The first pair of sandals I had were Tevas back when nylon and plain flat rubber were as fancy as it got (1990). Since then, I've gone through a few pairs, usually cycling them at the beginning of the summer season. I have pretty simple requirements that nonetheless appear hard to find in one pair of sandals: be comfortable enough to wear every day but also capable of getting really wet without slipping or marking anything.

My latest pair of sandals are the "Mion Current Sandals" which I had very high hopes for because according to the EMS sales guy, they were designed by the main designer from Keen after he was forced out. Frankly I also thought there was a cool "Batman Returns" quality to the sandals which was appealing in that superdork way.

So what is the quick review: great sandals, with possibly the best cushioning that I've ever seen in a sandal but one pretty big flaw– especially if you intend to wear the around water.

Let's start with the great. I generally run with Nike Air shoes, the ones that look like the came straight out of a Buck Rogers episode. I do it for the cushioning, plain and simple, and it was amazing to me that the Currents feel just like a brand new pair of Nikes. There is supposed to be some sort of "self-molding" sole in the bottom of the sandal that takes the shape of the bottom of your foot after 12 hours of wear. Having gone way past that now, I can honestly say that I've felt no difference in the way that the shoe was supposed to "adjust" itself to my foot but this scarcely matters given how much cushion the sandals have.

The other great thing is that the tightening mechanism in the sandals is made from what appears to be one contiguous piece of nylon string which allows you to make the sandal really tight to your foot. This takes some getting used to but ends up being much more useful than any of the velcro straps on Teva and Teva-like sandals.

Finally on the pluses, the sandals are relatively cool and feel like they may end up avoiding the dreaded sandal smell of more "enclosing" models. Frankly this is one place where Keen sandals don't do as well for me– having much more material, they feel more like shoes and less like sandals.

Pluses include:

1. superb cushioning

2. non-marking soles

3. ability to really get the fit just right

4. not too hot!

Now for the minuses, or really the one minus I saw while on the water with the Currents. Despite having what looks like a really robust toe-guard, as soon as the sandals get wet, it becomes way to easy for your big toes to pop right out the front (apologies to people who don't want to look at my big toe, but you can see it to the left.

This is especially annoying if you ever find yourself walking in mud with the sandals or torquing your foot in strange directions (as you do when you kneel down to work on something).

I promise, I am not giving you the toe!

It's just the Currents' only design flaw

The pictures with the muddy water include my big toe well out of the sandal as I tried to bring my weight down on an anchor I was trying to set. Of all of the times, I've had this happen with the Currents, this was the most annoying (and painful) one.

Overall I have to give the Mion Currents a big thumbs up. I am happy with them for most normal acitivty, and while I would think twice if my main use was in a wet environment, I am not sure what I would use instead. Perhaps a Keen sandal?