The Flojos naming convention is a variation of that of the classic punk band The Ramones. There was Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone and later Marky Ramone.
Flojos has done nearly the same thing with the names of their various flip flops except the first name of each is Flojos. So far, Flip Flop Daily has met Flojos Alonzo and Flojos Ryan. Today we meet Flojos Jack.
The first thing that I notice about Jack is that he’s obviously been influenced by Hari Mari. The black sole has a bright orange ribbon streaking from arch to heel.
The two-toned design is seen again on the wide fabric strap which is black on top (with a gray herringbone pattern on part of it as well) and bright orange on the underside of the strap.
To my eyes they have definitely taken a page out of the Hari Mari flip flop design book, which I think is a good thing and confirms that the days of boring black or brown flip flops are over. Sadly, this is where the similarities stop.
The footbed and sole are made out of a very cheap feeling synthetic rubber. This makes them very light weight but with a cheap after taste. The footbed is pocked with bumps that seem to be designed to help the foot grip the footbed and they do the trick.
The heel of each footbed is stamped with the Flojos script logo. Each letter is about an inch and a half tall, so the logo/name takes up most of the heel. But, after two weeks of wear the “F” in the Flojos logo on the heel of my right flop rubbed off, transforming them into “Lojos.”
You’d think that at the very least they’d ensure that the logo wouldn’t rub away so quickly. But as I saw in most aspects of these flip flops, Jack isn’t into commitment and doesn’t plan on sticking around very long.
The fit is ok but not great. The strap is too loose but, because the synthetic rubber sole is so light, this isn’t a huge problem, but it is a problem.
The toe pad is oddly shaped such that the big toe of my very narrow foot sometimes hangs off the side of the flip flop as I walk. It seems that they’ve cut the toe box a bit short on the instep – possibly to save money? Whatever the reason, it’s not a great fit.
From a distance, the Hari Mari inspired styling is nice. However, if you get close enough to really see the materials used and the too-loose strap the styling doesn’t really stand up.
It’s like catching a glimpse of what appears to be a good-looking girl from the corner of your eye but on a double-take realizing that it’s a dude.
The traction is fine but can be dodgy on dry, smooth, dusty wood, cement or tile floors. This is a common problem with synthetic rubber soles. They tend to lack grip and dust is their kryptonite. They performed reasonably well on wet surfaces. Not bombproof but not deadly either.
Despite looking like they’d excel in comfort they just don’t. Again, I blame the synthetic rubber. It is light but does not breathe at all which leaves the bottom of my feet feeling hot and icky.
The too loose strap is annoying. That said, they feel properly cushy when walking. I put quite a few miles on this pair and despite the icky footbed feeling they were pretty easy to get around in.
If you’re looking for a short-term flip flop that’ll do and looks a bit nicer than your average flip flop (from a distance) then Jack might be the right pair for you. Just don’t expect him to stick around for more than a month or so.
