In 2011, two geology majors waded into the rivers of Northern California on AmeriCorps restoration gigs. When they got back into cell service, they had an idea for a new kind of sandal company.

The first Bedrock circa 2011.

We met as fresh geology grads counting salmon for Americorps in Humboldt County. The days were wet and hard on our feet and the current sandal options at the time weren’t working for us. We wanted to make a sandal that could keep up with the long days we were spending on the river. Early prototypes used Vibram Gumlite soles (the kind designed for office floors) repurposed for river crossings and trail miles. Thankfully, our sandals have come a long way from there – we might even say metamorphosed.

From there, Bedrock operated wherever life took us: sailboats, VW Vanagons, garages, and a  cabin in Northern California. Fifteen years later, we changed states and have a proper business, but the geology fieldwork never really went away. From the niche easter egg puns to the foundational name “Bedrock,” the solid layers beneath our feet continue to inspire our work. 

Nick cuts the cake, a deep plum clog shaped dessert to celebrate 15 years with the team.

Cairns mark the way on lesser-traveled trails. Rockhounding is the kind of slow, eyes-down adventure anyone can fall into. And Tourmaline, our limited Metamorphic colorway, is a gemstone that forms over long periods of intense heat and pressure. It occurs naturally in almost every color and generates an actual electrical charge when squeezed. 

And the Mountain Clog…well, maybe we messed up the naming standard there but we can’t resist a great name. 

The newest Metamorphic Mismatch Tourmaline Color way, available in Cairn Evo and Cairn Evo 3D on July 14th at 10AM MT.

The lineup reads like a field notebook because that's basically what it is. We’ve brought plenty of other natural elements into the lineup because we’re inspired by everything we see, but geology is still the core.

So why did we name our 15 year birthday drop the Metamorphic Collection? Because Metamorphic rocks don't form fast. They start as something else entirely and change slowly under tough conditions. Bedrock artist and VP of Brand, Matt, built this collection using archive sketches pulled from old notebooks and reassembled them into something new. Metamorphic rocks felt like the right way to mark fifteen years.

The collage in progress and in backcountry-ready PackTowl form. 

Tourmaline on the rocks.

The Metamorphic Collection is available July 14th at 10AM MT in limited Cairn EVO and 3D Pro models. We only made 500 pairs and each one comes with a custom Bedrockin’ Archive Towel, a PackTowl printed with Matt’s collage art. Consider it a birthday gift. 

The rest of the collection includes a sticker pack, tees, and standalone Bedrockin’ Archive Towel, available separately for everyone else who wants a piece of the party.

Happy Days.

Fifteen years is a long time to make one thing and constantly make it better. Thanks for wearing them into the ground and sending them back for new soles. Thanks for the trail photos, the weird colorway requests, and the years of support. 

Y Not?

Thanks from the bottom of our soles. Here’s to whatever the next fifteen look like.

Dan, Nick, & Bedrock Team