By Lori Soard on June 6, 2012 in
People might have once shunned Gideon Sundback's "Hookless No. 2" zipper invention, but Zipz Shoes has embraced the once lowly zipper and used it to create a shoe that offers one sole with multiple covers.
We considered the benefits in owning one pair of shoes that looks like three pairs of shoes. The cost of the covers runs about $22.00 less than purchasing a complete pair of sneakers, so savings can add up fast. By adding different zip tops to the sole of the shoe, the wearer can create many different looks or refresh a tired pair of shoes.
Reviews of Zipz
Zipz shoes are still fairly new to the market. One of the drawbacks to the reviews available on independent sites and blogs is that the reviewers were given the shoes for free, so it is possible that the reviews are a little skewed. For example, Grace Matthews, a North Carolina writer, wrote, "I was curious if the zipper would bother my feet, but I can't even tell the zipper is there when I am wearing them." Another blogger, Kathryn Costa, who also tested the shows, wrote that her son wears out shoes fast, so she wanted to try the shoes on him to see if they were comfortable and they were.
Unfortunately, there were no available reviews on user review sites, so I contacted a friend in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jen Conner's nine-year-old daughter, Kenzie, has a pair of youth Zipz with the "Pink Argyle" cover and the "Hipeez" cover. She plans to add more covers later. "Kenzie loves the shoes, because they are fun and changeable," Jen reported. "However, she did have a little trouble removing one cover and putting on the other."
Celebrities seem to appreciate the uniqueness of Zipz Shoes: a few who've been spotted wearing Zipz include Jane Lynch of Glee and American Idol's David Archuleta.
The shoes are available in hi-tops, lo-tops or zip-ons; there are even Velcro types for the toddler crowd. The toppers are made of resilient 10.5-ounce machine washable pre-shrunk canvas. The soles (or "SOULS" as the company calls them) have arch support and extra padding. Suggested retail prices for a complete shoe range from about $51.99 to $56.99. Covers cost anywhere between $24.99 and $34.99 each. Additionally, if you wear out the sole those can be purchased separately for $22.99 to $27.99.
What do you think about these interchangeable Zipz shoes? Would you invest in a pair, or do you think it is just a wacky gimmick? We want to hear from you.
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