Contact Information: CONTACT: Merilee Kern Kern Communications 858-577-0206
Americans Willing to Forego Sex, Coffee and Sleep for Summer Shoe Comfort, Poll Reveals
A Sticky Situation: SummerSoles.com Poll Finds Majority of Individuals Suffer With Annoying Shoe Slip, Squish and Smack in Hot Weather
| Source: SummerSoles.com
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.