Sport Sandals
Want to get out and move, but don’t like having hot feet? Sport sandals were invented for you!
Buying sports sandals
Designed along the same principles as light trail shoes, sport sandals let you enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities in airy comfort when it’s just too hot to put on shoes and socks.
Although sometimes featuring leather construction, or incorporating leather insoles for comfort, sport sandals are made most frequently from synthetic materials, due to their anti-odour and anti-fungal properties.
Adjustable velcro-closure straps do a good job of efficiently keeping sandals on your feet when you are on uneven ground. The back strap—removable on some models for wearing on more leisurely occasions—ensures good heel support and minimizes the chance of blisters forming.
Sport sandals’ relatively flexible soles feature average rigidity and generally do not have a shank.
Shoe construction
In general, shoes comprise a number of parts. The first is the upper, which refers to everything above the sole. The upper includes the vamp, which forms the top of the shoe, from the toe to the instep (in line with the lower part of the ankle); the toe box, which, as its name suggests, covers the toe area; the tongue, an extension of the vamp (or located beneath it) protecting the front of the foot; and the collar (or cuff), which provides a kind of seal to prevent anything from getting inside the shoe. Finally, the back of a shoe is made up of a heel seat joining the quarters, the two rear sides of the upper, which sometimes incorporates a counter, a kind of reinforced support that keeps the heel firmly in place and minimizes the risk of spraining an ankle. In the case of sandals, the back may include a strap—removable or not—to hold the heel in place.
For its part, the sole is made up of three layers: the outsole, which comes into direct contact with the ground; the insole (or footbed) that the foot rests on; and the midsole, which is sandwiched between the previous two and absorbs shocks. The midsole is sometimes topped by a shank reinforcement of varying length for extra rigidity. A removable sock liner (or comfort sole) is often put inside the shoe, while a lining hugs the foot to ensure comfort and support.
Shoe materials
Of course, leather—flexible, hard-wearing, breathable, relatively water-resistant and able to be waterproofed, is the material most commonly used in making shoes. Full-grain leather is particularly sturdy, but more expensive. Leather that comes from a thinner part of an animal hide will be more affordable, but less durable.
Suede is created by sanding the interior side of a hide. It is more flexible and breathable, but also less hard-wearing. Another type of finishing process involving sanding can transform leather into nubuck, which gives it the look of deerskin.
Leather is also often used for shoe linings, since it is comfortable and takes on the shape of the foot more quickly. However, it will then make the shoe heavier.
Resembling the real thing at first glance and nearly waterproof, synthetic leather nonetheless does not wear as well, is less breathable, and tends to crack with too much exposure to the sun. In all other respects, however, it shares practically the same properties as leather, and costs less.
Used in extreme hiking or mountaineering boots, plastic is just as waterproof as it is rigid. It is sometimes also used to fashion certain shoe components, such as toe boxes and shanks.
A number of synthetic fabrics frequently go into the making of shoes and boots because of their light weight, low cost or relative breathability. Polyester or nylon is generally used for vamps or linings, while polyester is most often preferred for the inside of a shoe. However, there are a few exceptions in which leather is used instead, particularly in the case of hiking boots.
A recent generation of designs features varying-sized areas of nylon or polyester mesh to ventilate uppers.
In the opposite vein, rubber stands out for its waterproofness, but this advantage has its downside—imperviousness, which keeps heat and moisture in. On the other hand, it is very practical for making certain parts of an upper and, in particular, a hard sole.
The insides of shoes sometimes incorporate breathable membranes to help wick moisture away. Similar membranes are occasionally combined with mesh so that the shoe both breathes and remains waterproof.
Finally, midsoles may be made of polyurethane, which is relatively heavy, or Evazote (EVA), if the design aims for comfort and durability. For their part, carbon or fibreglass are often used to lend more rigidity to a shank.
Use
Ideally, in order to keep them in good condition for as long as possible, leather sandals should be given a protective treatment and/or waterproofed before being worn.
Maintenance
Maintaining leather sandals with the appropriate products regularly can extend their useful life by several years.
Even if they are made of anti-odour, anti-fungal materials, some sandals still tend to become smelly. To avoid this, it’s advisable to frequently scrub the insoles using a soft brush and soapy water. Be sure to use a particularly soft brush on suede or leather insoles.
If dirt has become deeply embedded in the insoles, soak sandals in soapy water before scrubbing with a brush.
You can also help eliminate odours by scrubbing the insides of sandals with baking soda or a specialized product before thoroughly rinsing and letting them dry in a shady place.