British Army sandals - Thoughts/Opinions

[sandbender]

Hello All.

I need a new pair of outdoor walking sandals, money is tight and I have been looking at the British Army sandal.

It looks the part but is it any good?

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated, additionally any help with working the the sizing would be helpful.

Thanks.

Link to one of many sellers.

 

[Dave]

No first hand experience, but I bet they're good.

 

[Riven]

Hi Sandbender I have a pair the same as your link and find them very comfortable and hard wearing. Size wise mine are the same as I would normally wear in a shoe.
Good buy IMHO.
Riven.

 

[sandbender]

Thanks for these.

 

[Rabid]

I was issued a pair very comfy and ideal for weather like this.
Remember though it is the British way to wear socks with sandals

 

[cranmere]

I can't help, like most decent shoes they don't make them in smaller sizes. I always end up with Teva kids' sandals which are pretty hard wearing but they only come in gaudy colours.

 

[dwardo]

I had a pair of those years ago and they were great. Didn't know they were issue? Although our kid gave me them so makes sense

 

[Macaroon]

I've worn the desert ones for many long hikes, prefer them to the standard jobbies as they are non-slip footbed; the trouble I've found is buying the right size, seems to be one of those items that come in a 6, 12 or 13 and
not much doing in between. I bought a pair of Clarkes sandals on the bay last year, new without box for less than twenty pounds but alas since I've had my knee done they don't suit any more; they're a standard men's 9 in brown, and somebody who could use them can have them for postage

 

[sandbender]

"... they're a standard men's 9 in brown, and somebody who could use them can have them for postage

Too small for me, I'm a big Scottish lad.

A good deal for someone though, my current pair were made by Clarks and were purchased in 97, they have since walked about five and a half thousand miles on the original sole.

Good tip about the desert version sole.

 

[sandbender]

Picked up a pair of these from this chap on ebay about a month back, very pleased with them so far.

£12.

 

[mick91]

Am I missing something here? Surely a sandal for outdoor use is horribly impractical. I'd end up with toes off!

 

[Robbi]

Am I missing something here? Surely a handle for outdoor use is horribly impractical. I'd end up with toes off!

yeah, I find handles very uncomfortable as well specially those shiny chrome ones, very slippery when wet !

 

[mick91]

yeah, I find handles very uncomfortable as well specially those shiny chrome ones, very slippery when wet !

Haha, I'll take that one! But seriously though I wouldn't much fancy walking through nettles or kicking a rock accidentally with open toed footwear

 

[Tengu]

I wear them a lot these days as Im on the beach.

No experience of the army sandal, but I once had a pair of their trainers, comfy and lasted well, fine if you like gunky green.

 

[sandbender]

Am I missing something here? Surely a sandal for outdoor use is horribly impractical. I'd end up with toes off!

To each his own.

These ones replaced a pair of Clarks All-Terrain sandals baught in 1998. I'd guess that those probably walked around five thousand miles through desert, rocky terrain, the very thorny Turkish and Greek countryside and some bits of Scotland.

After a while your feet toughen up, the odd scratch or thorn doesn't matter anymore and you don't have to carry or wash socks and the weight saving in not having boots pays for itself.

Insects can be a problem though, especially in Scotland.

 

[mick91]

To each his own.

These ones replaced a pair of Clarks All-Terrain sandals baught in 1998. I'd guess that those probably walked around five thousand miles through desert, rocky terrain, the very thorny Turkish and Greek countryside and some bits of Scotland.

After a while your feet toughen up, the odd scratch or thorn doesn't matter anymore and you don't have to carry or wash socks and the weight saving in not having boots pays for itself.

Insects can be a problem though, especially in Scotland.

Good point actually. I've recently started going barefoot around the camp but am always concious about stubbing my toe. Can't argue with results I guess mate

 

[sandbender]

Good point actually. I've recently started going barefoot around the camp but am always concious about stubbing my toe. Can't argue with results I guess mate

Well it worked for the Romans.

 

[Goatboy]

Found one of the biggest problems for your average Brit wearing sandals for the first time is sunburn.
Most Brit blokes have their feet festering in shoes and socks for most of the year. Then they go somewhere sunny and expose their lilly white skin to the strange fireball in the sky, get sunburnt feet and can't walk anywhere. Can be really bad news in the back of beyond.
Also they buy them too small with no "bumper room" for the toes and thats why they end up with staved tootsies.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Chiseller]

they look sound....but ive been wearing zero shoes hurraches to death this year. they do a barefoot sandle too. i cant get over how comfortable and grippy on a massive aray of surfaces wet and dry. im sure their sandale will be as good.

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[Chiseller]

Well it worked for the Romans.

well said and it wirked for us too.

you learn to walk as we once did and have a renewed appreciation for the land.

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