Best Clogs???

[COMP Bound]

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Hello all,

I'm about to purchase some shoes for those long hours....is there a common concensus on what are the best to get?

😕

 

[Stinky T]

🙂 I just had this discussion with another SDN member. I'm certainly no expert on clogs, but I do know a couple of people who have bought Birkenstocks and a brand called Plogs from Germany. They seem satisfied with them, but not ecstatic.

AJM mentioned to me that she has a pair of Danskos and many of the surgery residents that she works with have them. She may have more to add.

Birkenstock and Dansko are leather while Plogs are rubber. Good luck and here's a couple of links to sites that sell them and offer free shipping:

1. Best Shoes

2. Dansko

3. Danko Practicals

P.S. Avoid bright red plastic Birkenstock clogs. 😉

 

[dwstranger]

Birks come in rubber (plastic?), too. They're called "professional" clogs. I have ordered from Birkenstock Express and Footprints, without any problems.
http://www.birkenstockexpress.com
http://www.footprints.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/sitepages/home.html?E+scstore
http://www.birkenstock.com
http://www.originalshoestoboot.com/?source=goto free shipping and 10% off orders > $100 if you order before 8/31.

 

[droliver]

I have used the MEDIPLOG model from available from http://plogs.com/ for 4 years and really like them. It's similar to the Birkenstock plastic plogs , but more comfortable to me. The regular PLOG model clog has a elevated heel & narrower toe & is not very comfortable to me. Dansko makes some urethane sole clogs with leather uppers that some people like. The heal on them makes me feel unstable (might be easier for the ladies to get used to) but they can double as casual ware as they look pretty cool. Birkenstock clogs are OK too, but they are a little stiff for all day wear to me.

Just my opinions!

 

[tussy]

I have a pair of Birkenstock rubber clogs that I'm quite happy with. They're quite comfy (although after about 20 hours my feet do begin to hurt a bit) and it's easy to wash off the blood and guts. However, they are really ugly (especially the red and yellow ones). Also, I don't like to wear them when I'm doing anything where i need to use the foot pedal electrocaudery (ie lab choles), as the clogs are big and I can never feel to find the pedal! And, they make your feet sweat!

 

[PimplePopperMD]

dw-- thanks for the clogs info. saved me $$; i just ordered!

 

[Liljoe2002]

I used some clogs this year, don't know what brand they were. All I know is that they would "sqeek" when walking on the floor and would keep falling off my foot since like a slipper. Do the mediplogs do this...sqeek and slip off your feet??

Liljoe

 

[droliver]

liljoe,

I have not had any probs. with mine. Out of all the ones I have tried Birkenstocks, Danko's, & regular PLOG's, I have found the mediplog to be the one I like the best. No they do not squeak or slip off either

 

[Djanaba]

Most of the surgical residents I'm working with prefer Birkenstock brand clogs because of the footbed, and they come in narrow. Some folks had spiffy ones with little ventilation holes along the footbed, which were in still good places for avoiding gutsplash. Otherwise your feet can get pretty sweaty standing for the entirety of, say, a Whipple procedure...

 

[Winged Scapula]

I just prefer sneakers - New Balance ones to be specific. I find clogs uncomfortable, not offering enough support, hard to run in, and frankly, who wants to look like everyone else? Always seemed a bit pretentious to me, especially in students. 🙄

 

[dwstranger]

djanaba-

never heard it called "gutsplash" before -- but I like it! (the term, not the splash...)

 

[droliver]

Kimberli,

I think you will find that you appreciate the fact you can flip the clogs on/off easily. I don't mind jogging shoes, but after extended wear they tend to make your feet a little "stuffy". It's nice to roll out off bed when you need to & just shuffle into them. Also, you will be guarenteed to ruin any pair of dress shoes, sneakers, etc. if you wear them around the hospital long enough after getting stained with blood, bile, betadine, silver nitrate, vomit, stool, or urine (i'm sure I left something of that list 😉 ). I can steam autoclave my mediplogs if I want (usually anything will come off with hot tapwater though)

 

[AJM]

Originally posted by Kimberli Cox:
•I just prefer sneakers - New Balance ones to be specific. I find clogs uncomfortable, not offering enough support, hard to run in, and frankly, who wants to look like everyone else? Always seemed a bit pretentious to me, especially in students. 🙄•

I don't know why students wearing clogs would seem pretentious -- they have literally saved my feet and knees over the past year! I started out in clinics wearing sneakers, realized that they just wouldn't cut it for me, and had to make an emergency purchase of a good pair of clogs soon after I started. While sneakers are good to wear for a short amount of time, they would make my feet and knees really ache after those long days!

Anyway, I've been having lots of conversations with many people lately about good clogs to get. 🙂 For me, personally, I have found Dansko to be my favorite mostly because of their durability and that I felt they look nicer/more professional than most other clogs I tried. Danskos are also the ones that most surgery residents I know recommend.

I also have found a brand called Naot to be *very* comfortable. (My second pair are Naot clogs). Naot makes leather and suede shoes in both men's and women's styles. They have the Birkenstock feel to them, but I think they look a little nicer than Birkenstocks, and they have a larger variety of styles to choose from.

As far as others, Birkenstocks are nice and comfortable, but I don't see too many residents with those. And I haven't heard of Plogs before -- I'll have to try them out!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by droliver:
•Kimberli,

I think you will find that you appreciate the fact you can flip the clogs on/off easily. I don't mind jogging shoes, but after extended wear they tend to make your feet a little "stuffy". It's nice to roll out off bed when you need to & just shuffle into them. Also, you will be guarenteed to ruin any pair of dress shoes, sneakers, etc. if you wear them around the hospital long enough after getting stained with blood, bile, betadine, silver nitrate, vomit, stool, or urine (i'm sure I left something of that list 😉 ). I can steam autoclave my mediplogs if I want (usually anything will come off with hot tapwater though)•

I do understand the benefits of clogs. I can slip my shoes off pretty quickly, although usually only in places where I can put them back on quickly (ie, not while on rounds). 😉

I have an icky pair which I keep in my locker for the OR; the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned. Then I have an identical pair (not so icky) which I wear on the floors (although they have gotten splashed in the trauma bay through the shoe covers).

I've just never felt the need to save the 30 seconds it takes to put on my shoes...perhaps once my presence is actually necessary (as opposed to being an overworked, underpaid paper pushing intern) I'll change my mind! 😀

Besides, the real reason I've resisted clogs is that I like to be a little different. Perhaps when I eventually get a pair I'll get some of those hot pink ones! 😀

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by ajm:
•I don't know why students wearing clogs would seem pretentious -- they have literally saved my feet and knees over the past year! •

Don't shoot the messenger - I'm just quoting conventional wisdom/beliefs I've seen at several programs. I think its related to trying to look like something you're not. Its the same reason students who wear scrubs to the grocery store get knocks - students who walk around wearing clogs *seem* like they are trying to impress their classmates and others that they've been to the OR. You may notice that its mostly the gunners and a few other insufferables (present company excepted of course 😉 ) who wear them - maybe its just these types who are attracted to surgery. I can't say that I personally think students who wear them are pretentious but it *can* look that way.

Of my intern class, only 1 or 2 wear clogs and those that do, only in the OR. Only 1 or 2 of the seniors wears them outside the OR as well - maybe its just an institutional thing here. I just don't feel compelled to wear them.

 

[WSU02]

Oh man, I would die without my Danskils!

I now refuse to wear any other shoe...looks be damned! I dress for comfort, not style.
Kristi 😛

 

[Annette]

Originally posted by Kimberli Cox:
•Only 1 or 2 of the seniors wears them outside the OR as well - maybe its just an institutional thing here. •

I don't understand why people wear OR shoes outside the theaters. (Alright, maybe running from the theaters to the ER or the floors for an emergency) I can't imagine wanting to keep anything so filthy on my feet for longer than necessary! Do people wear boots here at all? The urology people all seemed to wear boots in England, which seemed to make a lot of sense.

 

[familydoc04]

I bought a pair of Dansko's recently and I like them so far, but whoever made the comment about the elevated heal was right - it takes some getting used to. The reason I bought the clogs was that while sneaks are good for moving feet, GOOD clogs are built for standing feet. I haven't started my clinical rotations yet - actually bought them because chefs use them and I (so far have time to) cook and entertain alot - I use them for the hours it takes me to put together a party, and they definitely help - I like them better than my Birkenstocks. I bought the Professional, which has a back - and I don't feel like they'll fall off my feet, but I haven't tried running marathons in them yet...