Disclaimer: I received the OOFOS OOlala to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
I am the proud OOwner of another pair of OOFOS. I’ve been testing the OOFOS OOlala for BibRave and — as I expected — they’re great.
But WHY are they great? Well, us BibRave Pros and BibRave staff got to talk to some OOFOS employees about just that.
One thing I found interesting was that it took the brand two years to get the OOmgs right. It was clear from the conversation that OOFOS didn’t just want to release any shoe — they wanted to release a quality shoe. (I tested the OOmg low shoe earlier this year — check out the recap here.)
This is my third pair of OOFOS. This time, I tested the OOlala; earlier this year, I received the OOmg low shoe; and last year, I bought the OOriginal after a #BibChat, before I was a BibRave Pro.
We learned in the phone call with OOFOS that the footbed works the same in all styles, although if the wearer wants the best arch support, he or she should choose a style that keeps the foot close — such as the OOlala or OOriginal (there are also slide sandals and clogs, for example).
The OOlala is the most similar in look to the OOriginal — these are both thong sandals — but I really like the sleek look of the OOlala. I wear them not just with running clothes, but with other outfits as well — I also do that with my other OOFOS. I picked black so that it would match everything.
When I compared my OOriginal side-by-side with the OOlala, the OOlala looked slightly bigger, even though I got a size 7 in both. I feel like I have a little more room in the OOlala, which I like.
I do get my regular shoe size (women’s 7) in OOFOS, not my running shoe size (women’s 8).
I also heard on the phone call how feet move in OOFOS in a way that’s almost as if the wearer weren’t wearing shoes. The wearer doesn’t bounce up and down like in running shoes — and something highlighted on the OOFOS website is that the shoes absorb 37 percent more shock than a regular shoe.
We also learned that your feet work while they’re wearing OOFOS, but I wouldn’t have guessed that as it doesn’t feel like they are working — it feels like they are relaxing.
The OOfoam provides for a comfy walk, and even when I put on the OOlala for the first time, I noticed a fresher, more cushiony feeling than my existing OOriginal, which I’ve had close to a year.
OOFOS generally last about six months to a year, but there are a variety of factors — if someone wears them every day, they would wear out faster than if the person were to wear them once in a while. Foot strike and even walking on hot surfaces could have an impact, according to the information in the phone call with OOFOS.
Learn all about the ins and outs of OOFOS and watch a video on the OOFOS website here.
I did try something that I saw on the website — I noticed that the OOFOS website says they are “So light they float.” I tested them — in shallow water just in case — and they did float! That was a fun experiment.
I have noticed pain in my feet when walking around in other shoes, but the OOFOS have always been comfy for me.
I normally don’t spend more than $40ish on shoes that aren’t running shoes, but for a higher cost, in this case, you get a higher quality product. We heard on the phone call that OOFOS is currently waiting to hear back on a study the brand is involved with. The fact that OOFOS is part of a study, along with the rest of the conversation, demonstrated to me that they truly care about the products and recovery.
The OOlala sandals retail for $59.95. There are all kinds of styles for both women and men, though — check them out on the OOFOS website.
Once my OOFOS wear out (as all shoes do), if another opportunity did not arise to test them, I would certainly pay for another pair. Now that I’ve worn them, I wouldn’t be able to not have a pair of OOFOS on hand. As OOFOS says on its website, “You don’t know till you OO.”
Join @BibRave and @OOFOS on Twitter for the OOFOS-sponsored Twitter chat at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Aug. 15. I’ll be there!
Check out reviews from fellow BibRave Pros!
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