Crosskix 2.0 Supreme EVA Mult-sport Shoes
Product Description
The Crosskix 2.0 Supreme shoes are a molded foam composite shoe made from EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate). The shoes are similar in many regards to the popular Croc® sandals, but with a more fashion-forward, trendy, and in Crosskix own words, “striking, aggressive, sexy, and sporty.”
The EVA-based shoe makes these perfect for multi-sport and water-based activities, including fishing, SUP, kayaking, rafting, and obstacle races such as Tough Mudder or Spartan. Anything where there is a crossover between land and water, these shoes were designed to tackle. The shoe has a form-fit with an adjustable instep/tongue with pin fastener. The shoe is reinforced in areas with a tough TPU shank and outsole. There are ample vent and drainage ports.
Overall Impressions and Updates
I’ve never been shy to wear my Crocs, even though they are a bit dorky looking and are suppose to be a relationship killer. Crosskix, in contrast, are very sporty and sexy. My wife really digs the aesthetic, as does everyone in my office building (yes, I wore them on dress-down Fridays). The EVA foam is comfortable, soft, and easy on the soles of my feet.
On first try, the shoes reminded me a little of slipping my feet into a pair of waterski boots. The heel snaps snug in place and there is really very little wiggle room. I wear a size US-10 and the fit was true, but I found that my right foot was much more snug than my left, especially across the bridge. I had ample room around the front of my feet and toes. The adjustable strap snaps perfectly and securely, and after weeks and miles of usage, I never had any issues with the strap coming undone.
To give you a little background, I prefer to hike in sandals, almost year round if I can help it. I like the improved breathability and quick-drying features. My feel are wide, so having good toe room is important to me. The Crosskix fit in nicely with my style. Folks have asked me about sweating in the shoes. I will say that at times I could feel a little “sticky” in the shoes, but nothing really wet or uncomfortable.
As the shoes are marketed for multi-sport use, the first activity I did was take them on a 3-mile (5 k) trail run. I didn’t wear any socks. As I ran, I paid attention to the footbed and whether my toes would slam into the front of the shoe. I ran over a mix of asphalt, gravel, and forest trails, even gingerly navigating a pile of lava rock. For the most part, the footbed held up fine, but I could feel the trail more than with other shoes or sandals. The lava rock hurt a little, and if I hit a pebble just right, I could tell. I could distinctly feel the air flow through the shoes and I didn’t notice any increased perspiration or slippage as I ran. The shoes certainly allow a closer connection to the trail.
After a few days of wear, especially after a full-day at the office, my right foot was really feeling constricted to the point of numbness. While I loved the comfort and lightness on my feet, I knew I’d have to find a way to adjust the bridge on my right foot if I were to use these shoes much more. I had a long hike coming up, so I decided to cut the tongue slit a little longer to see if that would help. Thankfully, the pressure was relieved and I could wear the shoes comfortably.
The biggest trail test I did with these shoes was to take them on a 20-mile (32 km) day hike. My sons and I planned a trek along the Arizona Trail and camped overnight. The next morning, bright and early, we started our long-distance hike. I took the modified Crosskix and wore a pair of thin socks for the first 4 miles (6.4 km). The trail was lush, with vegetation damp with dew. The Crosskix were collecting a fair amount of moisture so I decided to ditch my socks. For the next 6 miles (10 km) I attempted to wear the Crosskix sockless. We crossed a few puddles and muddy sections and the shoes performed very well, but with the moisture, my feet were moving more in the shoes and I noticed a hot spot forming in the instep of my right foot.
I very rarely get hotspots or blisters when I hike so this feeling was unexpected. For a few miles I thought I might have some debris rubbing in my shoes, so I just disregarded it and tried to flush out the grit with some water. This seemed to help for a while, but I soon realized that what I was feeling was a hotspot, not grit. At about the 10-mile mark (16 km), we took a break and I slipped off my shoes to check. Sure enough, a blister was forming on the instep of my right foot. I put my socks back on and continued. Thankfully, the socks prevented any more rubbing and I was able to save my feet from forming any blisters.
At the beginning of the hike I would feel the occasional sharp rock and I began to take more careful note on what I was walking on. I’ve never had to do that before with other hiking shoes. At the halfway point, I was really feeling the impact of all those occasional jabs: the balls of my feet were feeling like hamburger. In spite of this, we maintained our steady 3 MPH (5 KPH) pace to make our deadline. By the end of the hike, my feet really felt the impact. I was grateful to rest.
This long hike was brutal because we had to complete the mileage in a short time, so rests were short. Longer rest periods would have helped my feet a little, but I think if I were to wear these shoes again for a long hike or backpacking trip, I’d want a stiffer footbed.
Recommendations and Review
As a water shoe and a light hiker, the Crosskix 2.0 are fantastic. They have excellent drainage and good breathability and can be worn with or without socks. I don’t recommend using these shoes for trail hiking over more than a few miles as the footbed is too soft and doesn’t protect enough from jabbing rocks. The heel of the Crosskix is thick and worked great for protection, but the ball area is mostly just soft PVA foam.
My two improvements I would ask would be to make the bridge a little more adjustable to account for naturally-occurring variance in foot girth, and to extend the tough TPU shank to cover the ball of the footbed for more protection.
| Criteria | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fit and Feel (?) | ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ | As a multi-sport water shoe, these shoes are designed to be worn sockless. For me, this works fine for low-impact activities, but long-term use introduces blister potential, especially when wet. I also found that fit was too tight for my right foot and I had to cut the foam for a better fit. It’s the challenge of injection molded footwear: feet don’t always fit a mold, even two feet on the same body. |
| Construction and Craftsmanship (?) | ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ | The shoes have every indication of excellent construction. Even after weeks and miles of use, the shoes are holding up fine: no cracking, peeling, or separating of the EVA and TPU shank material. |
| Aesthetics (?) | ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ | I picked the Yellowjacket shoe because I liked the vibrant color scheme. These shoes are eye magnets! I get more compliments and comments on them any time I wear them. There are a variety of color combinations available for most tastes. |
| Price and Value (?) | ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ | I think the price is a little high for a EVA molded shoe. Crocs are the only other competitor in this space and a median price is around US$35. If you shop around, you can find Crosskix for cheaper, but not by much. Compared with traditional trail shoes, the Crosskix are a good deal, but I think you get more adjustability with traditional footwear. |
- Manufacturer: CrossKix, made in China
- MSRP: US$69
Available Features/Specifications
Features
- Ultra-soft EVA compound molded fabrication
- Buoyant (floats on water!)
- Non-marking outsole
- Wear-moldable footbed
- TPU shank
- Foam heel pad
- Multiple vent and drain ports
Specifications
- Available sizes:: Mens US-3 to US-12 in full sizes (Womens US-4 to US-14)
- Available colors:: Atlantic, Faded Denim, Forest Sun, Granite, Red Dawn, Sea Town, and Yellowjacket
Weight
- 19.3 oz (547 g) pair
Similar Products
- None. Well, maybe Crocs, but just in material.
Disclosure of material connection: The author (Derek Hansen) was provided with a free sample from the manufacturer for testing and evaluation purposes. The comments in this post (written & spoken) are of my own opinion, which I formed after personally handling the gear.
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