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The Crocs debate has worn on for decades.
Whether or not you think Crocs look good, today we’ll look closer at Crocs' levels of goodness and badness for both your feet and your soul.
Crocs…
Good for your feet?
Good for your soul?
The feet part will be backed by scientific and podiatric expertise.
The soul part will be subjective opinion for eager readers free to agree or disagree with me.
Crocs are damn comfortable. To take better care of your feet while wearing Crocs, read up on some of the potential foot health concerns associated with Crocs.
Crocs are a lightweight, fun, and well-known clog, but Crocs shouldn’t be your only pair of shoes. To avoid foot problems, learn a little more about why, when, where, and how often to wear Crocs.
Graycare is NOT a doctor.
The rumor brewing over two decades of Crocs is that Crocs lack arch support. With several foot specialists purporting the same, we can assume classic Crocs do in fact offer inferior arch support compared to standard laced shoes. To respond, Crocs has listened to their customers working on their feet and released the Crocs Specialist Work Clog with an improved high-contour footbed for all-day-long arch support.
A 2021 research study comparing Crocs (clogs) with flip flops and low-top laced slip-resistant work shoes, the results of slippery surface testing suggests slip-resistant work shoes prevent slip and falls better than Crocs and flip-flops. (Source: NIH, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health)
Since they lack arch support, regularly switching between Crocs and regular shoes provides better balanced arch and heel support.
Some public school student reporters warn against wearing Crocs for exercise, stating they lack proper support for outdoor and athletic activities. (Source: Bronx River News)
Backless Crocs with only a heel strap — or no strap at all — do not support or control the heel, which lead to heel pain, especially from rigorous outdoor/athletic activity. Mainstream media has been hating on Crocs for their unusual heel strap since 2006. (Source: ATTN) Be especially careful when wearing Crocs on a flight of stairs.
Since the Croslite foam Crocs are made of a non-breathable rubbery resin, it traps moisture and heat, conducive to sweaty feet. The perforations in Crocs allow for breathability, but not at the base of your foot. Closed-tow Crocs are known to become extra sweaty. We understand sweaty feet turn to stinky feet. The most common way to manage sweat when wearing Crocs is also wearing socks. That’s right, Crocs and socks.
People with flat feet generally find regular Crocs to fit comfortably. People with flat feet or collapsed arches should avoid Crocs with additional arch support because the raised arch material will rub against the bottom of your foot and may cause discomfort.
People with wide feet are naturally attracted to Clogs’ roomy fit. Clogs U.S. only carries standard sizes, no wide or narrow sizes. (Source: Crocs)
Yes, some netizens wear Crocs flip flops indoors for extra ankle support. Pronation describes when the foot rolls inward during walking or running. The opposite, supination is when the foot rolls outward during walking or running.
Yes some netizens claim Crocs’ open backed shoe makes slipping shoes onto your feet easier when living with achilles tendonitis. Achilles Tendonitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon connecting your calf muscle to your heel bone.
Yes, some people say Crocs’ spacious comfort accommodates painful bunions and boils. A bunion is a bony bump on the base of your big toe joint.
Yes, some doctors recommend wide-fit Crocs for the roomy comfort and tender support when suffering from swollen feet or lymphedema. Lymphedema is a painful or uncomfortable swelling and tightness — this time in your feet.
Yes, some Crocs promoters recommend certain Crocs for plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of a ligament that runs from heel to toe.
Yes, some netizens report keeping Crocs by their bedside to make night-time trips to the bathroom while living with foot neuropathy. Foot neuropathy is a condition with nerve damage in the feet that’s painful, weakening, numbing, and/or tingly. (Source: Mayo Clinic) Other netizens state Crocs’ roomy toe area wears well with Morton’s neuroma. Morton's neuroma is painful inflammation on a nerve in the ball of your foot.
Setting both aesthetics and foot health aside for a moment, we examine common Crocs company business practice across the years, to determine whether my conscience sits guilt free with my feet wearing Crocs.
Crocs are good for your soul because you can toss them in the wash. A household clothes washer can clean a pair of Crocs set to a gentle cycle with cold water and (optional) mild detergent.
Please do NOT put your Crocs in the dryer. The Croslite foam Crocs are made of warps and shrinks when exposed to heat.
Crocs are good for your soul because they shrink and mold to your feet in the sun. When exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods of time, the Croslite foam Crocs are made of can shrink and warp.
Wearing your Crocs out to sunbathe once or twice might get them to shrink wrap custom fit around your feet.
Crocs are good for your soul because Crocs match your personality. I couldn’t count how many colors Crocs come in, then you look at warm-weather and cold-weather styles, plus a zillion lil Jibbitz to pick your favorite.
Crocs were considered a top preferred footwear brand among U.S. teens in 2023. (Source: Piper Sandler) The controversy between nay-sayers saying they look ugly and Crocs wearers saying they wear comfy has lasted for over two decades.
Crocs won street cred with netizens for crocs memes in 2016. (Source: University of Denver) The university reports, it’s cool to listen to fans.
Crocs are good for your soul — without laces — you slip your feet in simple. An interview with workers in standing environments asked about their footwear needs and found laces are a hassle! Nurses and chefs in the 2017 interview preferred Crocs and clogs for their ease of donning and doffing. (Source: NIH, Journal of Foot and Ankle Research)
Crocs is bad for your soul because Crocs has never operated American factories. The Crocs headquarters has remained in Colorado the entire time, but all factories making lovable foamy Crocs have been located on foreign land.
Crocs was originally founded in Boulder, CO in 2002 and moved its headquarters to Niwot, CO by 2004 where it remained for 16 years. Crocs moved its headquarters to its current location in Broomfield, CO in the year 2020. (Source: Wikipedia) Crocs is born and raised in Colorado but made overseas.
Crocs are bad for your soul because they closed all their factories. Crocs were first produced in Canada and later in factories around the world, including Vietnam, China, Mexico, and Italy.
Crocs closed their last company-operated Crocs factories in 2018. Factory workers typically suffer unemployment during times of factory shutdowns. In 2018, Crocs closed all their retail stores too. (Source: Harvard) Retail workers typically suffer unemployment after retail stores and shopping malls close doors.
Crocs are good for your soul because they stopped supplying Crocs to Russia during wartime. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Crocs announced in March 2022 they had paused their e-commerce, retail, and imports into Russia. The shoe brand responded to international politics. (Source: Crocs.com)
Crocs are bad for your soul because they started supplying Crocs to Russia during wartime again. In certain Moscow shopping mall locations, Crocs retail operations resumed in 2022 under new local management. (Source: NF Group)
The Crocs store(s) were re-sold or re-branded to a Russian management company called “KLER”. In the Russian language, “Kler” is a loan word from English meaning “clear” or “transparent”. Clearly, after pausing in 2022, Crocs was a key brand to have returned to the Russian market in 2022.
