Kizik Cairos Stink — a shoe review
I first bought the shoes because of the recommendation of a friend who said “they’re so convenient, you gotta try them… but they are uncomfortable” So once the new Kizik Cairos were released with improved comfort I wanted to give their labor-saving feature a run for it.
Out-of-the-box first impressions: I really liked the toe shaping (toe box area) with the custom knit fabric. It looked well-ventilated and far more attractive than the bland mono-textured Allbirds that I also compared.
My first concern is what I saw as soon as I turned the shoe over. It’s a purely EVA-like midsole that extends all the way to the road-contact area. Do not be fooled by the knobby sole design — unlike durable shoes, these shoes do not have any rubber, no vibram, nothing grippy contacting the ground. It’s merely a white Croc-like EVA midsole. That means these soles are lightweight but will unfortunately lose their tread in a few weeks or months. It’s frustrating that a modern company makes shoes that will end up in the landfill so quickly. I decided to reinforce the shoe base with Freesole shoe repair to create a grippy, longer-lasting sole.
The shoelaces arrived untied and my first tie up was simple as expected. The laces are lightweight. Once the shoes were on my feet, I easily removed the shoe so I could try the acclaimed hands free approach. At first it was a little awkward because the tongue got bunched up and I needed squeeze my fingers in to pull it back up to a comfortable position. After wearing these shoes about 7 times the laces seem to come untied more often than the Allbirds and Merrells so I need to bend over and tie them about once a day.
I liked that the laces could be made as tight or as loose as needed and the handsfree approach was still as easy as ever.
The reason I stopped wearing these shoes is due to how quickly they became stinky. Like, not the kind of mild smell that happens to many shoes. No, we’re talking about super smelly, like the bottom of a trashcan with rotting fruit. The handsfree convenience is not worth the stench. For contrast, the 2 month old Merrells I run 15+ miles a week still smell fine compared to the stench emanating from these shoes. I’ve only worn this pair 7 times in casual indoor environments. If I (effortlessly) remove these shoes, I need to also remove my socks and replace my socks each time so I don’t catch a drift of the stench. I’m no expert, so I will deduce that the putrid odor is created by the easy-slip-non-breathable lycra-like sleeve inside the interior of the shoe that traps water vapor, sweat, and accumulates fetidness.
Aesthetic nit picking: as I look down at my feet, the narrow arch of my foot looks fat with these shoes. Typically my shoes taper around the arch area, but these have a bulging effect. Not that big of deal, but I don’t like it. My assumption is that the shoes bulge around the arch because of the way the fancy heel cage anchors near the middle of the shoe.
The convenience of putting on a shoe without my hands is super appealing, and even fun for a few times. Instant shoe on and off is great! I hope Kizik continues to improve their models to become comfortable, breathable, and hopefully fresh.
Convenience ★★★★★ (5)
Durability ★★☆☆☆(2)
Aesthetics ★★★☆☆ (3)
Smell ★☆☆☆☆ (1)
Comfort ★★★★☆ (4)
Verdict — I wear these indoors, not for exercise, yet the smell is so bad I wish I could return them, but the only way to return them is if they’ve never been worn. That’s an unfortunate return policy.
[update] I left the shoes sit unworn for 5 days and they still carry a stench albeit greatly reduced. Maybe that is what is required: wear for 2 hours, then let the shoes sit for 7 days to air out.
