Astral Debuts High-Performance Water Sandals After Years in the Making

April 20, 2022

Founder saw need to design a groundbreaking, sustainably-crafted sandal for the toughest river conditions

April 20, 2022 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Asheville, NC – As a raft guide on Section IV of the Chattooga River over 30 years ago, Phillip Curry, founder and CEO of Astral, learned firsthand the demands of the river and the gear needed to thrive in and out of the waters.

Since that time, Curry has thought about how he would design a sandal that would be secure and stable and could stand up to those demanding days as a raft guide on the water. His idea gained momentum on a trip to France when he stumbled upon a pair of sandals that were made in Japan and looked like a PFD. “These look like something we’d make by strapping our PFD (personal floatation device) to a Loyak bottom to create a high-performance sandal,” Curry noted. “I knew it was time to create a unique sandal that had the same foothold, grip, and worldview of our shoes.”

“We’ve spent years building trust and perfecting our craft in both sustainability and design,” states Curry. “We didn’t start making water sandals when the river and whitewater communities expected us to but now that we have, we know we’ve designed a sandal that will fit the needs and demands of those who spend a lot of time in and on the water. The agility and confidence I feel wearing these sandals along river beds and trails is unlike any sandal I’ve tried. It is just plain fun to explore nature with a high performance sandal underfoot.”

In Spring ’22 Astral will proudly introduce its highly anticipated first two sandals, The PFD Sandal™ and Webber Sandal™. Decades in the making The PFD Sandal™ and Webber Sandal™, represent Astral’s dedication to building the high performance equipment, made in the least toxic, lowest impact way.

These sandals are designed with these key features:

• Shoe Like Fit – Webbing and adjustable straps from Astral’s award-winning PFDs (personal floatation devices) provide a secure, shoe-like fit.
• Balanced Geometry™ – A zero drop Level Footbed™ combined with a roomy toe box respects the foot’s natural alignment and provides increased balance, ground feel and foot health.
• ss Rubber™ – Astral’s proprietary rubber compound and siped Flex Grip™ has a low durometer that makes it stick and conform to the ground for premium grip while providing excellent abrasion resistance.
• Antimicrobial – Closed cell, EVA foam midsoles requires no treatment and provides antimicrobial protection against foot funk in wet and dry conditions.
• 100% Recycled Uppers – 100% post-consumer recycled polyester webbing and canvas straps along with bluesign® approved PFD-grade buckles provide exceptional strength while reducing their environmental impact.

If you’re interested in trying on or learning more about Astral’s PFD and Webber Sandals, please contact the sales team at sales@astraldesigns.com. For more information on Astral please visit www.astraldesigns.com or contact Mindy Smith at mindy@darbycommunications.com.

About Astral

Established in 2002, Astral has grown to specialize in designing high performance wilderness equipment including PFDs and footwear, created in the least toxic, lowest impact ways. Built on decades of experience and experimentation, Astral has assembled athletes, artists, and craftspeople to build and use the cleanest, most beautiful, and highest performing products you can buy on the market. Most notably, Astral has significantly reduced toxic PVC foam from the PFD industry, invented breathable life jackets, won awards for their paradigm changing footwear designs, and they’ve developed the stickiest rubber ever worn on wet rock. Visit www.astraldesigns.com for more information.