MoxieLifestyle.net

I was never really a big “sandals” guy until a friend introduced me to Rainbow Sandals my sophomore year of high school. Ever since then I was hooked; you would be hard pressed to find me not wearing my brown leather double-stack Rainbows. Rainbow sandals are generally regarded as high-end flip-flops (as opposed to ordinary foam rubber ones) due to their construction with a leather thong and footbed. However after a couple of months I always ran into the same problems.

After a long session of wearing the sandals, especially with Florida’s humid heat they would start to smell. If they got wet the smell was worse. In addition to the smell the wet leather became slippery making them hard to walk in AND the bottoms of my feet would turn brown. When they dried out the leather would usually crack and become hard until I wore it back down. Also, if I went to the beach, sand would become ingrained in the leather making it scratchy and uncomfortable.

After having a few too many pairs ruined by an unexpected downpours and sand at the beach I bought a pair a foam Reef sandals. These worked better in wet conditions and didn’t have any issues with the sand, but man they would smell even worse! Their saving grace though was that unlike the leather Rainbows, the Reef’s could at least be washed easily.

Regardless, I found sandals so damn comfortable I always bought another pair and on it went.

I figured I would be stuck with this cycle until I read through Tynan’s Gear of Life Nomadic where he mentions a different kind of Rainbow sandal, one that I wasn’t even aware existed. Sandals made of Natural Hemp.

For those of you not in the know, the hemp I am referring to is not marijuana but a different part of the cannabis plant. The hemp fiber is naturally organic and environmentally friendly and durable. It’s natures strongest and longest lasting fiber and it is also biodegradable and paper free. As the tag on the sandals says, “No rot, no mold, just pure hemp”.

I recently bought two pairs of these (black and brown) and I couldn’t be happier with them. I have poured sweat into them for hours and worn them in the rain and I have yet to smell anything rising up from them. I have worn them to the beach and haven’t run into any issues with the sand either.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied and I’m not afraid to label them the best pair of sandals I have ever owned.

I bought my sandals at IslandSurf.com they had the cheapest price I could find. As a special gift to my readers, if you use the coupon code SPRING08 before the end of March 2008 you will get 20% off any purchase over $75 and FREE ground shipping.