beuller....ha.
i havnt tried them but are you referring to the zhik hiking system that has the boots and hiking strap that "lock together?" I'm interested in this system even though I just spent money on different boots and a different strap. *gasp* mismatching!
oops...saw that just after I posted. Sorry. Oh hey wait! the barefoot thingies do have the interlocking skin stuff on top. sweet. It looks like most if not all of zhik's boots lock with the strap. hmmm..it may be time for a new investment.
I have the boots and strap system, but a friend of mine has the barefoot boots, and I plan on ordering some this next week. The interlocking material is a definite plus and it helps a TON! I love Zhik products, if only their life jackets were legal.....
If you use the ankle straps the boots stay put and don't slide down. The APS site has the straps at an extra cost but they came included when I bought my boots last year. I can see that without the straps the boots might not work as well.
The main problem that I found is that they seem to wear out quickly. The soles of mine were falling apart after a couple of months of sailing. They were still usable for a while, but now, after six months of use, they are ready to be thrown out.
I did really like them while they lasted though so I'll probably buy another pair and see if they last longer. They are the closest thing you can get to sailing barefoot, but with that little bit of protection.