Sunday, June 17, 2012

Terox Footwear Review - "What Made in America Feels Like".

Terox Flip Flop - Coffee Bean Brown 
Terox Footwear Review
"What Made in America Feels Like"
By Cam White

Winner: "Best Comfort Shoe for 2013"
Walking.About.com Reader's Choice Awards

If you are looking for sandals that deliver exceptional comfort, an affordable price tag, and are made in America, then Terox may be exactly the brand you are looking for. These new arrivals offer the perfect blend of arch support, cushioning, rebound and elasticity to make them a year-round favorite for people seeking comfortable lifestyle footwear.

How do you engineer maximum comfort into footwear? First, you want the shoe to be anatomically designed to support the arches of your feet. Secondly, you want the shoe to cushion your body against the hard, repetitive impact of walking on concrete and hard surfaces. Finally, you want the shoes to return energy and "rebound" with each step you take. Terox delivers very nicely on all counts.

Terox footwear is the by-product of extensive product research and testing. Developing these shoes is in part an exercise in designing anatomically-friendly footwear, combined engineering the right material composition for maximum comfort. The shoe must be designed to support the arches and conform to the contours of the foot. They must also have the right formulation of elasto-polymers to strike the perfect balance between cushioning, rebound and elasticity. If the material is too soft, you gain cushioning, but you sacrifice support, stability and rebound. If the material is too firm, you sacrifice cushioning and elasticity. Striking the right balance of cushioning, rebound and elasticity is an exercise in trial-and-error and patience.

Terox Footwear Explained

This short video demonstrates the design properties of Terox flip flops.




The Challenge to Making Shoes in America

Designing Terox was a huge challenge, but next came an equally large challenge - getting them made in America. In an industry dominated by Chinese and foreign-made products, it is nearly impossible to get shoes manufactured cost-effectively in the United States. All of the equipment needed to prototype, engineer and manufacture injection-molded footwear resides overseas, primarily in China. By far the easiest thing to do was to make Terox footwear in Asia, but Terox  first wanted to explore whether it was possible to make them in the United States.

Terox manufacturing station in Buford, Georgia
 Terox shoes are an injection-molded product, but there were no plants with dedicated injection-molding equipment to manufacture this type of shoe on American soil. Undeterred, Terox found a manufacturing partner in Buford, Georgia willing to partner in the injection-molding plant equipment required to make the shoes. The highly sophisticated plant equipment arrived in Georgia in May, and the first U.S. made Terox sandals will be arriving to retailers in July, 2012 with a line flip flops in a few colors. Slides will be arriving in Fall 2012, and a wide variety of colors will be available in 2013. More at www.terox.com

My Experience Wearing Terox Flip Flops

Terox Flip-Flop Colors for 2012
When I received my first pair of sample Terox shoes several months ago, it was love at first step. The shoes fit perfectly, and the arch support was noticeable, but extremely pleasant. The cushioning of the shoe "mushed-out" the concrete and tile in my house. The slightly negative heel accentuated the arch support, and the raised texture of the foot bed prevented my feet from sliding around - even when my feet got wet. Terox are not rated as slip-resistant, so caution should be exercised when wearing them on wet, slick or slippery surfaces.

Perhaps what I enjoy most about wearing Terox is that they are the only flip-flop I enjoy wearing all day long. I normally hate anything between my toes, but I don't notice the toe-post in the Terox flip-flops. They are so soft and elastic, that it's like having gel between your toes. The fit is very secure on my foot, and I don't feel the need to "grip" with my toes to keep the sandals on. They feel like a natural extension of my feet. My low-arched feet tend to pronate, but the heel cup and medial arch support keeps my feet from caving inwards. The textured foot bed is quite pleasant, and gently massages my feet. They are extremely lightweight, waterproof and machine washable. It's a huge feeling at a very affordable price.

Uses for Terox Shoes

Here are a few uses for Terox shoes:
  1. Terox will be excellent year-round comfort shoes. In colder weather, they can easily be worn as a house shoe in the kitchen. The arch support and cushioning could be extremely beneficial for those with heel and foot pain. A few people suffering from plantar fasciitis felt immediate pain relief as soon as they tried them on. A great shoe to have at your bedside.
  2. In warmer months, Terox makes a great lifestyle shoe. Perfect for shopping, the pool, the beach, the boat and many other activities where wearing flip-flops is appropriate. If you are wading in streams the shoes do a great job of "mushing-out" rocks.
  3. Terox will make for an excellent recovery shoe after strenuous exercise activities including running, cycling, volleyball, aerobics and any other high-impact activities. They will also make an excellent shower shoe at the gym. They are very lightweight, and fit easily into a gym bag.

Pricing, Sizes and Availability

Terox flip-flops will be arriving to retailers starting in early July 2012 in black, brown and pink (pictured above).  Terox slides and a large selection of fashionable colors will be arriving to retail in Fall 2012 and January 2013. Pricing will be around $39.95. For more information about Terox, and where to find a retailer, please visit www.terox.com.

Conclusion

Terox footwear offers extreme comfort, an affordable price tag, and they're made in America. This brand offers everything a consumer could ask for at a price that doesn't hurt the wallet. Most cheap flip-flops are little more than a piece of foam with a thong. They offer little or no support, and are mass-produced overseas. Premium-quality flip-flop brands tend to fall in 2 categories: brands that offer arch support, or brands that are just "cushy". These brands normally retail between $60-$100, and are predominately manufactured in China.

Terox gives you the best of both worlds. The anatomical arch support is noticeable and pleasant, combined with luxurious cushioning that "mushes" the impact of walking on hard surfaces. Typically, the feeling that Terox provides to the body is only available in expensive, premium-quality shoes that normally retail in the hundreds of dollars. For just $39.95, premium comfort is available to almost anyone. The fact that they are also made in America, and supports U.S. job growth makes Terox a winner.

Future Terox Colors for 2013

A large selection of colors in both flip flops and slides will be available, starting in January 2013.


Follow Terox Footwear

On Facebook (Random Giveaways Offered for Likers)
On Twitter: @TeroxFootwear

Retailer Inquiries

Terox is adding new retailers on a daily basis. If you are interested in carrying these shoes, please send an email to info@terox.com.

About the Author

Cam White is a regional manager and technical consultant for the Novascarpa group. He has written numerous product reviews and produced over 100 YouTube videos reporting on new and emerging footwear technologies on WalkWithoutPain, his YouTube channel.