Shoes for surfers or surf shoes? Donavon Frankenreiter says these shoes - sorry, sandals, are as cool as *@#!. And you know what? We're inclined to agree. In fact, we've been drooling over the samples case for so long that life without the latest pair of Sanuk Sidewalk Surfers is unthinkable. So if you want that unbeatable infusion of 70's surf culture - or you just want to know what Shane Dorian uses to keep his board-interfaces warm after riding pits at Teahupoo, then look no further...

Well here is the quick version. Basically, the Sanuk theory is, that over time and with ever increasing technology and support being built in to modern footwear, that our feet have become lazy. For thousand of years, men and women wlaked the earth barefoot. In many parts of the world this is still the case for the majority of people. The end result for feet that have spent a lifetime in shoes designed to take away their very "raison d'etre", is that they have become weak. By returning the work to the foot we begin to rebuild its strength and return its role in the body. For the full report in detail please visit the Sanuk Company homepage and read the section on barefoot "un-technology."

Here is the press release

In true David VS Goliath fashion, Irvine based Sanuk has been awarded one of the footwear industry’s most prestigious awards “Footwear Item of The Year 2007” by trade publication Footwear Plus. The independently owned Sanuk is credited with creating an entirely new category in casual footwear called SIDEWALK SURFERS.

Also known as the “Not A Shoes”, Sidewalk Surfers are actually sandals that have a shoe upper attached to them. The result is an addictively comfortable "shoe" that has grown beyond the company's surf roots and has become a celebrity fashion item. Brad Pitt, Zach Effron, Shia LeBouf, and Johnny Rotten, among others have been spotted wearing the "shoes". Sanuk Founder Jeff Kelley explains, “Our dealer network is wild! It runs the gamut from Barneys in New York to Fred Segal’s in LA. Just about every Surf Shop in America as well as standout Outdoor accounts such as REI and Eastern Mountain Sports”.

The company has had triple digit growth since the SIDEWALK SURFERS were first released a little over two years ago. In many cases, Sanuk is now the #1 selling brand within its classification.