What's the Big Frigin' Dupe?! Identical Sneakers … Or Not?
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Welcome to our new shopping section, What's The Big Frigin' Dupe?!, where we explore the world of strikingly similar products on Amazon ... a.k.a. "dupes" in internet slang.
This first one is a doozy ... Two different brands of sneakers selling what appear to be the exact same frigin' product. The price is almost exactly the same. The specs are virtually identical.
So what's different?
Glad you asked ... Because us sleuths at TMZ have found the devil is always in the details.
(Don't worry ... none of these or any future products are knock-offs. They're just very similar in design.)
To be frank, the difference between these two products is almost non-existent ... and it exposes a common occurrence in retail.
Sometimes a manufacturer will produce pretty much the exact same product for two different brands -- with only things like color or stitching differing between them.
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It happens in the world of home goods and furniture all the time ... in fact, pointing out where you can buy the same crap for a better price point has become its own cottage industry (ahem).
Another version of this is "white-labeling" ... a practice made famous by retailers like Costco, which often buys its product from another company and rebrands it as their own.
But let's get back to our lil' puzzle above. In this instance, there doesn't seem to be a copycat ... just two brands competing in the same marketplace with very similar products.
But before you go looking for the big frigin' deal ... in this case there isn't one.
Whitin vs. Hobibear
Both products are currently priced very similarly on Amazon ... so your decision is all about color and minor differences in stitching.
Under our microscope ... the Whitin sneaker (above, left) had rounder laces and a more linear stitching than competitor Hobibear (above, right).
As you might have heard, so-called barefoot shoes are all the rage among health nuts these days ... claiming it increases foot strength and thereby reduces back pain and a host of other postural ailments. Gone are the days of Birkenstocks, for your average granola munching hippie ... now it's all about shoes with paper thin soles.
Both of these options offer a zero drop design ... meaning the thickness of the sole is the same from heel to toe. They also feature a foot shaped toe box that is suitable for wide feet. Barefoot evangelists claim these are the key design features you should look for in a healthy shoe. Although, your podiatrist might think differently about this all.
Whether you're a true believer or not ... the internet pretty much agrees these two brands of barefoot sneakers can't be beat when it comes to value for your buck (both are currently priced around $40 a pair).
Prices subject to change.
Hey Dude, Those Look Like Sanuks
Hey dude, if you're not all about that barefoot, trail mix crunching lifestyle ... but still want ease and comfort then some summer slips-ons might just be for you.
While the example, below, are not exactly dupes ... you gotta admit, they are pretty frigin' close.
Sanuk shoes ... you either love 'em or ridicule 'em. There is no in-between!
Unless ... you're a Hey Dude fan. In that case you're probably wondering which one has the better deal.
Depending on the colorway ... both shoes are almost identical in price as of publishing this article.
While neither are barefoot shoes ... people swear by these slip-ons because you can wear them with your bare feet. Which is a round about way of saying ... these heathens are wearing their shoes without socks!
Prices subject to change.
