Americans Willing to Forego Sex, Coffee and Sleep for Summer Shoe Comfort, Poll Reveals

FRISCO, TX--(Marketwire - August 9, 2007) - The National Weather Service has issued excessive-heat warnings in several states as a heat wave works its way across the U.S., and many are feeling the pain from the bottom, up. In a recent poll conducted by foot wear innovator SummerSoles.com, shoe discomfort caused by foot perspiration is so problematic that Americans are willing to sacrifice some of their favorite personal -- even intimate -- pleasures. This is among other findings uncovering the extent to which lives are impacted when summer turns up the heat on our feet.

In the most shocking revelation, 7.7% of those surveyed indicated they would "give up sex for one month" in return for a stay-dry solution that would allow them to wear any type of shoe comfortably in hot weather. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) said they would "give up morning coffee for one month," while the next highest group of respondents (15%) indicated they would "give up one hour of sleep each evening for one month."

The survey also found that hot weather-induced sweaty feet affect the types of shoes nearly 75% of Americans are able to wear comfortably, with over a quarter of respondents indicating their shoe style selection is influenced "very much." A full two-thirds of the respondents (67%) indicate some form of shoe slip, squish or smack as being problematic when wearing shoes in hot weather, while 30% of respondents indicate they experience all three footwear frustrations. Nearly a quarter of respondents (23%) singled out "slipping" as the most annoying offender, followed by "squishing" (14%) and "smacking" (7%).

"Feet slip completely out of sandals, closed shoes feel squishy and thousands of movie goers smack, smack, smack their way into theaters and malls as they search for an air-conditioned reprieve," notes SummerSoles.com founder and CEO Shannon McLinden. "We're not surprised that more half of the Americans surveyed indicated they're willing to go to great lengths to remedy such uncomfortable and embarrassing annoyances."

Dr. Adriana Karpati, DPM, FACFAS, finds that a majority of her patients suffer from some form of perspiring feet, particularly in the summer. She notes, "As these poll results reveal, sweaty feet are a very real problem for Americans, particularly as temperatures reach an all-time high in many regions throughout the U.S. However, such extreme sacrifices are entirely unnecessary, as easy and inexpensive solutions do exist. For one, I recommend SummerSoles.com's line of disposable, peel-and-stick liners. They wick away moisture when wearing sandals and keep feet fresh when going sockless -- even in topsiders or flats."

Summer Soles chic, removable peel-and-stick fabric strips were designed as a solution to these and other hot weather woes. They provide edge-to-edge shoe coverage, are completely removable with no sticky residue, and, for women, come in a variety of color and fabric and animal print pattern options ("Suede Softness" and "Ultra-Absorbent"). For men, Summer Soles offer "Ultra-Absorbent" fabric in the classic colors black and chocolate brown. They accommodate up to ladies size 11 and men's size 12 -- simply snip the heel to size, peel and place.

Beyond the untold millions who hate the seasonal "summer shoe squish," many suffer with plantar hyperhidrosis -- a medical condition signified by excessive perspiring of the feet. According to The International Hyperhidrosis Society, plantar hyperhidrosis is a condition that falls into the broader category of hyperhidrosis, which affects nearly 8 million people in the United States. Lisa J. Pieretti, Executive Director of The International Hyperhidrosis Society, has given the nod to Summer Soles, having noted, "Beyond the obvious discomfort caused by sweaty feet, or hyperhidrosis, the condition has other devastating effects on the millions of Americans who suffer in silence. We applaud SummerSoles.com's effort to help alleviate the isolation and embarrassment often caused by this condition."

Those wanting to learn more about the prevalence of sweaty feet, and the problems and solutions related thereto, can access relevant information resources online at www.sweathelp.org.

Summer Soles retail for $7.95 U.S. or 3-pairs for $21 U.S., and are available to consumers at www.SummerSoles.com and select boutiques across the country.

About SummerSoles.com

Foot care innovator SummerSoles.com is headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The company manufacturers and markets "Summer Soles" -- chic, one-of-a-kind peel and stick fabric insoles uniquely designed for discreet, stay-dry comfort in both women's and men's sandals and other open shoes as well as most closed footwear fashions. The company also offers "Farm Fresh Fine Foot Scrubs" -- vintage inspired fine grain sea salt scrubs uniquely infused with rice bran oil that come in three nostalgic scents: Early Apple, Sweet Cream and Whipped Honey. These product lines are available online at www.SummerSoles.com or by calling the company toll-free at 1-888-773-9626.

Note to Editors: If you would like to try a FREE sample of Summer Soles stay-dry fabric shoe liners, or to speak with the visionary company founder and product developer Shannon McLinden, or podiatrist Dr. Adriana Karpati, please contact me at merilee@kerncommunications.com or (858) 577-0206; for product trials, please include complete shipping information.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Merilee Kern Kern Communications 858-577-0206