The first pair I owned had a textured and grippy insole stitched to the foot bed which the new version lacks. Instead they've left the foot bed as bare rubber that gets gunky from sweat, dead skin, natural oils, and dirt. Due the their ability to hang onto that foot crud so well, they become extremely slippery when they first get wet. So while the outsole still provides good slip resistance, your foot will slip around in the sandal and the paracord between your toes digs in (especially painful walking downhill) until you've walked far enough, and they've become wet enough to wash the gunk off the foot bed. The removal of the insole layer on the foot bed also removed the laminar reinforcement it provided, resulting in the new version being too flexible. This causes them to constantly fold under your foot if you are walking in water, grass, sand, other loose ground where the toe may dig in (or heel if you are back stepping), despite how tightly adjusted the straps are. They also removed the rubber lining on the straps and switched to a softer material compounding the instability issue. Aside from that, the new version has been holding up well and I've managed to avoid face-panting in them so far.

In the attached photos, the old version is on the left, new on right. You'll notice that the old version has a memory to it and is curled upward as you would want it, while the new version lays flat; the strap on the new version is also considerably thinner material. The end…

This is my second time purchasing the classic sandal, the first was in 2018 and now after finally wearing them into the ground, I’m coming back for my second pair. They have and continue to be my daily wear sandals, and I love the subtle design (I don’t really need to look like I’m about to go climb a waterfall when I’m just walking around the city, and these go with all styles of clothing).

It seems there have been improvements since I got my first pair too — these stay on better, the soles flex more to keep up with my movements, and they seem like they’ll fray in fewer places overtime. Also a big one, not sure if that was just my old pair but the rubbery bits that hold the straps in place no longer stain my feet black like the old ones used to do. Huge upgrade!

They are of course very flat and if you need arch support these are not for you. But for something very minimal you can wear all day every day, and won’t turn to mush at the first contact with a raindrop, these are your best friends :)

These shoes are super solid and trusty and can handle some real deal terrain, they feel great. I am super keen about running all over in these. Very cruisey almost like a slipper or thong or flip flop, but sporty for changes in speed and incline. Great for wandering new paths or coasting about. So versatile. If you enjoy health then I recommend these in lieu of hiking boots or running shoes. Total Gem!

These are the only sandals I need. I tried the other bedrock styles since these were discontinued and found them clunky and too much like all the other guys. The sole material and strap configuration on the boulder style are unbeatable. I love them so much I bought a pair that's two sizes too big and cut them down to size because my size is no longer available. I vote to bring the boulder back!