OluKai
The day-to-day duties of a lifeguard are mostly a thankless one, until someone really needs them. They’re first responders of the beach; the ones who protect beachgoers and surfers from a day in paradise turning into a family’s worst nightmare.
The ocean is unforgiving and full of peril, which is why their work is just that important. No one knows this more than the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, the guardians who embody the spirit of aloha to keep watchful eyes on the islands’ 750 miles of combined coastline.
That coastline isn’t just soft, pink sand, either. Miles of shoreline is craggy, jagged, and rugged, scarred from millennia of volcanic activity. It requires rugged apparel for Hawaii’s lifeguards to stay at their best.
As the official footwear brand of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, OluKai knows what these first-responders need to stay on their feet.
Being a lifeguard in Hawaii requires shoes that are built for the beach, yet can handle the demanding terrain of Hawaii’s coast.
Part sneaker, part water shoe, OluKai’s ʻĀlapa Lī shoe is made from a patented Drop-In Heel®, remaining functional in all sorts of conditions. It gives feet flexibility while keeping them dry thanks to the moisture-wicking cover. Plus, the ʻĀlapa Lī’s ‘Wet Grip Rubber’ outsole stays strong and sticky to the surface for added traction on wet surfaces – IE, a rocky coastline.
From the fit and overall performance to breathability and traction, the HLA take these shoes through real field research—the actual gauntlet of lifeguarding. Hawaiian lifeguards provide recommendations and suggestions to properly shape footbeds and increase traction—it is this kind of rigorous testing that vastly improves final design of the product. These shoes are not just inspired by Hawaiian lifeguards, they’re thoughtfully constructed specifically to meet their needs from the slick rocky outcropping around Hanauma Bay, to the 25 foot swells of the storied North Shore.
No one grinds harder to ensure public safety by staying at their absolute peak like the members of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association.
Below, this mini-doc shows just how hard the brave men and women of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association train to keep at their physical and mental peak.
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The BroBible team writes about gear that we think you want. Occasionally, we write about items that are a part of one of our affiliate partnerships and we will get a percentage of the revenue from sales.