To Whom It May Concern (alternative title: the day I found heaven in a flip flop)

Dear Oboz Footwear (and any one out there who is still in search of the perfect sandal):

Listen. I know you don't know me. I am just one peon in the large world of peon consumers. And until last week, I didn't know you either.

But your sandals have changed my life.

Over the years, I have had many sandal relationships. I've had my share of the thin $5 flip flops from department stores. You know the ones: they come in every color and can match everything in your wardrobe. What they don't tell you is that they are hell on your lower back and the barely-there soles do not protect from, say, stepping on a rusty nail (which, in case you are wondering, WILL break right through the 1/4-inch piece of rubber and straight into your foot nearly giving you Tetanus).

As an outdoorsy gal, I've flirted with the more hardy sandals. Ones that are made of fancy high-tech fabrics, crazy zip-tie closures, strange adjusting straps and soles made from the same stuff they use to make space shuttles. These hardcore shoes serve their purpose on a short hike or kayaking, but are cumbersome for every day usage. And I won't lie: some of those sandals require a degree just to figure out how to wrestle them onto your feet and correctly adjusted.

For years I dealt with an aching back, because my vanity could not say no to the $5 Flip Flops. Too many times I've struggled over getting adjustable strappy sandals on my feet, leaving me cursing like sailor and throwing a tantrum like a 2-year old.

Any sandal that has come into my life has eventually become a disappointment. If it didn't send my back into spasms or refuse to get onto my foot, it broke or caused blisters or just plain didn't fit right.

My husband, a footwear snob, begged me to just spend the extra money to invest in a good pair of sandals. He was tired of my complaining. So he put his foot down (no pun intended).

And then, last week, I took a trip to my local EMS. I was only there to browse, and happened to make my way over to the shoe clearance section. A large selection of sandals were on sale, presumably from last season. I was perusing the selection, when this pair caught my eye:

The Oboz Women's Sling

Oh. Mah. Gah.

I slipped them on my feet and trumpets sounded, choirs of angels sang, and the sky rained down fire. Glorious, glorious sandals. In that moment I just knew: these sandals were made for me. I loved their slip-on design and nice thick, supportive soul. The straps were durable and did not cut into my foot.

They were, as far as I could see, perfection.

::Gasp:: Could this be? Had I finally found the Perfect Sandal? Or would I get them home, like so many times before, just to be let down?

I showed them to Hubby, who insisted that I buy them. After paying, I immediately put them on. The right sandal was slightly tight, and I began to panic that I'd made a bad choice. Hubby said that I should give them a few days to break in, and see if anything changes (which may have looked like an eye roll and involved the the sentiment "stop being a baby. Give 'em a day to break in. If you don't like them, you can return them").

So I wore them exclusively for several days. And an amazing thing happened: they adjusted perfectly to my feet. The straps, which were initially burdensome to slip around my big toe, took the form of the top of my foot. Soon, even when I took my feet out of the sandal, the straps held their shape. It was so easy to slip them on and off. With 2 kids, it is difficult enough to get THEIR shoes on their little sweaty and wriggly feet without having to meddle with my own sandals.

I was worried that the straps on the right foot were too tight when I first bought them, as they sort of cut into my big toe. After a day or 2, the straps became soft, almost like slippers on my feet. The thick sole is supportive without being too heavy or clunky.

They are, in every way, everything that I've wanted in a sandal and more.

::swoon::

So, thank you, Oboz, for making an amazing sandal. And I'm sorry if I seem like one of those weird obsessed groupies. I'm really a normal person who doesn't usually get hyped up over footwear. But for these sandals, I had to make an exception.

And for you, sole-searching friends, who have lost hope that you might ever find the perfect sole-mate for your feet: Don't give up. The perfect sandal is out there. Never settle for less than the best for your piggies. And don't doubt the power of the Clearance rack.

(And...head to EMS to see if they have any more of these sandals for sale because THEY. ARE. AWESOME. They had them in Men's as well).

All thoughts and opinions in this post are completely my own. Oboz does not know me and is probably a little creeped out that I am fawning over their footwear. So, you can imagine they did not ask me to promote these sandals in anyway.