Item name	Bite Xtension 2 Sandals
Manufacturer	Bite Footwear
Manufacturer's Web site	http://www.biteshoes.com/
Year of manufacture	2005
MSRP	USD79.99
Manufacturer claimed weight	N/A
Actual weight as received	Right: 12.1 oz (343 g) Left: 12.2 oz (346 g) Total: 24.3 oz (689 g), just a tad over 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Available sizes (per the Web site)	US Women's 5-11 (whole sizes only) and US Men's 7-16
Manufactured	In China of all man-made materials

More extensive manufacturer's information - including fit information - is available in my Initial Report.

FIELD CONDITIONS

During the field testing phase, these sandals have been subjected to many miles under a variety of conditions:

Well-maintained forest trails, both with and without socks
Steep sand dunes, sandy beaches, and sandy trails, all without socks
Wet, muddy trails, without socks
During creek/river crossings, without socks
On asphalt roads, both with and without socks
Indoors on both carpeted and uncarpeted surfaces, both with and without socks

Weather conditions have ranged from pleasantly cool (50s F [10 C]) to hot (85 F [29 C]) and humid; the sandals have been worn in both dry and rainy weather.

FIELD ACTIVITIES

During this testing phase, the sandals have been used during a wide variety of activities - some a bit odd for the shoe:

Hiking/backpacking on trail, with and without pack. Highest pack weight during this test period was approximately 30 lbs (14 kg)
Bushwhacking through dense - but luckily thornless - growth
Canoeing
Trail running
Road running and walking
Mountain biking on fire roads (with toe clips)
Trail maintenance
Office work

IMPRESSIONS

I have been drawn to running sandals for some time now. I've always been jealous of people who can run in running shoes sans socks and not develop blisters. Running sandals, it seemed to me, would be the answer. The open design would allow the toes more room to spread naturally as they do when barefoot. The design would facilitate wonderful, cooling airflow.

However, when it comes to either running or hiking long distances, I seem doomed to require socks. While these sandals are incredibly comfortable for walking or running short distances, I developed blisters anytime I went further than 3 miles (5 km) without socks.

FIT
The Bite Xtension 2's fit system is quite easy to use and to make properly snug. However, soon after the sandals are fitted snugly, the heel strap loosens. At first, I found this disconcerting and kept re-tightening the strap. However, I finally decided that perhaps they were supposed to fit that way and I left the heel strap loose. The sandals did not flop around and the loose strap never affected my gait. In the long run, I did not find this loosening to be an issue.

COMFORT
In my initial review of the sandals, I expressed concern about whether the arch support would be sufficient for my needs. However, this turned out to be a non-issue. The sandals offer plenty of support for my needs and comfortable even under my heaviest pack weight of the test (30 lbs [14 kg]). Additionally, the arch area was comfortable and supportive during trail and road runs.

Wearing socks with the sandals completely eliminated the blistering issue. However, doing so defeated the reason I enjoyed the sandals: the airflow and the ability to spread my toes naturally. I tried to use various taping methods while wearing the sandals without socks, but a blister would pop up in an uncovered area.

During paddling use, the sandals were highly effective. The soles are stable, even on wet surfaces. The material dries out quickly and comfortably.

PERFORMANCE
The sandals are easy to get on and off your feet quickly - a simple squeeze of the buckle opens the ankle strap and allows the sandals to come off. The Toe Guard offers adequate protection from stubbed toes, however, it does not prevent trail debris - sticks, twigs, stones - from creeping under your foot.

One of the areas where I had assumed the sandal would excel was sand. It seemed to me that the open design would allow sand to sift out as quickly as it sifted in. However, this did not prove to be the case.

I used the sandals both running without pack and hiking with a pack in sandy areas, including dunes. As expected, the sand would quickly sift into the sandal. However, rather than sifting right back out again, the sand would build up in the arch area. I would stop and shake my foot (either toe down or heel down) in an attempt to remove the sand - but to no avail. I had to remove the sandal to get rid of the sand build up. I'm not sure if this is a function of how high my arch is or what (however, I do not have a particularly high arch - simply normal).

The Xtension 2's outsole offered good traction on a variety of surfaces, ranging from a wet canoe bottom to scree-covered trails to asphalt or concrete roads.

The open design offered tremendous comfort from a both a temperature and a functional standpoint. The air could flow over my feet as I moved. My toes could spread naturally and "grip" while I moved. My feet stayed cool and comfortable and never felt slimy or sweaty - and thus never seemed as smelly. However, I was never able to escape the blister issue when I went without socks. I tried taping, but I would just develop blisters in new, different areas.

Additionally, once under my foot, trail debris would not easily fall out of the sandal. I had more trouble with small twigs, stones, etc., than I have while wearing running shoes and short gaiters. Even on short jaunts I inevitably get a stone between my foot and the footbed which requires that I stop and take the sandal off to remove it.

When these sandals were worn with socks, I experienced absolutely no blister problems, even under longer mileage (20 miles or 32 km). I did, however, still experience trail debris issues.

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FOR FURTHER TESTING

Overall, I find these sandals extremely comfortable from a daily-wear, short mileage standpoint. It may just be that I'm one of those people who cannot go without socks. I look forward to the extended testing period to determine if I am able to solve this problem.

Additionally, I'll be interested to see how these sandals hold up over my long-term usage.

BENEFITS (so far)

Easy to fit with the pulley system, very adjustable
45-day comfort guarantee
Well cushioned, comfortable
Stable and supportive
Less foot sweat means less smell

LIMITATIONS (so far)

Blister issues when worn without socks for 3 miles (5 km) or longer
Trail debris and sand do not slide out of the sandal as easily as they slide into the sandal

Thank you to Bite Footwear and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to evaluate these sandals.

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REVIEWER BIO

Name	Lynne Durham
Gender	Female
Height	5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight	153 lb (69 kg)
Age	42
Email	lynnedurham AT yahoo DOT com
Location	Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
Shoe size	Women's US 10

BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE

I am a backpacking novice - my first trip was in 2002. I have hiked and car camped all of my life, mostly in the relative flatlands of the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, but also in areas east of the Continental Divide, such as South Dakota, New England, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and more. In September, 2004 I did my first solo backpacking trip and in October, 2004 I did a single-day, rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I keep my pack weight to 25% of bodyweight or less but I always bring optional or comfort items.

My other outdoor experience includes trail running and snowshoeing. I am a novice adventure racer and I have competed in several, including both sprint- and expedition-length races.

Read more reviews of Bite Shoes gear
Read more gear reviews by Lynne Durham

Field Report

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