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.
Fair point, I actually mainly wore flip flops and preferred Reef and now Ulukai Olukai. Those checked almost all my boxes, though none of those give a firm enough platform compared to good walking shoes, so I shouldn’t hold that point against Crocs.
Edit: I mixed up Olukai shoes with Ukla Uukha archery gear, oops.
Edit 2: I mixed up Uukha with Ookla. /facepalm