Distaste for crocs just strikes me as a stupid fad and I don’t even wear regular crocs. I do like the crocs flip flops that are single piece construction because they last an order of magnitude longer than standard flip flops and the plastic material they are made of of is easy to clean and doesn’t hold odor like so many other types of materials that flip flops and sandals are made of.
I think it’s just a reactionary backlash to their popularity. It’s the fact they suddenly showed up everywhere all at once, were something new that departed sufficiently from older flip flop designs and created a divide in taste. I fell into that trap myself but we buy them for our kid and they’re awesome! My next flip flops when my current ones die will probably be crocs. I wouldn’t wear them anywhere I wouldn’t wear flip flops though.
I had some and couldn’t stand them. The material would pull my foot hair, and they reminded me of orange peanut candy. And the squishiness didn’t feel foot-shaped, to me. It just felt like mush. I need arch support and a firm platform. So I hate on them because they strike me as foam toys rather than shoes.