By: Blonde Two
From time to time we Blondes are sent free outdoor products to field test and promote. We will always be honest about our findings and many products we don’t keep for ourselves find their way into our expedition stores. Great for us, great for you and great for our youngsters!
Walking boots are great and an important safety and comfort item on any walker’s kit list. However when days are as warm and walks as local as many of mine have recently been, it’s nice to vary the footwear to suit the occasion. But what to wear when your feet desire minimal cover but want to walk you to the beach as often as possible?
I used to be a fan of flip flops for seaside footwear but no longer seem to be able to get on with either their flippiness or their floppiness. My Crocs (not actual crocodiles) are great for morning swimming trips , and keep my feet surprisingly warm in winter but look a tad unsightly with a dress (I know, who knew that walking in dresses could be so much fun).
With these very girly issues in mind and a desire not to pollute the planet too much with my developing collection of outdoor footwear, I had a chat with the guys at Keen. They suggested their women’s Elle sandals, which feature straps made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, and have a jute infused outsole to reduce rubber usage. I am really pleased they did. The Elle is a stretchy strap sandal, which manages to stretch and hold in all the right places for my feet. It is smart enough to pass muster on an evening out (when I do eventually remember those are a thing), casual enough to look relaxed on the beach, and small enough to fit easily into my swimming bag (or indeed suitcase if the opportunity should arise).
The summer of 2020 is so far turning out to be a great one for our new national obsession with the staycation. We have wall-to-wall sunshine today (Monday) in Torbay, as well as plenty of visitors. They are all out enjoying our beaches and seafronts but I’m fairly sure none of them has feet so comfy or smart as mine are now.
PS I opted for blue to match my eyes. A girl never knows when she might find herself in an unexpected head-near-feet sandal-yoga position.
PPS A big thank you is due to Keen who, during lockdown, supplied free shoes and boots to 100,000 key workers (including two who are very close to Blonde hearts)
