Crocs Unisex Adult Classic Clog

SIZING + FIT: 1) I wear an exact women’s size 8.5. Sometimes size 9 so I can add a Dr Scholl arch insole. I ordered these Crocs in two different sizes so I could try them and return the size that didn’t work. The size women’s 9 was too large/loose. The size women’s 8 fit me best, but not perfect. 2) The right shoe is somewhat larger & looser than the left, and the heel strap is longer. 3) I tried inserting a Dr Scholl insole in these Crocs. It did make the shoes more snug on my feet, and added arch support. The insoles stayed in place. But, it just felt wrong to put an insole in a Croc shoe since I bought these for orthopedic comfort & support, so I removed them. 4) My husband also just ordered these exact Crocs from Amazon in size Men's 11. He normally wears a size 10.5 or 11 shoe. They fit him okay, but they are somewhat loose on his narrow feet and he ends up walking duck-footed, with his toes pointed outward, to keep them from slipping. COMFORT: 1) After reading A LOT of reviews, I concluded that the comfort of Crocs are unique to each person. People with wider feet seem to really love them. People with foot or back problems love them. People with narrower feet aren’t usually impressed by them. 2) I sit & stand at my desk all day and these shoes are more comfortable than flip flops, but not as comfortable as high quality sneakers. 3) I have high arches and these shoes are tolerable, but don’t really offer much arch support. Perhaps my feet will eventually mold to the rubber – time will tell. 4) These Crocs have a slight cushioned insole. They are not hard plastic, and the insole has a little bit of cushy give when I take a step. 5) When wearing these shoes for extended periods, I notice pain in the ball of my feet - metatarsals. 6) The little nubs inside these shoes are soft enough that they don’t bother me or hurt my feet. That says a lot because I have very sensitive feet! 7) I find these shoes to be more comfortable and slip less when I wear them with socks. 8) I have a knock-off brand of Crocs with removeable orthopedic insoles. Those were initially comfortable on my feet, but the longer I wore them the more my feet hurt. The knock-off brand cost MORE than these Crocs ($33 vs $26). LOOKS + COLOR: 1) Well, what can I really say here except I really didn’t buy these for looks. They look like wide orthopedic shoes. Oh yeah, that’s because they are! Comfort overruled style in my case. 2) I bought some cute white flower charms on Amazon and that made my Crocs look more feminine and added a little something that was needed. 3) I ordered these in the color CHOCOLATE because I wanted a neutral color that didn’t draw attention to my huge orthopedic shoes. In the listing photo they look kind of sparkly, but they aren’t. They are a light, soft brown, almost a taupe color. Later, IF this shoe style grows on me (remember, I’m a newbie Crock wearer) I may try some other fun colors like pink or red. OTHER + GOOD TO KNOW + TIPS: 1) As other reviewers mention, these shoes squeak as you walk. Each step is “squeak, squeak, squeak…”. 2) In my opinion, Crocs are not ideal for narrow feet like mine. The shoes feel loose and I had them slip off while walking, which could be hazardous. I would not walk in these shoes for long distances or on uneven ground or on steps. 3) I heard that Crocs can be loosened or tightened using a blow dryer or in a clothes dryer. I tried to tighten mine using a blow dryer on high heat, held 6 inches away, then let cool. I was hoping the material would slightly shrink, especially the heel strap which is too loose. Unfortunately, this heat method did not work for me. *If you try this, USE CAUTION so you don't ruin your shoes! 4) I read many reviews where people said their Crocs shrunk or warped when left out in the sun or in a hot vehicle , so keep that in mind. 5) The holes in the plastic help ventilate enough that my feet don’t get super hot. Yes, my feet sweat a little in these shoes. There is a slight foot odor when wearing without socks. That is to be expected with rubber shoes. 6) I prefer to wear these shoes with socks because it helps with sweating and my feet don’t slip as much. 7) The tag on these shoes says Made in China. The bottom of the shoe is imprinted with Made in China. They have a tag that warns about riding on escalators and holding children’s hands at all times. I would never wear these on an escalator, but there must be some reason they include this tag – probably because of known issues of the rubber soles getting stuck on escalators. 8) I have no idea if these are “authentic” Crocs because this is my first pair and I have nothing to compare to. I checked the official Crocs’ website and the shoes I received from Amazon look exactly like those on Crocs’ website. 9) At the time of this review, I paid $26 for these Crocs on Amazon. This same style on the official Crocs’ website is priced much higher at $49. Amazon offers a lot more color options than Crocs’ website. 10) I found where Amazon sells a slightly different style of Croc brand shoes that I might try “Crocs Unisex-Adult All Terrain Clogs with Adjustable Heel Strap”. The adjustable heel strap may help in keeping my feet from sliding around. That style is a lot pricier at $41. IN CONCLUSION: As a newbie Croc wearer, I am not totally convinced these shoes live up to all the hype and amazing reviews I read. Like I said, I don’t think these are ideal for my narrow feet. I don’t feel safe wearing these outside my house because my feet slip in them so much. I will most likely wear these inside my house, inside my RV or around the campsite. PS- I am really disappointed that these didn’t meet all my expectations, and I am envious of all the people who rave about these shoes. I paid full price for these Crocs and was not compensated in any way for this review. I hope you found it helpful.