Review on Ultimate Comfort and Style: Alpine Swiss Sandals for Athletic Outdoor Activities by Scott Bradford

I do quite a bit of canoeing and hiking. I've worn closed sandals for many years. Mainly as stone protection against bruises on the toes. One of my biggest complaints about edgy sandals is that when you're wading across a gravel-filled river or lake bed, small stones get caught in the sandals, making walking very painful. Rafting and both guides wore chaco style sandals with no toe protection. I asked them about their choice of sandal, and they both agreed that irritation from stuck pebbles was far more likely than a bruised toe. I wear these alpine swiss sandals all season long. I've done 4 different multi-day canoe trips with them as my main shoes and 3 multi-day hiking trips where I've used them as my walking shoes. the above mentioned problem of gravel getting stuck between foot and sandal. With closed toe sandals, you have to take them off completely to get the stones out. With them, just tip your foot down and shake them. The stones are gone! The straps and velcro are great and keep the sandal secure on your foot while you close it tight. My only complaint is that the rubber outsole is peeling off the EVA midsole. I honestly got these things through the call. Soak them in, scale the rough, jagged lava rocks, then let them dry in the hot sun. A little chipping is probably normal and easily fixed with some shoe slime. Next season I'll be spending more money on a well-known high-end brand that's a little more durable. However, for the casual user who will likely only wear them occasionally, they are fine. I recommend them. Decent sandals at a very reasonable price.