I recently received a pair of VOS flip-flops to review (or flips, as the company calls them). I was pretty stoked. The flip-flops are made of 100% natural, recyclable rubber. Also, the company is big into social initiatives in the communities where they are manufactured.
The company is giving away one pair of sandals for every pair it sells, partnering with Soles4Souls to do so. To start with, VOS is focusing on the Guatemalan underprivileged communities where rubber is harvested. But it intends to globalize its social efforts in time.
Beyond the above, the company is partnering with Gremial de Huleros and AgroSalud to help provide healthcare, education, and better living conditions to over 500 rubber plantation workers and their families. Click the link above for details.
The founder of the company, Bati (aka José Alejandro Flores), actually has parents of both U.S. and Guatemalan nationalities. It seems this is one way he can give back to part of his cultural heritage, and to communities very much in need of such support.
So, now, what do I think of the flip-flops/flips/sandals?!
I actually don’t have any other flip-flops at the moment, and I haven’t for a long time. However, I grew up on the beaches of Southwest Florida, so I can tell you that I’ve gone through my share of flip-flops.
To be quite honest, these are wonderful! They are designed in a way that they don’t irritate any of my toes or any parts of my feet (as many tend to do) — as you can see, you just slip your foot right under the strap. Additionally, they hold on really well. That’s the thing I was most concerned about, from looking at the design and having many a pair of sandals or flip-flops that didn’t. They hold on excellently, without me needing to grip the soles as I walk or anything funky like that.
They’re also rubbery (oh yeah, they’re made of rubber) — a nice padding for the bottoms of my feet, and a nice little stretchiness for the sides and tops.
Lastly, I like the colors. And there are tons of color options, so I think anyone can find something they like. (It was actually really hard to choose which to go with.) Here’s a quick screenshot of all the options:
Interestingly, I recently saw these VOS flips in a Whole Foods Market, so I guess they’re already getting some pretty good circulation. If you see some, or want to just go ahead and order some online, I’d certainly recommend it (and, genuinely, not just because I received a pair courtesy of the company).
Image Credit: VOS