Oofos Oocandoo Review

The new Oofos Oocandoo sees the OOfoam™ technology ( which absorbs 37% more impact than traditional footwear foam materials to reduce the stress on your feet and joints) and the patented OOFOS footbed (reduces stress on knees, ankles and other joints) take on a new lightweight and flexible design. The addition of a hook and loop fastener means  a more secure fit than the sliders and sandals we have previously stocked. 

When the rep came and showed us the Oocando we were immediately impressed by the instant comfort and more stable lateral support.  However we wanted to give these a good test to see how they performed in reality.  Myself (Mary) and Matt each have been testing out a pair for the last 3 weeks. Here are our thoughts.

Mary

I have been using this shoe whilst on holiday for exploring cities and local easy walks in the Pyrenees. My first thoughts are that the shoes are super lightweight, very comfortable and definitely give you more stability and less lateral movement than some of the Oofos sandals. 

I first tried these out for the whole day around the walled city in Carcassone. I was a little bit apprehensive as it was raining and the streets are cobbled so I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough grip however I was pleasantly proved wrong! Even on the up hill walk into Carcassonne there was plenty of grip underfoot and the shoe felt nice and stable. My son actually slipped (he was fine!) in his trainers but the Oofos did really well in terms of underfoot grip.  Later when the sun came out and the ground had dried up the shoes continued to perform well on the dry quite worn cobbles.  I wore the shoes without socks however it probably would have been a little more comfortable with them on as sometimes grit can migrate into the shoes which I don't think I would have noticed had I been wearing socks. At the end of the day my feet felt really good.  They weren't aching and I actually found my hips and back ( which I historically have problems with when on my feet all day) felt really good too and a lot better than if I had been wearing a normal pair of sandals. 

I also used the Oocando whilst out on some packed dirt trails. Again they would have been better with socks  due to the grit in the shoe but it was no different to wearing walking sandals in that respect really.  Again the shoes had good grip and the only issue I had was if the ground is a bit too uneven  I went over on my  ankles but I have rubbish proprioception and the shoes aren't made to be on a technical trail. They work well on flat packed dirt tracks like canal towpaths .

I haven't tried these  on wet grass but I do think if they can tackle wet cobbles and be fine then it should be able to handle wet grass no problem.  

Overall I think the shoes are great.  I wore them for most of my 2 week holiday as they were just that comfortable and easy to wear.  They'd be fantastic for any holidays where you're an your feet quite a lot or for a camping or cycling holiday. If you want something as comfortable but a little bit more supportive than the Oofos Sandals these are perfect. I think the Oocando would be great for winter as well as summer because you have the option to wear socks with them. They'd work well as a house shoe and they might even replace my slippers in the winter! I really liked the fit of the Oocandoo.  I have quite broad feet and a high instep and I found the shoe to fit really nicely.  It didn't slip on my foot and but wasn't too tight.  Just right! It would be nice if there were colours other than black at the moment however for autumn/winter they will be having more colours and we have some on order for in store. 

Matt

 Matt has been wearing the OOcandoo all day at work to help with his recovery.  He often runs or swims (or both!) before work and at the end of a long shift at work finds his feet and calves can ache at times.  Since wearing the OOcandoo in the shop he hasn't had any problems and has not effected his training.  He describes them as 'very comfy and they definitely help recovery. Wearing them means I can hit sessions the way I want'  Matt says he would  'Definitely wear the abroad for walking around in. The only downside is they're not stylish like a shoe but you can't get much comfier!'  Matt only has one bug bear about the shoe ' The only bad thing is the Velcro doesn't pull tight enough but I think its only a problem in you're doing a lot of walking in them and I have thin ankles.  I think it would only be a problem on slimmer feet. Overall I like them and would recommend Oofos as a brand'

If you'd like to try out the new Oocandoo pop in store and visits us or take a look at the Oocandoo here.