Garden Shoes

One would not think the subject of garden shoes is important, but for me, it’s a big deal. My yard has poor, sandy, soil and pine needles and pecans galore. No matter what shoes I wear, I always seem to bring The Great Outdoors indoors. 

Choosing a sturdy, comfortable shoe is important to me. Decades ago, I recycled my tatty cloth sandals. Few pairs barely lasted one summer. More recently, I tried buying rubber shoes for garden work. These were either clog-type shoes with holes in the toe box, or plastic/rubber sandals that rubbed me and my instep the wrong way. Neither worked well. My feet ended up raw, sweaty and filthy. Add to that, all the tracked-in detritus. In the last ten years, I started a new recycling program. I demote my once-favorite, but now cruddiest pair of sneakers for garden use. The shoes are generally one step shy of the trash heap. It’s worked beautifully so far. 

Take, for instance, the shoes I discarded last month. The sneakers were an extraordinary closeout deal at Ollie’s. This was a unicorn: an attractive pair of Dr. Comfort sneakers in my size, 8 Wide. They were white with pink accents, with Velcro Mary Jane straps. Suitable for everyday wear. They had arch support, so they were comfortable and affordable for $15. I wore them daily for at least two years. You could say I got my money’s worth, and then some. 

The sneakers began to deteriorate noticeably. To wear them in public would no longer be a good look for me. They were about to be demoted to garden duty. 

I had to buy new sneakers, and I considered Skechers a viable alternative. My next-in-line contenders were a pair of black leather Skecher slip-ons. Since they lack arch support, I wear them with GoodFeet orthotics. Those were worn every day while I turned my attention to the old white sneakers. 

First, I replaced the insoles by cutting down a thin dollar store doormat and Krazy-glued them in place. (Yes, I’ll do anything to hang on to a comfy pair of shoes)! Twice, the straps stopped sticking, so I sewed on black Velcro straps. It wasn’t pretty, but who cares? The sneakers lasted about five years using these thrifty measures. I applaud myself for being environmentally aware. 

Shopping for new sneakers is not easy, considering my high insteps and what I refer to as “flipper feet” (D width). I need arch support, and Dr. Comfort and Skechers are not cheap. I discovered another brand on the Internet, Vionic, which became my go-to brand. I bought a pink pair. 

It’s a more expensive unicorn ($35), but they are perfect for me. Pink clashes with many colors on the spectrum, so I decided to get a black pair of Vionic sneakers, which complements any outfit. 

At three pounds, their heftier weight took some getting used to. A little later, I bought a pair of Vionic “boot” slippers. The cozy slippers are heavy, just like boots. I have mistakenly worn them outside on a few occasions. 

I wonder what other people wear to work in their gardens? Is my recycling sneakers system unique? Have I set the standard for environmentally friendly garden shoes? While I can’t pretend to know the answers, all I know is it works for me. I still track in mulberries, pine straw and weeds, but I do so in comfort.