Good fitting and comfortable flip flops can be hard to find, good fitting, comfortable and durable almost impossible. So when I heard about the new Hudson Rubber Flip by BOGS I was about as excited as I can get about flip flops. Hopefully this review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip will have you excited too.
‘Excited about flip flops’ may sound sarcastic, but working from home I wear flip flops all summer and a lot of spring and autumn. I don’t just wear them around the house, I like them to wear them around town, to the pub, the beach, the park, the supermarket and I even got married in flip flops.
Why do we wear flip flops?
Wearing the only onomatopoeic footwear – I can’t think of clothing let alone footwear named how it sounds. Can you? – has it’s drawbacks:
- Finding a pair that stay on your feet can be tough. Over the years I have found going a size smaller than normal and as lightweight as possible helps.
They are not built to last – probably because I go lightweight and cheap – and frequently break.- With minimal cushioning if you are out and about all day your feet may ache.
- Flip flops can get a bit stinky (I am sure this is not just me).
- They are less gripping than David Beckham’s biography, and are like ice skates in wet conditions.
- Not only do the soles slip but in the wet your feet slip out of them.
- Running (or even moving quickish) in flip flops is not advised.
- It is not possible to sneak around in flip flops.
It is surprising with all these drawbacks than anyone wears flip flops. But they are enduringly popular, purely because having your feet in the open air, with minimal straps and the convenience to slip them on and off is really nice.
Flip flops are also the perfect footwear for adventure travel. Spent the day hiking and want to let your feet breath in the evening? Been surfing and need to walk back to the campsite? Or been skiing and want a dip in the hot tub? Flip flops are the answer. As they are light and take up minimal room in your luggage you should never travel without a pair.
Review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip
The BOGS Hudson’s are available in both men’s and women’s styles. For blokes they come in Cargo, Charcoal, Navy, Coffee, Brick and Black in EU sizes 40-47. The ladies version has a double strap and is available in Leaf Green, Red, Grape, Indigo, Melon, Cocoa and Black in EU sizes 37-43. They cost £30 a pair.
In this review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip, I will look at how they eradicate the above drawbacks to be durable & comfortable flip flops.
Good fitting flip flops
With the BOGS Hudson Rubber Flips I went for my normal shoe size and they fit perfectly. The wide strap helps keep them on, as does the anatomical shape that mirrors the foot. They are thicker than standard flip flops but very lightweight and stay on my feet very well.
Durable flip flops that will last
The BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip are clearly not just made to last a few months. They are built to last, from a mix of high quality rubber and man made materials. Both my wife and I have been wearing them every day for four months and they are going strong.
But the BOGS are not cheap, costing £30 a pair they are at the top end of the flip flop price spectrum. Although putting it in perspective a pair of the popular (but less practical) Havaianas will set you back £20-25.
Comfortable flip flops
No review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip would be complete without talking about comfort. As already mentioned the BOGS have a thicker sole than normal flip flops. The sole uses responsive cushioning ‘Rebound’ technology which helps to provide support and comfort with every step. I have spent all day wearing them with plenty of walking and not got sore feet.
Non-stinky flip flops
Feet sweat (mine probably more than most), particularly when in contact with rubber. So BOGS use DuraFresh bio technology on the insole that activates to fight unwanted odours and help keep the Hudson’s fresh. It works – I have worn them all summer and not once have I been told to ‘your feet stink’ by my wife.
Grip flops
Although they don’t have the tread of hiking boots the BOGS have far more going on underneath then your average pair of flip flops. I have found that even in the wet they have good grip and the rubber sole just seems to stick on most surfaces. Although I have not tested them on the bane of flip flops – a wet Spanish tiled floors.
Non-slip flops
The grip is not limited to the base of the BOGS but also on the insole to keep your foot in place. This weekend I was playing my kids – who are two and four – in a paddling pool with a water slide. There was a massive tarpaulin surrounding the pool which got wet and very slippy, however I had better grip wearing the BOGS than barefoot, both in and around the pool.
Flip flops with a turn of pace
I wouldn’t recommend them for a jog, but if you need a turn of pace to catch a bus, or grab a child about to do something dangerous in a paddling pool, then they are much better than standard flip flops. I certainly don’t feel as if they are likely to fall off or that my foot will slide out when moving quickly.
Sneaky flip flops
The BOGS still flip and flop so I am sorry but they are still not good for sneaking. But in comparison to other flip flops I have owned, you can quieten the flipping and flapping a lot more. But truth be told you can do this with all flip flops – but then footwear with a soundtrack is half the fun.
Review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip: Conclusion
Both my wife and I love them – I am wearing them as I type this. They are the most practical and comfortable flip flops I have owned. They have already outlasted my last pair of flip flops – which cost £12 – by a month and I feel confident they will still be going strong this time next year.
I am pleased this review of BOGS Hudson Rubber Flip has eradicated all but one of the flip flop drawbacks. Of course being the only onomatopoeic footwear, if the Hudson’s no longer flipped and flopped we wouldn’t be able to call them flip flops…
To buy a pair visit www.bogsfootwear.com
