Sanuk.com

As seen in Vanity Fair Magazine

Coach House Aug 15
Troubadour Aug 25

Nice!

Dear Sanuk:

I am Tim, a 52 year old man and the creative director at a small Birmingham, Alabama, graphic design company. About 10 people on any given day.

Three months ago, my soles began to hurt and become inflamed for what seemed to be no reason at all. I felt as if I were walking with sharp rocks in my shoes. I finally capitulated and had my internist refer me to a podiatrist, which, by the way, are real doctors.

After a cursory examination, he diagnosed my now excruciating pain as plantar warts. These devils work their evil from beneath the skin on the soles of one’s feet and are thereby untreatable in the same fashion as, say, a wart on your nose. He sent me to a dermatologist.

There are a couple of treatments: one is where you dig a hole with a small screwdriver or something right above the wart, fill it overnight with almost 100% pure salicytic (sic) acid, and then wrap your feet in duct tape for the evening. In addition to the acid burning right through the skin, the duct tape has, according to the licensed dermatologist, mystical healing properties which are known to no one.

The second course of treatment involves freezing the warts with copious amounts of liquid nitrogen spewed from a canister not unlike a Thermos through a very sleek nozzle. This, of course, hurts like a bastard. The actual treatment felt like the fans at a Wilco concert had placed hundreds of Bic lighters under my feet after they had been adjusted to maximum flame. The real pain sets in moments after the treatment as the feet thaw. A cheerful “Stay off your feet!” came from the nurse who had borne witness to the treatment. Who can stay off their feet? And even if one could, he would still be left writhing in bed and ripping the down from pillows with his teeth. I work. I am on my feet all day. The first time this treatment scarred me (I have endured three total), the doctor prescribed a mild painkiller which made me a little happier but didn’t diminish the pain at all. The second two times, the doctor did not hand over a prescription at all and I didn’t ask for one for fear I might be mistakenly characterized as exhibiting “drug seeking behavior”.

This is where Sanuk comes in and I hope you made it this far through this pain-riddled missive. After the first treatment, I hobbled in to my local outdoor shop, Alabama Outdoors in Homewood, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham looking for thick socks. There on a rack before me hung my salvation. After a quick fitting, I bought a pair of cloth Sanuks with frayed edges. I walked around the carpeted shoe section and experienced the first relief on my feet since the beating I took at the hands of the dermatologist and her killing fluids. These not-shoes remained on my feet. I decided, hell, these are so good, I better get while the getting is good and grab another pair. These were the slightly dressier Cruiser model in chocolate brown tumbled leather. It’s like my feet were suspended in butter without the slipperiness or odor. I lost those shoes somehow through travel and I still to this day can’t figure out how since they were always on my feet. Any way, they are gone. Stopping back at Alabama Outdoors literally on my way back from the airport, I rushed in and bought a beautiful pair of smooth brown leather Sanuks similar to the Cruiser but a bit more finished, especially around the seam on top. I sleep in them to avoid losing them like the others, since I can not find a replacement in anyone’s stock. Every day, regardless of the activities, these not-shoes are on my feet. Perhaps that style has been discontinued since I cannot find them on-line or at traditional retail stores. They are kind of like the lined ones but without the plush lining, not something I need in the equatorial heat here in Alabama.

This is all to say, “thank you”. I will continue to buy your products as long as you make them as well as you do. After the plantar warts are history, if that day ever comes, I think I will start a support group for plantar sufferers built around worship of the god, Sanuk. It would be like a cult without a leader.
Again, I’m glad I found your product, and will sing praises to all who will listen.

Best regards,
Tim