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Blondo Glenda Review
Dress for the weather - you’ve heard it said since elementary school, but do you do it? As we dive into spring, you may be seeing a lot more rain than before. It’s important to have the right footwear that will prevent you from getting your feet soaked every time you go outside. If you’re thinking, “I’d rather look nice and get wet than look like a farmer in Wellington boots” - first of all, Wellington boots are a great #look, and secondly, who said you couldn’t stay dry and look nice at the same time?
With the Glenda sneaker booties, Blondo blends functionality and style seamlessly together (no pun intended). They use high-quality methods to ensure water resistance while also paying attention to appearance. The result is these modern, elegant, and protective sneaker booties that will keep you looking good and feeling good at the same time. Without further ado, let’s dive into their features in more detail.
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
- AquaProtect waterproof technology
- Hidden wedge heel
- Convenient zipper
- Versatile look
- Four color options
Cons
- One width only
- Runs a half-size small
Brand
To start off, we need to have a general idea of the brand so that we know what to expect from this product of theirs. Blondo was already a hundred-year-old brand in the mid-1980s, when it first started making stylish and waterproof leather boots. As a Canadian heritage brand, you just know that it’s reliable for protection against nasty winter and autumn weather. In 2015, it re-vamped its line to not only increase their function and durability, but also to step up their game in terms of fashion. Today, Blondo continues to value innovation, style, and function in their products. As a result, it has become a leading waterproof-boot company.
Colorways
Starting with the basics in their appearance, the Glenda sneaker booties come in four different upper colors. Firstly, like all shoes, they come in black. This is the go-to that can be paired with all outfits and that anyone can pull off. There’s also what they call “mushroom,” which is another solid color that’s like taupe. It is also versatile, but it’s less inconspicuous than black. The third and fourth options are camouflage and snakeskin, which are for people with a bolder, more daring style. Because these are patterns rather than solid colors, we recommend you pair them with outfits that are plainer. This way, the shoes act as a stylish accent and will not overwhelm the overall look. We recommend you wear them with black or denim for a fierce and fashionable look.
Convenience
The most noticeable aspect of these sneakers is the zipper down the front. There is no other accent on the uppers, which makes all the attention go to the zippers. However, they aren’t just there for looks - they actually have a really practical purpose. To slip these on, you’ll have to adjust the zipper closure. It's super convenient because you don’t have to sit down and tie and laces, which can be pretty stressful when you’re rushing in the morning and the laces are tangled and everything in the world is going wrong. As we said, it also adds to style; while velcro straps are just as convenient, they just don’t have the modest, modern look of a zipper. In short, the zippers are pretty great.
Lining
The lining of these sneakers is made of synthetic material. This is kind of a flaw of the shoe - but only kind of. Synthetics are great because they are cheap and keep the cost of the overall shoe down. However, they are not very breathable and can have a cheap and plastic-y feeling. Theoretically, synthetic linings could cause the accumulation of sweat and odor because they don’t wick away moisture from the foot, the way leather does. However, no customers have actually complained about a lack of breathability. True, if you’re wearing this pair in cold weather, you should be more concerned with insulation than with breathability. On top of that, a customer even said that this pair could be worn without socks, meaning the lining must be pretty comfortable and not so plastic-y after all.
Water Resistance
Moving on to the most important part about the Glenda sneaker booties - water resistance. As we said, Blondo prides itself in its rain-resistant footwear. These, like all Blondo boots, are authenticated by the AquaProtect seal, which basically assures you that high-quality waterproof materials with seam-sealed construction have been used in their construction. In other words, the seams are specially sealed to prevent water from seeping into the shoe, so puddle-splashing’ won’t get your socks dripping. On top of that, this technology protects the shoe from the harmful effects of calcium and salt, too. It also makes them quick and easy to care for, so scroll down to our “care” section to learn more about that.
Heel
These sneakers feature a hidden heel. At a glance, you might not see it because the white outsole appears flat. However, there is actually a wedge heel hidden in the shoe. The heel measures around 1.75 inches tall, and the platform measures around 0.75 inches. It adds a great (and subtle) boost to your height and has a leg-lengthening effect. However, it also kind of undermines their stability. Even though wedge heels are arguably the most stable kind of heels out there, it still can’t beat no heel at all. When walking on wet or snowy streets, those extra 1.75 inches might give you some trouble with walking. That’s why we would recommend this pair to women who are used to strutting in heels and for whom 1.75 inches is no problem, and not so much to women who usually don’t wear heels, even in weather that’s nice and dry.
Style
As a disclaimer, we’ll first point out that style is subjective. It’s all about personal preferences, so everyone will say something different and quite often unreliable. With that said, this pair ranks pretty high in style in our opinion. There’s just something in their simplicity that makes them look modest, modern, and elegant. The single zipper adds a nice eye-catching accent to the uppers. The wedge heel is subtle, and the sneaker bootie look is very versatile. They would look great with jeans and whatever coat you pick. Not to mention they also come in four different colors - two solid tones and two patterns - like we already mentioned in our “colorways” section.
Traction
Based on what their outsole looks like, we’d guess that they offer, at the very least, decent traction. The rubber outsoles have a waffle design that basically consists of little diamond shapes running across the entirety of the outsole surface. This pattern is good because unlike straight lines, they provide multi-directional grip that prevents slipping in all directions. However, it doesn’t appear to be very deep, so frequent wear might wear out the tread and decrease traction. In addition, the pattern is closed at the border, so when you step on water, it won’t actually trickle out to prevent slipping.
Size
Perhaps the only general flaw about this pair is their sizing. Finding the right size shoe is crucial to ensuring comfort. A too-snug pair could cause blisters and bunions, while a too-roomy pair could cause foot strain and fatigue. When you’re buying online, it’s hard because you can’t try on the pair to see if they fit just right. This pair makes it even harder because according to customers, they run half a size small. What’s more, they are offered in only one width, so if you have particularly wide or narrow feet, they may not fit well.
Care
AquaProtect gives this pair quick and easy maintenance. On their site, Blondo gives very specific instructions on taking care of their footwear, which is super helpful. They recommend you use a damp cloth to wipe off any dirt, calcium, or salt in order to preserve the uppers. They say that spray protectors for leather can be used on the suede uppers of the Glenda sneakers, but it’s recommended that you try the product on a small area of the sneaker before doing the whole thing. A small suede brush can clean the uppers efficiently, too. On the other hand, shoe polish and cleaners/protectors in vaporizer bottles are not recommended. Liquid silicons are also not recommended because they can penetrate the seams and neutralize what keeps them sealed, essentially breaking down the water-resistant properties.
Bottom Line
To summarize, the Glenda sneaker booties are a great example of the harmony of functionality and fashion. With their minimalist zipper accent and hidden wedge heel, they look great. But thanks to their AquaProtect technology and traction outsole, they are also practical and protective. The only major downside is that they run half a size small and are offered in only one width. This could lead to some problems with sizing, and you might end up with a pair that don’t fit perfectly. If you’re ordering online, it could make the process especially difficult. To make things easier, we recommend you check out Blondo’s size guide on their site. You could even go in-store to check out their fit before ordering online for a cheaper price. Overall, we think that this pair is super cute and practical for rainy spring weather!
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