I have always enjoyed the sensation of allowing my feet to be free and bare, however it's not possible to safely wander the world barefoot anymore. I discovered crocs almost three years ago. Since that fateful afternoon, I've worn nothing else (aside from the necessary pair of galoshes during the very wet days). I work as a preschool teacher, I am on my feet all day, running around, walking, standing, scrunching, taking my shoes on and off, and these are the only thing I willingly wear. I refuse to be bothered with pretty, comfort is my king! I wear them with socks because walking in tanbark can cause discomfort, and I usually do wear them in the rain and just carry socks in my bag. Since I wear these daily, they do tend to wear out after a handful of months and need to be replaced. The cost is low enough that it's still cheap enough to consider. Plus, there is no question, these shoes are always comfortable, every time with every new pair (I've gone through several). It seems unrealistic to expect that such a comfortable shoe will last forever. I highly recommend these shoes, I will be heart broken if they ever take these off the market!