In fact, when I heard they were going out of business, I went out and bought three pairs. I like to wear them for house shoes, because they're lighter and cooler than slippers, and as you say, much more durable. For long car rides or plane flights you can't beat the comfort, and I notice that a lot of medical supply stores sell them as ideal for people with diabetes and MS. What am I doing in a med supply store? Buying support socks for my varicose veins, if you must know, and there you have the REAL demographic for crocs -- not kids who love the punky colors, but, ahem, persons of a certain age who would rather be comfy than sexy, because let's face it, the latter is a lost cause by now. And yeah, the goofy colors make them a lot more fun than your standard orthopedic wear. Why don't support hose come in electric fuschia, come to think of it?

Nope, never ever wore Crocs; never ever even considered it. I don't care if they're the most comfortable thing since being in the womb -- I draw the line at some things purely for style reasons, even though nobody would ever accuse me of even HAVING a "style".

Good riddance.

Why make it sound like a bad thing.

I still wear crocs and I love them!

They're not that cheap! We recently gave into my 3-year-old's desire to wear nothing but Crocs this summer, and left the kiosk in the mall having spent almost $40 on lightweight plastic. I got no purchase buzz from that, lemme tellya. I think many people are thinking twice about what seems like an optional, frivolous purchase that is not exactly a cheap thrill.

A market near my apartment has a bin full of knock-off crocs called "holey shoes" for $4.99 per pair.

I agree with the previous poster that the price for brand name crocs is ridiculous -- $25 for plastic shoes? Maybe there is something special about the plastic that makes them cost so much, but Americans are used to cheap plastic trinkets, so the price seems offensive.

I spend my summer in flip flops, and I don't spend more than $12 on each pair -- I recently got a very stylish pair of flip flops with a leather strap for six dollars.

Looking at the website, Crocs actually makes a few reasonably cute shoes that look comfortable. I didn't know they made other types of shoes. But I can't spend $30 on sandals these days.

I might just order a pair...

...not $25.00! I can't believe they cost more than 25 cents to make.

Seemed to be the perfect shoe for the country that went to war but didn't know why.

I have no particular animosity toward them either. Sorry.

I have no particular animosity toward them either. Sorry.

Although I don't think I'd ever wear anything like those shoes this is still bad news. I don't know if their downfall is just because they saturated the market but if so it means that sustainability and good business don't mix. If we want to keep all our comfy stuff in a green economy we need shoes, clothes, appliances and durable goods that are indestructible so they won't end up in the landfill right after their warranty has expired. If making quality cell phones and shoes just bankrupts you there is little chance that manufactures will make the switch voluntarily.

These shoes help my arthritic knees fell relatively okay. I have worn some out and when you lose what little tread is on the bottom of these things, they get rather slick. Also I wore a pair throughout the UK 3 years ago. No problem there and my life is obviously not devoted to style. It is comfort.

I invested in a pair, after hearing several friends rave about them. I thought I could use them for gardening, beaching (walking on rocky shores or in and out of shallow pools), or puttering. I never thought they were attractive, but I'd been told they were so comfy.

Except they weren't. Even the air holes don't let feet breathe well. They get stinky. The holes attract dirt, sand, grass clippings, etc., sp my feet would get filthy after wearing them. And if one wears socks ... he socks get soaked. And while my arches felt supported, my toes tended to bang into the roof of the crocs. Not comfy.

After a few tries, I was able to pass mine on to a fan. Never again.

I bought them from the food co-op in 2005 before they were popular and I still wear my red ones. They're comfortable and easy to slip off and on.

Didn't crocs get the hell beat out of it by short sellers?? I seem to remember some jackass on John Stewart bragging about how much money he made short-selling this company...and others.

Hahaha. What a terrific article!

My first pair of Crocs are arriving tomorrow morning. If the company goes under, at least I'll have my own copy of their doomed product-- too well-made, too durable to survive.

Never owned a pair.

(Never liked New Kids On The Block, either.)

If I'm going to spend money on shoes, I need them to be situation-versatile. Crocs are just too goofy-looking. Not bashing anyone who loves or loved them; I just never had much use for them.

... those ugly assed shoes. Teva's and Chaco sandals both look 100x better and they don't retain sand, stones, pebbles, water, sweat, etc. etc. like ugly assed Crocs. Glad they're dead, I can see why - ugly as dirt, all the disadvantages of BOTH shoes and sandals, with NONE of the advantages of either.

"So these shoes were the most popular thing in the country for like three years. These ugly, garish awful things. Can you believe anyone ever wore these? This is the worse fashion statement since the '70s, and I'm proud to say I never owned any! WHAT WERE YOU PEOPLE THINKING??"

~Some D-list "comedian" on VH1, 2014

From Hummers to trucker hats to Crocs to Larry the Cable Guy, this entire decade will go down in history as the decade where the hicks took over. Only at a time when we went into Iraq only because everyone was too afraid to say no would plastic shows designed for the most manual labor be considered fasionable.