I recently started riding in Cairn 3D Pro II Adventure Sandals, or as I call them “flip flops”. Once you get past the long name they are sorta ok. By now you’ve seen these on the feet of outdoorsy folks like kayakers and bikepackers. They are super popular, and I am not sure why.
I used to use Keen SPD sandals riding at the beach and for summer commuting. They were nice. But I do not clip in anymore and I’m not really commuting or riding at the beach either. Here in the desert it is HOT in the summer. I am trying everything I can to stay cool. The simplest thing is to just ride early. But sometimes you can’t make that happen. So I went for the easiest option and just grabbed my trusty Chaco sandals. Without something to hold your toe in place your feet move too much. Not a fault of the Chaco, they were not made for this. But I loved that wearing sandals riding keeps you cooler.
So when I saw these Cairns at The Moab Gear Trader I had to try them. They have an aggressive Vibram hiking sole for walking off the bike and a little piece of paracord that goes between your big toe to keep your foot from sliding around. That same paracord causes a problem though, it irritates the heck out of your toes.
They are fairly adjustable with adaptable front and rear webbing. They use these little hooks that fit in a daisy chain on the sandal to adjust the front and rear pieces. I have tried to adjust them, but they always kind of hurt. Like they grate the space between your toes, a lot.
So how do they work? Well, it is tricky, they always kind of bother me. They can be used on intermediate trails since they do stick to the pedals. But unless you just crank the ever loving snot out of the straps your foot does move. And you can’t do that or it would be painfully uncomfortable.
Now I might not have any idea how to actually set these up… I’ve certainly tinkered with them, so maybe that is on me? But they always bother me. No matter how much I adjust them they cause friction where it goes through your toes. I am honestly not used to thinking about footwear while riding. But overall I have been riding in them almost every day for a month and they have not gotten any better. So yeah try them maybe they would work for you. I would like to try some of those Chaco’s Z/2’s to compare.
Update: I gave up on these and sold them.
Bedrock Says: https://bedrocksandals.com/collections/cairn-pro-ii-sandals-lineup/products/cairn-3d-pro-ii
For wet and slippery missions, there’s Cairn 3D Pro II, the ultimate adventure sandal outfitted with our new Hook-heel strap, extra-sticky Vibram® Megagrip outsole, and molded 3D footbed. The Pro II G-hook and loop system locks in the heel strap like it does the front, for a super secure fit that won’t fail in the frothiest rapids or thickest silt.