Travel gear is all about versatility and being lightweight. You always want to bring gear with you that you can use in many situations, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and also doesn’t weigh on your back when travel with it.
Do We Need More Crocs?
To be honest that was my first reaction when I saw these shoes. For anyone that knows me, I am as anti-Crocs as they come. Sure they may be comfortable but they’re just so ugly and to me only good as slippers.
What intrigued me about Crosskix and their rendition of foam-based shoes is that these are actually designed to function like a traditional sneaker with good support and looked just so darn sharp. I was looking for shoes that I could use for sports, hiking and overall daily walking whether in the city or travel. I also liked the amphibious nature of these shoes so in the summer, I could get good ventilation and also submierse it in water if the occassion arose.
The Crosskix 2.0 Yellowjacket
Crosskix touts the 2.0 as “the most stylish multi-functional sport & lifestyle shoe in foam composite footwear”.
Some interesting things to know about foam shoes is that a properly constructed foam shoe has the same functionality and versatility as a fabric made sneaker but can be so much more durable and long lasting.
The key features of these shoes:
- Multi-functional – You can use this for anything from leisure, recreation, casual or work
- Air/water vent and drain – Obviously very airy but also designed with water drains so water doesn’t get trapped even after submersing
- Wear moldable footbed – The shoe will essentially mold to your feet over time
- Anit-microbial – That means no stinky feet
- 100% recyclable
Real Life Testing
With new shoes in tow, I brought them out to camping for a test run for a 2 hour hike. I wanted it to be a controlled test but would take the shoes through all sorts of conditions.
My first reaction to the shoes were just how snug they are. I am a size 8.5 and that exact size for these shoes was a perfect fit. I have wide feet too and there weren’t any issues.
The Yellowjacket colour is perfect for these shoes. The yellow shouts bright and loud. I couldn’t help but check them out as I was walking.
Traction was not an issue at all whether it was along the muddy trail, over rock or in the water. These were the kind of shoes that gives you the confidence to do anything in them including running and climbing.
One of the main tests was putting it in water. Along Trent River near our campground was this amazing shallow stretch that anyone could walk over. Like I said, I never slipped once here and loved how I was the only one in our group that could comfortably do this. The water that seeped in was nice and cool and once I stepped out of the water, it all drained away just like that. I also found that the water quickly dried in the summer heat and it was as if the shoes
At the end of the trip, I packed the shoes up and they were easy to stuff into the side pocket of my backpack with ease. I didn’t have to worry that I was cramming the two together and also barely added any weight.
The one issue I had near the end of the 2 hour hike was that I noticed that my right heel that makes contact with the top lip of the shoe was starting to get red from chafing. The more I walked, the more it was an issue so that was a concern for sure. The challenge with a perfect fit shoe is that rubbing could cause discomfort. That being said, it is possible that the moldable footbed would fix this overtime as my feet settle in.
What I Like
There’s a lot to like about the Crosskix 2.0.
- Extremely lightweight
- Great grip and traction
- Water drainage design they built in works
- The right fit
- Look fantastic
- Easy to pack
- If you think about it, there’s no need for water shoes if you have a pair of these
What Could Be Improved
The one thing that I’d caution against is sizing of the shoes because of how exact they are. Anything that’s off could cause discomfort. The moldable footbed is definitely a key feature but as I noticed from my test, I had chafing at my back ankle and it was quite uncomfortable in the end.
Picking Up A Pair
So if you feel like these are shoes that you’d make use of, where do you actually buy one of these? The best place to buy them is to go directly to the Crosskix website and the 2.0 Yellowjacket product page.
They currently sell for $69 USD.
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