Overdrive!

I wanted to review the Reebok Drive sandal a few months ago, so I went to a Reebok store to buy a pair for myself. No luck. Out of size. I went to a few more Reebok stores, only to be told the same thing - no stock. Not the one to give up, I went to a Planet Sports store, since they stock Reeboks too. Uh oh. Sold out there too. By this time, my simple errand of buying a pair of sandals was gradually turning into a frustrating nightmare, so I decided to stop driving myself crazy searching for the 'Drive' and headed back home, where I concentrated on writing other reviews. This was several months ago, and ever since, I had been looking for a pair of these sandals in my size. Last week, I struck gold as I managed to find a pair of these beige sandals in a nondescript shoe store in Gurgaon. At last! Phew...

We Indians love sandals. All year around, our country is hot, dusty and humid, depending on where you live. If you live in Delhi, the summer sun is hot enough to make the color of your skin evaporate. Places like Mumbai or Chennai are so humid, that if you squeezed the air around you hard enough, you might be able to fill a teacup with water. If you are in Bangalore, the rains ruin your sneakers, so you probably need to wear a pair of sandals which doesn't feel like a soggy sponge when you are drenched. Besides the weather, many of us have to take off our shoes when entering houses, mosques or temples, so sandals are madly practical in India. I would say that Mescos started it all when it came to sports sandals or 'floaters', which was Mescos' name for their sandals. The light, quick drying and comfortable 'floaters' were a far cry from the bulky Romanesque Bata 'Quo Vadis' sandals which our parents used to wear, so sports sandals caught on quick. And how.

The 'Drive' sandal: Reebok's best selling sandal. Ever.

However, Mescos soon faded into obscurity, and brands like Reebok were wise enough to pick up from where Mescos left off, and cash in on the popularity of sports sandals. In 1996, they released one of their first sandals - the 'Amazon' sandal, which they priced at Rs.1690, a fortune during those days. However, it did not deter people from buying the sandal and I think that the Amazon sandal ended up being a reasonable success. But it was not until a few years later that Reebok started to make a line of sandals in India, which allowed them to manufacture cheaper, and consequently, sell at a lower retail price. They had off and on successes with different sandal models, but it was not until the Drive sandal that they hit the bull's eye, paving the way for unprecedented success as far as grabbing the share of the sports sandal market was concerned.

The drive to success: Notice the 'Drive' label on the heel and the batsman logo on the side. The name 'Drive' comes from the cricket term by the same name. Reebok has a long relationship with Indian Cricket, so they probably tried to piggy back their sandal's name on the sport's popularity in India. And no, you should not play Cricket in these sandals, unless you want to get your nails ripped off by the red cherry.

Look at the Drive sandal, and you'll agree with me that it doesn't exactly score a perfect ten on aesthetics, since the design is less than inspiring. However, there were two things which made the sandal such a success. The first was the price. The Drive sandal was released in 2002 (I think) at a mere Rs.890, making it the cheapest sandal in its category at that time. Though the reigning sandal king at that time was the Nike Alveus at Rs.990. but the Drive quickly managed to bite a huge chunk of their market share. The second reason was that the Drive sandal was immensely practical. Though the upper design was bland and devoid of any details, the two Velcro strap fit the average Indian foot very well, and the covered area near the arch of the foot supported and protected the arch area. The compression molded EVA midsole had a walled design, which cupped the foot and shielded the toe area from the occasional bump. The durability was not bad either; the outsole was solid rubber, so even though you spent Rs.890, the sandal was not what you would call a use and throw type. It now costs Rs.1190, but it is still great value for money and beats the hell of the Adidas and Nike at that price.

Fit to Drive: Simple but well fitting two strap design is practical enough for daily use. There is a layer of foam sandwiched between the khaki upper and the lining, which makes it reasonably comfortable. A no frills upper also makes the sandal lightweight; it tips the scale at 232 grams.

The 'Wall': The compression molded EVA midsole has raised walls around, cupping the foot inside, and protecting the heel and toe area from painful bumps. A thin layer of EVA sheet insole gives Spartan cushioning. The only detailing on the upper lies in the embroidered Reebok logo and the labels in the heel area.

Where the rubber meets the road: The outsole is solid rubber, making the Drive sandal reasonably long lasting; the outsole design seems to be taken off another Reebok sandal - notice the small tear drop shaped window in the heel area which is filled with rubber. In the original sandal, I bet that would have been the Hexalite window. (Update: The latest drive sandal replaces the solid rubber outsole with the lighter but less durable outsole used in the Forest Trail sandal, which is nothing more than molded foam.Bad, bad.)

I wore this sandal around for some time, and though this sandal has great street cred, I would like to point out one small niggle in the upper which can be easily rectified, providing anyone from Reebok reads this review: when snugly fastened, the forefoot covering tends to bite the base of my toe and that is slightly irritating when you walk. I think it will become softer with time when the sandal breaks in, but sports sandals are not supposed to have a break in period, and they have to feel perfect right out of the box. Apart from that, the sandal fit great and doesn't look bad too, considering the present day price of Rs.1190.

The evolution: Reebok has recently released a new sandal called the Forest Trail and it shares the same design language with the Drive.

I also managed to pick up a pair of Reebok's latest sandal called the Forest Trail, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Drive sandal. At 100 rupees more, it offers a few upgrades on the drive sandal. We will be reviewing the Forest Trail sandal very soon - till then, know that the Drive Sandal is still best value for money sandal if you are looking to buy a sandal from any of the big three - Adidas, Nike and Reebok.

The Lowdown:

Shoe name: Reebok Drive Sandal

Color reviewed: Khaki/Black

Retail price (India): INR 1399 (It used to be 1099 before)

Estimated US retail: NA. (India specific model, not sold internationally)

Available at: Supposedly anywhere and everywhere, provided you find one in the right size.

Weight: 232 grams for a half pair of size UK 9 / US 10

Not recommended for: Playing Cricket.

Verdict: Affordable, practical and durable, the Drive sandal offers value for money like none other.

Update, January 2009: The price of the Reebok Drive sandal has gone up by Rs.300, from Rs.1099 to Rs.1399. The outsole has also changed from a solid rubber one to a injected EVA one, which means the durability will take a hit. The drive now shares the same sole unit as the Forest Trail.