The Dopie is a $30 split-toe sandal made by Terra Plana, a company best known for the Kevlar-soled Vivo Barefoot. Their motto says it all: “Naked shoes for naked people.”
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I love Terra Plana’s business plan, I love my Terra Plana shoes. I have a pair of their Root shoes. I was lucky enough to live in London for a while and I went to their store and tried on all their shoes. I even bought a pair of Dopies. They felt… not good. The toe thing slid around between my toes and the strap bit into my flesh. The surface under my feet get quickly slippery with sweat. I took them back and got my money back. No hard feelings, just not for me.
I have supremely screwed up feet. Between near completely flat feet and a mild deformity of the lower leg I’ve been known to tear ligaments just by walking.
That said the best shoes I’ve owned thus far to prevent all this are Pumas. I think they’re Puma Romas actually. They’re about half the price of crazy specialty “un-shoes” and do many of the same things from what I’ve read. Fairly wide in the front so my toes can splay out, slight arch support but otherwise flat and thin soled, and nice and tight in the heals. Cheap and they calm down all the crazy I gots below the knees.
Good to see that they come in turtle green
The camel toe has come full circle
Does it remind anyone of faith’s shoes from Mirrors Edge?
I got some about a year ago, but ended up returning them. While the concept is great, the comfort factor just isn’t there yet. The material is much more rigid than you might expect. The soles are inflexible, and if you’re used to the thin thong of a standard pair of flip-flops, that thick slab of rubber between your toes feels like a tree branch. If they manage to narrow the toe grip and switch to a more flexible material, though, these shoes could be awesome.
Its like crocks for Otaku
I was intrigued to try these on when I finally made it to a city with a Terra Plana store and was more than surprised that they were neither cool nor comfortable. Technically, the strap is not a load-bearing element, but when on my feet without them, the Dopies kept falling off. Also: I like weird clothes but these just felt off. I tried the same color pictured here.
On the other hand, Terra Plana’s other products are brilliant. My new Vivo Barefoot shoes (Aqua, in blue suede) with the 3mm Kevlar soles have made walking—an activity I’ve always enjoyed a great deal—into pure, unadulterated fun. A few days ago, I spent hours doing nothing but walking on various surfaces, which you can all feel.
They also make for wonderful danglability above Amphicars.
And if you’re looking for something drop-dead elegant from the same company, try the Wittgenstein (I’m not making this up) desert boot in tan. The only thing you will then need to purchase to wear with that is an Alfa Romeo—or a Lamborghini Miura.
I have had a bad experience with Terra Plana, actually. Purchased a pair of their “recycled” Worn Again trainers, made from denim, leather and bicycle tires.
They were pretty uncomfortable, and then fell apart after a couple of months wear. I had paid £60.00 for them, spending more than usual to support an eco-friendly business and idea.
But the quality was appalling. I even tried to get them fixed at a cobbler, but the guy told me that, though he could fix it, the design meant they would keep coming apart anyway.
I emailed Terra Plana to complain (not to get any money back, necessarily, but to let them know their product sucked) and never got any kind of reply. No apology, no concern, no offer of reimbursement. Nothing.
So, last time I’ll buy anything from them.
Whoa, these are hideous! I’ll stick with my Vibram Five-Fingers, thanks!
Speaking of hideous, the redesign? Not really working for me!
Man I thought I had some ugly shoes. Those win hands, I mean feet down.
This particular brand aside, I’ve never understood the appeal of having a big lump or strap jammed between your toes. Why not just go with the designs that have another horizontal strap or two going across your foot lower down?