GoCloves: A Review by ICU RN, Amber Kendra

The hype for this shoe company was real. I consistently saw the advertisements all over social media and it worked, their marketing got me. Every time I scrolled by an add I thought “Oh! I must remember to get a pair!”. After wearing Dansko’s my entire career (which I still love to be honest), I decided to join the wave of fashionistas who were wearing trendy styles of joggers and sneakers; Modern nursing no longer has to mean comfort over style! 

Anyway, back to the hype.

To get your hands on GoCloves, you often must preorder and the wait can be quite long. However, when I finally put my new sneaks to the test, this is what I discovered:

Easy to clean and fluid resistant.

I found this to be true! I had been wearing them for about 6 weeks and they still looked new. I typically wiped them down after every shift using the Sani-cloths on the unit.

Endlessly comfortable.

Big. false. Oh, louder for the people in the back? I SAID FALSE!  These may be the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. I even went as far as replacing the liner with a high arch support insert but I didn’t notice a difference. At the end of the shift, my feet and back were still sore. Even though I was going for a young hip look, I was feeling pre-historic after 12 hours in the cloves. 

Slip-on in seconds.

True and this was probably my favorite feature. I put my work shoes on immediately before entering the hospital; wearing a “clean” set to and from and I’m typically in a rush so I need a quick and easy option. It was like being in the toll lane getting through the booth quickly only to realize, you don’t have the pass in the car and the cost of that ticket hurts.

Strong grip soles.

Mmmm, not so sure about this one. Does strong grip = squeaky? Because these shoes squeak like crazy. My co-workers could hear me coming down the hall, I felt like a cat wearing a bell. As far as “strong grip” I actually found them to slip easily so be careful moving quickly if the floor is wet! Which, as healthcare workers, we know happens often and I don’t think I need to give examples of when and why the floor would be wet… 

Odor fighting.

Can’t say one way or the other. The shoe insert can be removed and washed, so that is a plus as it can be washed separately and that’s helpful on fighting odor but did not notice anything extraordinary beyond that.  

Returns/exchange.

I ordered these shoes to my permanent home while away on a contract. Since they were pre-order it was impossible to receive them while traveling for crisis as my location changed so frequently. I was unable to get back home within the 30-day return/exchange time frame and missed my opportunity (Side note: you’d think this could be excused considering the clientele they’re marketing to). Also, the website states that shoes in new condition may be returned, but to really feel them out I had to give it the old college try. It wasn’t until a few shifts in that I realized they weren’t just in need of breaking in but they are in fact just incredibly incompatible with my feet.

The marketing of these shoes proved better than the product in my experience. Overall, I think GoCloves may work for someone who has a wider foot and requires little to no arch support. However, after wearing them during my 3 12s in the ICU with regular width and 8.5 sized feet and a preference for cushioned arch support and a soundless walk, they did not work. 

The search for the perfect shoe continues… Up next, Balas! Stay tuned. 

 

BONUS: When I received my order, it also came with a free pair of socks, 3 pens, and 2 badge reels with so that was cool. I always appreciate freebies, but disappointing when they outshine the product I paid for.