
Eight years.I've been wearing these things for eight years.
I don't mean lightly - they're my favorite footwear in warm weather.I've worn them from one side of the continent to the other, throughout the Caribbean, across Europe and back.
No, no.I wasn't walking the whole way.Now those would be some miraculous sandals (particularly the bit about walking on water).But tours of cities, days at the beach, and day-to-day wear every summer for nearly a decade have left them almost undamaged.The treads have worn down.My right toe has worn through the first layer of padding.In eight years of heavy use, that's IT.
I bought these things in January 2001 and knowing that no shoes can last forever I've been trying to find another identical pair since then.
I'm not even sure that they were called "Elixer," back then, but the upper portion of the sandals - the strap, the tag, the insignia and padding - are identical.How can I tell?I was wearing them today when I came across an new pair in a shoe store.
Couldn't believe it.I thought Teva stopped making these things back in 2000 - I got mine from a clearance rack.Best $25 ever spent.
The base appears to have changed.The tread in the new version appears to be MORE rugged, and they've added a lip to the back by the heel that would appear to be to aid in keeping your foot from sliding out.Not sure how I feel about that.
To my complete astonishment, they even have nearly the same color: Bracken (though that's harder to find).
I just ordered my new pair.I'll come back and edit this if the heel is uncomfortable or when they wear out... but if they're as good as my last pair, you may be waiting a while for this edit.
Apr 13 Edit: Or not.
I'm sure the sandals are as good as my first pair.
Pair.
Funny how that usually works.You have a pair of feet, you get a pair of sandals.Usually that goes without saying.Why shoes.com felt that I'd be able to get by with just the left one (and not even the color I ordered) seems to escape me.I don't remember indicating that I had only one leg or that I had some strange pathological aversion to wearing right sandals, but shoes.com somehow got that in their head that I'd only need the one.
I sent it back.It took a really long time, but eventually they credited my card back.I don't think I'll be buying from shoes.com again - worst experience I've had on Amazon to date.
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Teva Men's Elixer 5 Outdoor SandalProduct Description: The thong has come into its own, and the Elixer 5 from Teva could be its final evolutionary phase. It features a water-resistant suede upper and an anatomically-designed EVA midsole, anti-microbial odor-control, and a rugged, non-marking outsole. What more could you want from a casual shoe?
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