Olukai Hāmākua Poko Leather Shoes Review — $130

Most days, I come home from work, and the first thing I do is take off my shoes. But–I’m not kidding you–I don’t do that with my Hamakua Pokos from Olukai.

Yeah, seriously. They’re so comfortable that I don’t feel the need to kick them off at the end of the day. For me, that’s rare.

And while they’re the perfect shoe for looking and feeling chill, the leather also looks great, which keeps them from looking overly casual. And the quality craftsmanship makes them ready for adventure as soon as you cinch up the laces.

Company

The Hamakua Poko shoes are named after a mountainous region on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the Hawaiian culture is central to the Olukai brand. Each of their shoe designs, including these, are centered around the ocean lifestyle, which means they’re rooted in both comfort and durability.

Personally, I was drawn to the Olukai brand for two reasons: Most of their shoes are zero-drop (no heel) and many of the designs have a fairly wide toe-box. They’re also known for their drop-in heels. Once I got a pair of these shoes, I was pleased to discover the excellent build quality, and I’ve become a fan of the brand (these are my second pair of Olukais).

Construction

Despite the fact that they have laces, I want to call the Hamakua Pokos loafers. Or you could call them slides thanks to the drop-in heel. Whatever you want to call them, they’re comfortable. They’re made from top-grain nubuck leather, which is soft and sort of velvety to the touch. The leather is hand-sewn, and the seam design gives it a bit of a moccasin style.

Mine have worn well so far: I’ve walked 30 or so miles in them (but admittedly haven’t done any rugged or dirty terrain). The soles are pretty thick, and while that adds durability, mine took some breaking in. They were stiff at first and didn’t flex much as I walked, which caused a little chafing on my right achilles tendon. But after a couple days it was smooth sailing.

The insoles are made with a polyurethane gel wrapped in microfiber. They feel great to walk in, and these insoles are also removable and washable (which makes wearing them barefoot much more feasible). Combining that with the wide footbed, they call it “the perfect environment for you foot,” and I have to agree.

The outsoles are made with a thermoset rubber process, which casts a liquid into a die to create the distinctive shape. The sole itself is made of a combination of synthetic and natural rubbers which have never left a mark or scuff on any surface that I’ve walked on.

Aesthetic

My friend Cameron told me that in Thailand it’s rude to show someone the bottom of your shoe. So it would be a bummer to wear these there because the bottoms are one of the coolest features. Similar shoes from competing brands have soles that wrap up around the sides and back, creeping up beyond their bounds, which I personally think is really ugly. The Hamakua Pokos do the opposite. The leather actually wraps under the tread–as if it’s retaking lost ground, which is the way you want the battle to turn, in my opinion. It’s a sweet design–or dank design, as one of my friends called it.

Before getting them, I was curious how the leather on the bottom would wear. And as you see in the picture below, it has gotten a little scratched from gravel and rocks. But the leather is dark enough it’s hardly noticeable. More importantly, the stitching that holds the leather onto the sole is holding up well. Not yet sure how it’ll hold up over the course of a year or more, but so far so good.

I did encounter one negative aspect. My fashionista sister gave these shoes a snooty look because they weren’t trendy enough. Aside from her, I’ve actually gotten a couple compliments on the shoes, but mostly people tend not to notice them at all. I guess that’s fine for an easy-going shoe like this.

Mine are the dark wood/dark wood style (which means dark leather for upper/lower), and that’s what you see featured in my photos. Olukai has a few other styles to choose from though, which you’ll see on the site.

Conclusion

Olukai’s Hamakua Poko shoes are a relaxed style and are built really well.If your feet have been asking for an easy going sort of shoe, these are probably the the ones.

Truth is, I’ve been wearing mine too often. Like even when I ought to be wearing something a little more dressy. But I just can’t help it. They’re so dang comfortable.

Although I’m not an islander (far from it, in fact), I respect the culture and the accompanying attitude.

And I love these shoes.

 

OluKai Men’s Moloa Kohana II – $130

If you live in a temperate area summer probably isn’t such a big deal to you. It’s just a notable demarcation on the calendar. However, for those of us who live in areas that are definitely marked by four distinct seasons, summer time is always something that’s anticipated and greeted…warmly. It’s time for shorts, short sleeves, shoes without socks, a visual inspection of how pathetic your tan is, and it’s time to get outside and soak up some much needed sunshine!

With that being said, it was great to receive a pair of shoes from OluKai. After visiting their booth during Fashion Week in Las Vegas in February of this year, I was excited to have spring and summer get here so I could begin wearing the Olukai Moloa Kohana II shoes.

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ABOUT OLUKAI

OluKai is a footwear company that takes its inspiration from the beaches of Hawaii. Their motto is that “everybody, no matter where they are, can live Aloha.” They offer footwear for men, women, and children, all inspired by the feeling of bare feet in wet sand.

“It started as a different approach to a footwear company. We wanted to create footwear that combines durability for the waterman, ocean lifestyle, and a brand that has strong values and roots with style, comfort, and craftsmanship.”

We have had the privilege of reviewing for Olukai in the past too. If you’d like, you can check out that review here.

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CONSTRUCTION & FUNCTION

The Men’s Moloa Kohana II is a beachy slip-on, made with laser cut full grain leather. The outsole is a combination of leather and rubber for traction and durability. It’s stitched with contrasting nylon thread with the flexes at the ankle via embedded elastic.

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The insoles are a contoured polyurethane gel covered with cork. The footbeds are totally removable and washable, which is great since I tend to wear these barefoot most of the time. The contoured insoles are made to imitate the feeling of bare feet in wet sand, I must say they have achieved their goal. The shoes are incredibly soft and the insoles make the shoes comfortable to wear without socks in most casual environments.

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One of the most unique aspects of this shoe is what OluKai calls the “Drop-In Heel”, an angled seam at the back of the heel that allows the wearer to slide into the shoe with ease. This is a great function for beachgoers and I’ve found it to be incredibly useful…in spite of the fact that I don’t live anywhere near a beach. It’s just a nice feature to have…slip ’em on, slip ’em off with ease.

I have experienced a few stray “threads” popping out here and there…but nothing that has compromised the integrity of the shoe or the aesthetic. I’ve simply trimmed it back and moved on. Sizing seems to be pretty spot on. I’m always on the border between sizes with an 11 or 12. I received a size 11, which was a little snug at first. But, they have stretched a little bit and are now extremely comfortable.

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AESTHETIC

The Moloa Kohana has a very relaxed, beachy look, which is a natural given the overall Olukai vibe. The shoe elicits a sort of huarache style with geometric cutouts on the vamp that add ventilation and visual interest. It’s the perfect go-to summer shoe and is at home in any low-key environment. It comes in two colors, rum and khaki. My khaki pair is a nice sandy brown color that wears well with any casual outfit.

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CONCLUSION

The OluKai Moloa Kohana II is a great option for summer footwear, with thoughtful details and a sturdy construction. Competitively priced at $130, you will get several comfortable summers out of these unique shoes.

OluKai Mea Ola Leather Sandals Review – $120

OluKai is a California-based footwear company founded by Hawaii Native Bill Worthington, who first began selling island-inspired leather sandals in 2006. It maintains strong ties to the Hawaiian community while focusing on environmentally friendly practices both in Hawaii and California. Each product is given a Polynesian name with Mea Ola meaning “creature.”

OlukaiMeaOlaSandals6 CONSTRUCTION

The Mea Ola is constructed using the “Wet Sand Principle.” Like a foot sinking into wet beach sand, the sandal is made to cradle the foot with use. It boasts a biomechanically engineered anatomic footbed with a deep heel contour to support and align the foot. The toe post is hand-sewn with metal rivets and the straps are full-grain leather. The lining is synthetic pigskin with a neoprene backing and the midsole is compression-molded EVA wrapped in full grain leather. The outsole is also wrapped in full grain leather and made with 30% recycled materials with non-marking natural latex gum rubber traction pads. All leather is sourced from environmentally conscious ISO-14001 certified tanneries while manufacturing is done in Asia and Mexico.

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FUNCTION

Built by a company dedicated to the waterman and ocean lifestyle, these leather sandals fulfill their job. This sandal can handle any situation from the beaches of Hawaii to the concrete jungle of New York City. It is water-resistant but not waterproof and the traction pads maintain a steady grip regardless of weather. Compared to my previous pairs of more “popular” mainstream leather sandals, these sandals do not warp or color bleed onto your feet. Although OluKai is all about comfort, it takes a while before the tough construct of the sandal is actually broken in. Eventually your foot will create its own personal impression and sink into a bed of comfort, but expect a blister or two first.

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Give it some time and the leather will reward you with a custom fit around your feet

AESTHETIC

It’s ok to judge this book by its cover. The Mea Ola leaves no aesthetic detail behind. From the handsewn canoe lash whipstitch detail to the laser etched artwork, every nook and cranny is carefully designed onto a polished-high quality leather bed. If the Dark Java color is not for you, there are four other color options to choose from.

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BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The OluKai Mea Ola Sandal is one of the highest priced leather sandals and not for the casual beach-goer looking for quick comfort at bargain prices. It takes some time to break in and requires some maintenance and care, but they will reward your feet with long lasting comfort and luxury style.