I have decided to take time to tip my hat to something we mostly take for granted: Footwear. We use them to keep our feet comfortable and protected from the elements out there. We wear them every day, going over our daily activities, trusting them to get us thru the day.
This idea came as I was taking shots of my shoes just to comply with a certain theme in one of the photography forums I have joined. While preparing my "subjects" for the shoot, I realized 3 things: First, all of my footwear are over 2 years old. Second, I remember when and where I bought them, even the price and means of payment. Lastly, I have, in different circumstances, tried sleeping with each of the shoes on. (read: "we've been through thick and thin") I love the idea of getting a new pair of kicks every now and then but my pocket consistently denies me that pleasure. As tribute to the stuff I step on every day, I'm featuring them here.
First up, the casual brown leather shoes I got from the
Timberland shop in
CentralPlaza Pinklao, Bangkok back in April, '07 (as I said, the nerd in me still knows every purchase detail) I swiped off 3,400 THB for this pair, estimating a three-year service. Guess what, it has been 6 years and still nothing wrong with it! I must admit, this is the only pair I have (or will ever have) that was made in Vietnam. On the shop, I had some prejudice on the quality since it was made in a country known for knock off products (back then). It did not feel comfortable at first but as weeks went by, the soles slowly adjusted to the contour of my feet and it felt good! It looks good when paired with casual khakis. I love how the insoles keep my feet cool and it still is waterproof up to now.
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The outdoor boots. Got this pair of
Merrels from the
Mall of Asia in Manila for PHP 5,675.00 back in December 2008. My love for tough boots started since childhood. Ever since I had my first
Coleman boots, I have made it a point that all the camping boots I would have must be waterproof. I was always engaged in outdoor activities. Growing up in
Mountain View College, a 1024-hectare school campus located in the heart of Mindanao, Philippines surely has contributed to this. I remember as a child, we were constantly warned not to wear flip-flops while walking in the pathways at night to avoid being stung by scorpions. Snakes were easy to find- even under our house. I love trekking, camping and spelunking ("caving" to those who prefer simple words) and this is a must-have for such activities. These boots have been thru mud in the mountains of
Tambulig Zamboanga del Sur, trekking in
Manupali river and Malingon creek in Bukidnon to the rocks of
Jabel Hafeet and sands of the UAE. I have even used this in most of my mountain biking adventures from '08-'09. I consider this the type of shoes I should wear when the world becomes a wasteland, or when the ozone layer finally gives up, or when the world ends or the zombies attack... You get the picture. It does not only manage to look attractive, it even attracts gravity to a certain degree. Still it has the puncture-proof technology offered by the out soles of
Vibram and of course, it is waterproof.
This hiking shoes still from Merrel A much tamed down version of my boots. Purchased in Safeer Mall,
Sharjah in July 2010 for a sale price of AED 395, this light-weight, comfortable shoes shares the same puncture-proof soles offered by Vibram. The simple no-nonsense design, tested toughness of Merrel and the advantage that is was on Ramadan sale persuaded me to get this pair. Albeit offering meager protection from sand and water, this quick-dry shoes offers comfort and ease from the desert heat. Having used this in all seven emirates, wading in waters of the Indian Ocean along the shores of
Fujairah, dipping my hot feet in
Wadi Wurrayah while on solo camping/trekking, I still have to find a flaw on this pair.
It was in August 2011, my back injury that I got as a souvenir from working as an ER nurse in
Yanhee Hospital in Bangkok was getting the best of be. I knew I had to get a pair of "comfy shoes" that offered natural posture for my feet. I was on the verge of placing an online order for this since it has been more than a year of searching for VFFs (
Vibram Five Fingers) in the UAE. I was walking with my sister and her hubby in
Festival City when sister dear spotted what I have been looking for. The Society shop was then the only distributor of this weird footwear in the UAE. The catch: this one costs AED 1150. Almost 8 times the price in the US! Shelling out that amount for a pair of footwear that made one look kinda funny was a painful thing to do. Yet, there was nothing funny when all you can think of is your back pain. It was an investment. Fast forward three weeks, back pain was gone! I have never had a more comfortable footwear. It feels like donning a pair of extra thick soles and still managing to stride with ease. It does take time to get used to since this footwear will make adjustments in the way you walk. Body weight is properly distributed on your feet and even to the toes when moving about. This model is a Bikilla KSO (means "keep stuff out") and it does the job. Simple care instructions come with it: you can put it in the washing machine along with your clothes. Since then, another shoe chain has started selling VFFs in reasonable prices (still cheaper in the US) and I have gotten a second pair of VFFs. This footwear worth every hard-earned dirham..
Some people make it a hobby to collect footwear. Others consider them a fashion statement or simply pick the ones that are considered "in". A old friend of mine who always complained of having to deal with uncomfortable footwear and who was often seen walking barefoot with her shoes that were designed to make her reach greater heights told me when confronted about her shoe choice: "The harder it is to walk, the sexier it looks."
Well, to each his (or her) own. But for me, I keep it simple. I don't own a pair of basketball shoes- I don't play ball. I only have one pair of slippers- I never go out wearing flip-flops. I only get what I need to keep my feet comfortable in any activity. I only own what I need: my bare essentials.
