You have finally got yourself a pair of Toms, congratulations! How long did it take you to finally give in and buy a pair?
As swag as Toms look, you may be asking yourself are these shoes actually good for my feet?
Like we have stated in other articles, unless you need shoes specifically designed for your feet then Toms shoes are not anything worse than what you have been wearing (most of the time).
If you are looking for things like arch support and ankle support then you might want to look another direction for a pair of shoes.
Just so we are clear, we are talking about the traditional slip on style Toms shoes. I know they are making wedges and tennis shoes and all types of things now.
Some people would even classify Toms as a minimalist shoe.
Toms shoes support issues
Toms are a small lightweight shoe. The bottoms of the soles are flat, the inside of the shoes are flat. This means not much if any arch support is going to be added. A good pair of insoles can help with this problem.
Since the typical Toms shoe does not tie, they are not very supportive around your ankles. Without the help of laces cinching up to secure your shoes your Toms may fail in the ankle support division.
Also the material being made of a not very stiff canvas does not help keep things secure.
Having no ankle support can cause your feet to hurt or even worse, rolling an ankle on your beautiful day out at the park.
If you are going to be walking all day these are probably not for you. With being just a slip on shoe they can cause major rubbing on your ankles.
Toms shoes material
The majority of toms are made out of a canvas material. Toms like to use a blend of their organic cotton and recycled plastic to make the canvas they use on shoes.
Another material that is sometimes used for the canvas production is hemp. Hemp has been around for a long time being used to make fabrics and all sorts of things.
The canvas wrapped around these shoes does not do the best job of keeping your foot secure and in place.
Toms shoes are made in factories in Argentina, China, Haiti, and Ethiopia.
Charity
Toms has reported that they donate 1/3 of their net profits to charity. Many of the Toms shoes you buy will actually be matched with the company giving a child in need a pair of shoes.
These shoes are usually handed out to people in less fortunate countries such as Haiti.
There has been a lot of controversy in the past that they should be providing all of these children and family’s with clean water and food rather than shoes. Most of these kids have grown up without wearing shoes anyways.
Though the company has been working to better donate their money.
Conclusion
Many people swear by toms but others hate them. If you are fine with a slip on flat shoe these will be fine.
If you are going to be on your feet all day Toms are not the best choice.
Go try on a pair for yourself and see what you think!