Gear Shop: OluKai

Phot: OluKai.com

Hawaii is one of my all-time favorite places (duh, everyone probably says that, right?). The landscape is so varied and rugged, the people are so faithful to their home and family, and the adventure options for an outdoor lover are just endless. So it's a no brainer that I'm a big fan of OluKai Footwear, a company with values and design principles based in the tight-knit community and island-swelling lifestyle of Polynesian culture.

They make footwear for someone wants to explore the beach and the jungle in the same day, even designing the soles of their shoes to mimic the way bare feet feel on wet sand. Each shoe is made with contoured footbeds for comfort and durability, so you can kayak out to your own little island and still be able to scramble around on the rocks when you get there.

Photo: Olukai.com

I just wish I could go back in time and gift myself a pair before I had actually gone to Hawaii! Next time...