OTZ Shoes Review

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The intriguing story of OTZshoes started over ten years ago, in 2005 to be exact. When, Ludo Malmoux, founder and head designer of OTZ, came across an article written by Petr Hlavacek describing the oldest shoes ever found.

“I saw an article in National Geographic from 2005, which revealed the discovery of the Oetzi Man, a mummified Copper Age man found high in the Italian Alps in 2001. Amazingly the Oetzi man was found intact: his body was mummified. His kit of gear was on site, including his bow and arrows, copper ax, remnants of his apparel and most amazingly, his footwear.”

Oetzi, the iceman, has been carbon dated all the way back to 3300 B.C. It’s quite amazing to find such a prehistorically preserved and intact iceman, but what is even more remarkable is the construction of his shoes. The iceman’s shoes were made of deerskin stitched to a bearskin sole with an internal yarn woven net. They were crafted around the shape of his feet and stuffed with dried grass for warmth and comfort. To date these are the oldest crafted shoes ever found.

Inspired by Oetzi’s ingenuity, Ludo realized he could redesign this iconic shoe incorporating today’s trend, comfort and technology. What followed was the concept of OeTZI3300 shoes.

“I knew then and there that I had the nucleus of an idea that would soon become our OTZ (acronym for Oetzi) shoe brand.”

“We have re-mastered these basic essentials from the past in a fresh and relevant way. Our footwear is environmentally responsible and was created with the same understated complexities that run through Oetzi’s DNA promoting the art of well being.”

With a slight shift in name from OeTZI3300 to OTZshoes, the brand has become recognized worldwide and continues to gain incredible momentum daily.

“OTZshoes’ unique unisex shoe collection consists of sneakers, mocs, boots, and slip-ons that are available in suede, leather and canvas. Our shoes are crafted using top grain napa leathers and oiled suedes, and an insulating yet breathable stretch inner sock liner. Our cork footbeds are designed for premium comfort using our unique CORKfit and CorkLite cork footbed technologies that gradually mold to your feet creating the ultimate custom fit. The antimicrobial properties of cork combined with our soft suede cover, provides an unparalleled walking experience that compliments your everyday needs from the highs and lows of our multicultural metropolis to the many trails that path our majestic planet.”

Now that you know how OTZ was born and a bit about the shoes, let’s take a look at some of the questions I asked Ludo, and learn a few things that you can not find on the internet.

–What are some of the challenges you have faced bringing the OTZ brand to fruition?

“Introducing a new branding to a market already saturated with so many is a definite challenge but the difference with OTZ is that our product is SO unique. The design language has a natural feel and yet looks modern, this has allowed us to gain shelf space in Fashion, Comfort and Outdoor markets simultaneously. A great advantage to have as a brand not to discard that many of our shoes are unisex and appeal to a demographic ranging from young to old!”

–Since every shoe brand is generally recognized by their logo. What was the inspiration of the OTZ logo and does it stand for anything significant?

“Great question! Oetzi the iceman had 63 tattoos, the majority being vertical lines and a couple of plus signs!!… Our logo is exactly that, combining these elements and rendered in a modern and more aesthetic way typically branded on leather on the side of our shoes.”

–What persona are you trying to offer with the OTZ brand?

“I am a big fan of Modern and Minimalist Architecture, simple and healthy living in natures playground. You might deduct that the OTZ is a reflection of all these attributes, not trying to over complicate the design process but rather keeping it simple and purposeful.”

–Why design OTZshoes as minimalist and with a natural foot shape?

“My friend always says that our shoes feel like a Jacuzzi for your feet!, meaning so relaxing and comfortable. If your feet are comfortable and relaxed then it would make sense that the rest of your body and mind is going to follow suit!! That’s our number 1 goal, making shoes that feel like you have nothing on your feet. To do this we had to remove everything that is simply not needed (the backers, and glues) and rebuild the footwear closer to the natural shape of the foot using more expensive materials that can shape around our very complex and unique feet. This is what we call Minimalist Architecture as a frame-work to all our designs. Now its true that prior to starting OTZ I had herniated a couple disks in my lower back and elected the natural remedy of waking on the beach everyday over the surgical answers that were recommended. As it turns out your feet leave a beautiful contoured profile on the wet sand, which is what triggered the idea of creating a footbed that would do the same. BTW, I have not had a bad back since!”

–Are there any plans to expand the OTZ line beyond the current offering?

“OTZ is a Modern comfort brand that could just as easily be associated with clothing, food or objects!.. Our priority is to make sure we do the footwear thing great, but once we’ve nailed that lets have some fun!”

–What is your go to shoe and why?

“You’ll find that every shoe in our collection has a purpose based on our needs, When I ride my Triumph Scrambler I wear my Brogans, strong leather upper, Vibram rubber sole and an internal sock for maximum support and comfort!… but my everyday après shoe is the Espadrille in Linen. Lightweight, breathable and comes in many colors. I wear these casually everywhere and best when I’m flying as they are airport friendly… Over the last 6 months I’ve also warn the OG in suede when I’m kicking around the house and looking for a little more shoe with the same easy slip-on experience, and the white leather Pilgrim when I go out…It’s a very modern sneaker that wears super well with my APC jeans.”

–Outside of the office, what is your favorite thing to do?

“Not sure I can pinpoint one but lets just say that I got back last week from a 13 day motorcycle ride through Ladakh in the Himalayas with my 2 boys!. We rode the highest pass in the world at 18,300 Ft and lived with the local nomads!… I’ll take this kind of adventure over going to the gym any day!”

I was given the chance to try out four different styles of OTZShoes and will list them below. There are a couple of things that remain consistent in each style; all of them come with a cork footbed that provides extreme comfort to the foot and only gets better with time. They all have antimicrobial properties from the cork that reduce bacterial build up and allow you to wear the shoes with or without socks. And they are all minimalist and naturally foot shaped.

The OTZShoes ran one size to small for me across the board, so I would recommend buying one size larger than you normally do. They are designed to fit a bit snug at first and have a break-in period so that the shoe will conform to your unique foot shape.

Geta Leather Sandal

You’ll feel like you’re floating on clouds when you hit the beach side boardwalk in Geta Leather Sandal. The self-conforming EVA/cork footbed provides exceptional comfort on the sand and shore, and the leather upper offers a touch of class that most sandals don’t.

• Sandal Last.
• The self-conforming EVA/cork blended midsole provides a neutral position with a pronounced arch and toe grip for additional comfort. Our monogram rubber outsole co-molded with natural fiber jute for extra strength provides grip and durability.
• Full grain leather with a soft webbing toe post.
• OTZ tattoo branded on a suede patch as well as OTZShoes logo printed in white on a cork veneer.

Paso Leather Boot

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to tie your boots, but that’s where the Paso Leather Boot comes in. It has elastic panels on either side, so it’s easy to pull on when you’re in a hurry, and it boasts a premium leather construction that’s equal parts casual and subtly sophisticated, so you can take the Paso to work and then out for a night on the town when you’re done.

• Classic Last provides a premium fit with a natural foot shape.
• Our classic original OTZ injection molded TPU outsole. Sneaker forefoot tread design with outdoor round lug tread.
• Our CORKlite® patent pending removable footbed provides a fully contoured fit with maximum support. A pronounced arch and toe grip with heel cupping that will gradually conform to the foot in a neutral position.
• Premium unlined leather promotes “skin on skin” comfort with lateral and medial gore panels for easy fit.
• The OTZ tattoo is debossed on the lateral side and the OTZShoes logo and size are printed onto the cork footbed.

Brogan Vibram Leather Boot

The Brogan Vibram Leather Boots will provide you with years of natural foot shaped-friendly hiking. Waterproof leather and the instaFIT system form the upper sections of these attractive classic boots, while the CORKfit® cork and latex poured footbed helps to provide comfort and support throughout the day. If you find yourself with a heavy pack, you’ll really appreciate the heel PU cushion. The Vibram® Kettler rubber on the bottom ensures traction through all manners of terrain.

• Classic Last provides a premium fit with a natural foot shape.
• The classic Vibram® Kettler rubber outsole with extra large mountaineering tread design is ideal for hiking.
• CORKfit® cork and latex poured footbed provides a maximum support through the contoured design, arch support, heel cupping and toe bar. A heel PU cushion provides instant gratification while the antimicrobial properties of the cork cell structure makes these ideal for barefoot comfort.
• Premium unlined waterproof leather with our instaFIT system stretch sock provides additional support and comfort for a perfect fit.
• The OTZ tattoo is debossed on the lateral side and the OTZShoes logo and size are printed onto the cork footbed.

Espadrille Enzyme Washed Canvas

OTZShoes are modern comfort inspired by the design of the oldest shoe ever found.

As Ludo says, “Get yourself a pair of Espadrilles and make that your first step into comfort the way Oetzi did 5300 years ago.”

For more information or to purchase visit: www.otzshoes.com

OTZ can also be found on: www.amazon.com

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The video below shows Ludo, co founder Skip Murgatroyd and CEO, Bob Rief’s journey to the Alpine discovery site of Oetzi, making the circle complete. “What began as a magazine article, generated a unique brand, and brought us to very site where the inspiration for OTZ spent his last minutes. It was a heavy moment, one that will live for us for the balance of our lives.”