Comfortable Crocs?

[Goofy_Girl]

I am not a Croc wearer but I am reading a ton of recommendations for them in WDW and I don't want uncomfortable feet! Now never having had to buy Crocs before is there a brand name(like Croc itself) or are the versions you find in Walmart, Payless, ect. the same? Any advice would be great! Thanks

 

[NJ2Boardwalk]

Yes - Croc is a brand name and Yes - I recommend you buy them. While there are many imitations out there - and they can be just as fashionable - they are not as comfortable. Crocs are not that expensive for the basic shoe. I just paid $30 on sale in a department store for a pair for work. I am a nurse and on my feet for a 12 hour shift. I wear my crocs and not only do my feet not hurt, my legs are fine as well. Better than any pair of sneakers.

 

[Eljay]

I also agree, the Crocs brand is the only one that is comfortable for me. The cheaper knock-offs are not as well designed for support and comfort.

http://www.crocs.com/

They have lots of styles and can be found at Macy's, Dillard's and other retail stores, as well as online.

 

[SuzieN]

My mother bought me a pair of the Payless knock-offs last year and I was not impressed. On our WDW trip in February, my feet were aching on our 1st day in Epcot. Just for the heck of it, I kicked my trusty sneakers off and slid my feet into a pair of Crocs - OH WOW!!!! They made me feel like I was walking on air! Needless to say I bought them on the spot and wore them for the rest of the trip!

 

[#1Disfann]

I totally agree! Buy the real thing. I don't care for the standard Beach style Croc but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Athens Crocsflip flop style).....I have 4 pair if that tells you anything and I live in them all summer and as much as the weather in the spring and fall will allow here in Michigan! I've had no problems wearing them everyday during a Disney trip and I'm taking them to Vegas in 2 weeks as well!! Love 'em!!

 

[NC State]

I just purchased my first pair last weekend and I wore them all day yesterday. Well, I now have a blester on my heel and it hurts! I purchased the Cleo style, I couldn't go with the mules.

 

[I'mwithGrumpy]

ITA. I've worn crocs on my last 2 trips to WDW. On previous trips, no matter what shoes/ sneakers I wore, I always had blisters. The hot pavement and all day walking are hard on the feet! I finally gave in and bought Crocs. I was sold when my feet remained cool and blister free. I now have 3 pair I do recommend breaking them in before your trip.

 

[JustMe+Three]

I actually had the same question! I am looking at the crocs website though and there are so many! Can everyone give us the style that you wear & love and would be a good style for the parks? I love the ones with the heels (the fashion ones) but doubt that those would be good! lol. And I am never too sure about wearing flip flops in a big amusement park...

 

[christophfam]

The beach if your foot is wide and the cayman if it is narrow. If your foot is neither wide or narrow either will do. I don't think the cute mary janes will work as well at Disney and I've never been able to wear flip flops or mules in the parks. The beach and the cayman are the original crocs and I think they work best at the parks. Your whole foot is covered and won't slip out no matter what you're doing. Give them a try. My kids and I wear them every trip and we never have any foot issues. They are great even on the water rides because it doesn't matter if they get wet!

 

[brandylouwho]

I have the regular old beach style. I really did not like the look of them at first, but after wearing them I fell in love. I wear them with the strap flipped forward. I wear them whenever I can get away with it (even to work sometimes). I have never gotten a blister, my feet don't ache walking around WDW, my legs feel 100% when I wear my croc than when I wear my tennies at WDW. In fact, I often experience heel pain when I am barefoot or wear dress shoes, so as soon as I get home I put on my crocs and the pain goes away.

I do have a pair from payless too (airwalks I think). They are alright, but I like my real crocs better.

If you have time to wait/watch for sales I have gotten good sales/codes from shoebuy.com and Dicks Sporting goods in the past. We bought some from Eastbay.com too. Just remember they feel sort of big on your feet at first and they are supposed to be that way. If you are unsure of the sizing, go try them on at a shoe store and have the store help you to determine the correct size/fit.

 

[SammieG]

I think the beach and cayman style are the most supportive and comfortable...
Cayman are the same style as beach but slightly narrower and a designated size as opposed to Small, medium, large etc....

I also have mary jane styles.. but they are not as supportive as the beach and cayman (actually I have about 7 styles... but the beach are the most comfy for me)...

and no, the fake copy crocs are not the same material and not as comfy...

PS... i TOTALLY AGREE with everything that Brandylouwho says above!

Crocs are the ONLY pair of shoes i have ever found comfortable and I hated the look of them until i wore them.. and now i LOVE them

 

[Sorsha]

Be really really careful with Crocs for your kids, too.
Many kids fall in love with the knock-off crocs offered at Payless, Walmart, etc. So many cool designs and choices and characters! I made the mistake of getting some at PayLess for youngest DD last year and boy did we ever pay for it. She had terrible blisters on the sides of her feet within one day of wearing them... so bad they were bleeding!

Turns out the rivets are the culprit. On real crocs, the rivets are well sunk into the inside of the shoe... when you rub your fingers over them they feel smooth, no hard edges. On nearly every knock-off pair I have ever seen, the rivets are not flush with the inside of the shoe... lots of hard sharp edges rubbing tender feet with every step.

Lesson learned... only authentic crocs for my family.

 

[snickerboo]

I don't know how they are long term but I tried on the 'patra' (sandal with two straps but the straps are like a nylon/canvas and lined) the other day and oh my were they comfy! I have worn 'athens' (the flip flops' for the past two years. I did not find them comfortable enough at Disney but I think I will get the 'patras' for the next trip.

Real crocs have a good, supportive footbed that knock-offs do not.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Go for the brand name crocs...

FYI, crocs sizing varies even in the same style...

If you are trying on crocs that seem too small, flip them over and look at the size on the bottom. The ones that run smaller are the ones made in Mexico, China.. Colorado is kind of inbetween, and Canada seems to be the biggest.

So if you are trying on some crocs from Mexico and they seem a little small or tight, try looking for some made in Canada, etc. Or if you are trying on crocs from Canada and they seem snug, you may want to go up a size and try for one made in Mexico or Colorado.

There are a couple of other countries out there where they are made, but I can't remember where they are... IF anyone has crocs in another country, post it and I'll try to remember where they fell in sizing.

 

[karajeboo]

I just spent a week in Disney and all I packed were 3 pair of Crocs and 2 pair of flip flops. I found that the Beach crocs were the most comfy in the parks, while the Mary Janes don't have as thick of a sole, that was the only day that my feet/legs felt tired. But I'd still wear any style of crocs instead of sneakers! Even my DH, who was totally opposed to them when I bought him a pair, didn't even unpack his sneakers the whole trip! He loved his Crocs!

 

[kids1617]

I just bought some crocs cleos and have only worn them 2 times to see if they are something i want to wear in August. They have been ok so far, they are the first pair of crocs I've ever bought. Anyone love their cleos?

 

[joshsmom]

I'm a little on the Pooh-sized end of the scale (but I'm working on it! ) and I can tell you that Crocs have saved my life at WDW. First couple of trips Crocs were not out yet and I wore tennis shoes. My feet hurt so bad I had to soak them every night and pray that they didn't hurt "as bad" the next day. My legs felt like they were going to give out at any time.

Along came Crocs and I have NEVER had another problem. Some say they're ugly and although they've grown on me, I admit they are not the most attractive shoe out there. BUT, my comfort and being able to spend a whole, pain-free day in the parks is THE BEST feeling ever. I don't care if people think they look weird, my feet and legs don't hurt!

I recommend Cayman or Beach for WDW. The others don't seem to have the same support. Some like the flip flop (Athens) but I can't stand things between my toes, so I haven't even tried them.

Another recommendation: When you get them home, throw them in the dryer for just a few minutes to heat them up. Then put them on right away. They will mold to the shape of your foot and THAT is cool!!!

There's one more argument about Crocs: socks or no socks. My DS12 and my mother both wear theirs WITHOUT socks. I, on the other hand, prefer socks. When I go on water rides, I take my socks off and put them in a baggie so they don't get wet. My feet may get soaked, but Crocs dry out in mere minutes (no kidding) and then I put my socks back on.

I have 9 pairs of beach and/or cayman Crocs in different colors. I wear them everywhere!!!

 

[cazcol21]

I LOVE my Crocs too - have the Beach style and Mary Janes.

Wear them all day around the parks and never get tired feet.

My only complaint about them is that the tread on the bottom wears out quite quickly - but I guess thats a good excuse to buy a new pair....

Also, I do wear them with socks, but only if I am wearing Jeans and you can't see that I am wearing socks as well......

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Thanks to Crocs I'm a changed gal. I suffered through multiple DVTs (blood clots in my leg) in years past. I have poor circulation because of this and my legs and feet swell after a long day of standing and walking. I feared that I would end up using a scooter for most of our first trip to WDW last year.

I came here and read about Crocs and gave them a try. They were like magic! No blisters, no discomfort....I walked all over WDW for 10 days without one complaint. I practically skip in them, they are fantastic!

Only the Croc brand though, I tried the knock offs since and they are not the same. I wear Crocs everyday now, I have a pair in every color in the rainbow. My preferred style is Cayman. You can wear them with the strap around our ankle, or as mules.

My only complaint about Crocs would be they wear very fast. The soles thin pretty easily, but I find them on the internet on sale and clearance all the time. I rare pay more than $20 for them.

My kids wear them also. Even my boys in the summer. They reduce the stink and sweat factor. And they are great for days at the park etc (no problem if they get wet)

I never thought I would be so passionate about a shoe. Go figure.

 

[teachingmyown]

Don't some of the rides have shoe restrictions, such as no flip flops or mules? What do you do with them when riding? I can't imagine sitting on them, wouldn't want them to fly off my feet on a coaster and wouldn't really like leaving them behind when we were riding. This has been one of my biggest concerns about wearing Crocs into the parks. With tennies, my shoes are firmly tied to my feet!