After fretting for over a year, I decided to buy a pair of Rainbows sandals (“Men’s Double Layer Arch Hemp”). The heels of my Chacos Z/2 are worn, but I’m not sure if they need repair or replacement. The main reason why I decided to spend $50 is for comfort and convenience. The Rainbows are much easier to slip on and off. They can also be worn for much longer.
I have fond memories of wearing a pair during a 20,000 step walk around San Francisco with my dad. I also have painful memories of wearing my Chacos all day while shopping in Gilroy with my ex-girlfriend Shannon. The bottoms of my feet felt really really sore after that shopping spree.
The Rainbows arrived at 11am on Thursday. At 3pm, I took them out for a test run around Calabazas. As a previous owner of Rainbows, I knew that breaking them in takes a couple of weeks and that the straps can be harsh at first. I assumed that a 30min walk should be fine, but that was not the case.
During that walk, the straps rubbed enough against my left toe that they were bloody by the time I headed home. In order to stop the pain, I had to walk home barefoot. Due to the bumpy sidewalk covered with spiky sweetgum balls, that was more of a challenge than you might think.
Do I regret my purchase? …no. However, the bloody experience on Thursday has caused me to reconsider abandoning the Chacos. For the next ten days, I will wear the Rainbows solely indoors. After that I will slowly introduce them into my neighboorhood walks and use them in conjunction with my Chacos. Instead of being competitors, the two will be a team.
