserJuly 29, 2010 at 12:03 PM

    We, too, found out the hard way that Crocs do not tolerate storage in direct sunlight or heat. We bought new Crocs in La Paz and, as per our habit, left them either on the dock or in the cockpit when on board. The first full day in the sun left us with curled sandals that were completely useless as footwear.

    ReplyDelete

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