Does anyone else remember...

[DWalt]

I don’t know how it popped into my mind, but does anyone else remember Earth Shoes? I actually had a pair of them back in the 1970s. They were fairly comfortable, but I haven’t heard anything about them since.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I had a pair in the late 70's. Platypus shoes. Comfy but ugly.

For the last 20 years I have been wearing the latest equivalent... Crocs.

Don't judge me.

 

[Jinglebob]

I had earth shoes, a pair of muck boots. They weren't very comfortable and always covered in mud and cow manure.

 

[Blind Boy]

I worked on the line at Dodge Main in the early 70's installing the rear deck and interior side panels on Dusters. My back was failing badly until I got Earth Shoes for my off time. They really worked and I really needed the job. Dodge Main no longer exists and I finally quit before I ruined my body.

 

[arjay]

I had a pair in the early 70s,huge bell bottoms and an army surplus trench coat. Stylin! ;-)

 

[Stevens]

Earth shoes, thin sole under the heel and thick sole under the toes, never tried them.
Steve W

 

[Rustyt1953]

I had a pair in the early 70s,huge bell bottoms and an army surplus trench coat. Stylin! ;-)

It seemed like almost everyone had a field jacket or a pea coat in the mid 70's.

 

[digi-shots]

I had a pair, too! Looking back now.. they were utterly ridiculous looking and felt like you were walking uphill all the time.

 

[old tanker]

It seemed like almost everyone had a field jacket or a pea coat in the mid 70's.

Everyone I worked with in the Seventies wore field jackets

 

[GaryS]

I thought that they were on the endangered species list.

I had a pair in the late 70's. Platypus shoes. Comfy but ugly.

For the last 20 years I have been wearing the latest equivalent... Crocs.

Don't judge me.

 

[yaktamer]

One of the selling points of earth shoes was that the heel being lower than the toes was supposed to be more comfortable. I convinced my mom to let me buy a pair because all the cool kids were getting them. After three weeks of wearing them my back hurt so bad I was afraid I'd never walk again.

 

[DWalt]

Sort of like wearing shoes with soles and heels reversed.

 

[Greyman50]

Everyone I worked with in the Seventies wore field jackets

Nice! where in Germany? Only saw mud like that at APG. Vietnam was reddish dust and mud, we only had 551’s, 113’s ECT but our M-88 always “ won”.

 

[John_M52]

I had a pair in the late 70's. Platypus shoes. Comfy but ugly.

For the last 20 years I have been wearing the latest equivalent... Crocs.

Don't judge me.

With socks?

 

[Donn]

Had a couple pair back when. If they're like most every other fashion, they'll make a comeback at some point.

 

[glenwolde]

I had a pair. I also wore SAS shoes for a while. They were not quite as ugly.

 

[kilowatt3]

I found them to be absolutely magical!

I suffered debilitating foot pain from about age 11. Went to docs, got orthopaedic shoes, the whole works - no help.

When I was 15, and the Earth Shoes were 'cool', I talked my folks into buying me a pair. After a few days getting used to them, my foot pain was GONE. 100%. They were also the most durable shoes I've ever owned - wore the same pair daily for about 6 years. When they finally wore out, the company had gone out of business so I couldn't get another pair.

Flash forward about another 15 years - I ruptured a disc in my back, and suffered chronic back pain for about 8-10 years. Some time around 2001-2002, I read that the Earth Shoes were being re-introduced, and I bought a new pair. My back pain was 90% gone within a week or so.

A few years later, when I tried to buy another pair, I discovered that they had discontinued Men's styles, and were making the shoes for women only. My wife located two pair of Men's style in my size NOS at an online warehouse and bought them for me. I can't wear them at work, but wear them when I can.

I'm a believer!

 

[Rustyt1953]

With socks?

Casual? No.

Formal? Yes.

 

[WardenRoss]

Yep, those Earth Shoes with the negative heels.

I remember that the designer got the idea from footprints in the beach sand. The heel part of the print is deeper.

They had their own stores. I remember the store near the University of Florida (Gainesville). Hippies or wanna be hippies would drive from all over Florida, Georgia and Alabama to shop there.

My girlfriend at the time (1975) would only wear their shoe. All the "cool" girls just had to have them.

Gainesville trips became a pilgrimage of sorts.

Wondering if Tom Petty might have been in the crowded store while we shopped?

,

 

[DWalt]

The pair I had was fairly sturdy, sort of like lace-up work boots. I wore them for several years. I was teaching at Ohio U at that time and I fit right in with the students. OU was sort of a hippie school back then and probably still is. I might even consider buying another pair as my feet don’t feel so good.

 

[GaryS]

For those interested,

Women's & Men's Mindful Footwear | EarthShoes.com – Earth Shoes

 

[mtgianni]

Several modern orthotics have the big toe elevated for proper foot form.

 

[YkcorCal]

Everyone I worked with in the Seventies wore field jackets

I did until someone stole mine out of my car. I'm 6'5" so how many people could it fit???

 

[kraynky]

It seemed like almost everyone had a field jacket or a pea coat in the mid 70's.

I had both, a navy pea coat 1st and later a field jacket. Then even later, a bomber jacket. Then I think I graduated to a "Leisure Suit". Years later, a "Members Only" jacket.

Today, jeans and tee shirts. All day every day.

Never had Earth shoes or crocks,.......... but I think I did have some friends who wore "Platform" or "Elevator" shoes in the 70's. (With their polyester leisure suits of course)

 

[kraynky]

Nice! where in Germany? Only saw mud like that at APG. Vietnam was reddish dust and mud, we only had 551’s, 113’s ECT but our M-88 always “ won”.

That might be Ft. Knox,....... where tankers used to be trained. I live about 30 miles away as the crow flies, and those tank rounds will sometimes rattle my windows.

We have soupy clay mud like that here in Ky.

 

[Heinz]

I had earth shoes, a pair of muck boots. They weren't very comfortable and always covered in mud and cow manure.

Took me a minute to get,/. duh

 

[Rustyt1953]

Never had Earth shoes or crocks,.......... but I think I did have some friends who wore "Platform" or "Elevator" shoes in the 70's. (With their polyester leisure suits of course)

In the 70's I remember an urban clothing store that ran this radio ad:

"Your mama call you short? Well, slide on down to Mr. B's for some elevator shoes...

Three inch heel for sex appeal!"

 

[Cdog]

I wore many trendy clothes, shoes, etc in the 70’s. Those along with sandals were a bridge I refused to cross.

I did wear cowboy boots, Converse and Pro Keds.

There’s one pair of shoes I had in the mid 70’s that were super comfortable, but an awful color. I remember them as being homely looking. I had some good times during that ugly shoe era.

 

[old tanker]

Nice! where in Germany? Only saw mud like that at APG. Vietnam was reddish dust and mud, we only had 551’s, 113’s ECT but our M-88 always “ won”.

REFORGER, in the vicinity of Kemnath, near the Fichtelgebirge, 24 km southeast of Bayreuth.

 

[llowry61]

Got a pair and hated them so I moved on to desert boots. Ankle high swede type leather with what looked like a gum sole. They were comfortable, but the soles wore out in no time at all.