Reflections on the Archies Footwear

Archies, footwear

We were one of the early adopters of the Archies Thongs and have been selling them since the beginning. They still remain our best seller. They started off with only a handful of colours and the most popular sizes. Over recent years they have added a new colour each year (lemon and charcoal being the latest two; and they dropped the brown). They increased the largest size to 15M and the smallest size to a 4M and now have kids sizes. I also notice that they are now being sold in other countries which is a testimonial to their success.

What have we learnt in that time? Here are some observations:

Clinically we have found that pretty much everyone who tries on a pair buys them. They are that comfortable and useful.
For people who need to wear foot orthotics, the Archies are a good adjunct when you want to wear footwear that is more conducive to a particular lifestyle.
The strap on the Archies is tighter than other brands and the non-name versions. The reason for this is that they are designed so that your toes do not have to work so hard at curling to hold them on. This can cause problems, especially if you go for a long walk the day you get them. The strap may take a bit of time to get used to.
They can make a good base for a clinician to play with to help with specific foot problems. A metatarsal dome or pad could be added. Felt padding could be stuck on them to off-load a problem area on the bottom of the foot. There are several modification that can be made to the Archies.
If ordering online, please pay attention to the sizing and the measurement. All brands of footwear interpret different sizes differently and the Archies are no different to other brands of footwear in their interpretation of sizing.
The fit of the arch of the footwear being in the right place is probably a bit more important than the actual length of them.
The height and position of the arch is probably right. However, everyone’s arch profile and foot biomechanics is different, so its not ideal. The arch support height and profile is pretty similar to what you can get on most of the over-the-counter arch supports, so can be used as an alternative for them.

Please see:
Archies Footwear Now Available in Kids Sizes
Making Modifications to the Archies Footwear
Measuring Your Foot for Archies
Archies Footwear for Big and Small Feet
Archies Arch Support Thongs