Saturday, December 20, 2008

Zinetic Pocket Slippers

I figure that when I choose gear for a cross country ride, I have three concerns: durability, comfort, and weight. I'm not sure what I'm going to be using for shoes while riding (maybe some Keens?), but I do know that I'll probably want to wear something else once I'm off the bike. Recently Bike Nashbar was having a clearance sale and had some Zinetic Pocket Slippers on sale. The big advantage of these shoes is that they're small - rolled up they can't be more than 4 cubic inches. At $7, I thought I'd give them a try.

They're undoubtedly the smallest shoes I've ever seen. Plus, they're light. I don't have any way to weight them, but this morning I put them in the pockets of my jersey and went for a ride without even noticing they were there. So that means they meet the weight requirement. I'm not so sure about the durability. The stitching around the elastic band is single stitch, and I can already see loose threads here and there. I won't be wearing these much, I just want them as an alternative for when my foot is sick of a riding shoe. The slogan of the company is "Boots off. Happy on." That's a pretty true statement. I can see how they'd seem ridiculously comfortable back at camp after a long hike. But then, a lot of things seem comfortable after a long hike.

The sole is very thin, but looks to be reasonably nonslip and durable. I wore them to and from my car this morning (I didn't drive to ride, but I do store my helmet in my car, since carrying it up and down from a third floor apartment is a pain), and I certainly felt every part of the road. But the little stones on the road didn't feel overly sharp, either. The big comfort problem is actually the size. I bought an Extra-Large, which is advertised as fitting sizes 10.5-11.5. I'm an 11, so I figured that'd be about right. However, as you can see in the picture, perhaps I should have purchased a large.

So the jury is still out. I'm going to keep using them as a slipper around the house and as shoes to get to and from my car when I ride. If they look like they won't stand every day use, then I'll need to find something else. It might come down to if I'm taking both regular riding shoes and riding sandals (like those Keens). We'll see.

| posted at: 17:36 | permanent link and comments

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