It always comes down to quality.
The only reason I've owned so many pairs of these
sandles is that I'm hard on shoes -- and the warm weather in Arizona means I wear these all the time. Besides being classic in appearance, they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever slipped on my feet! When I heard a rumor that
Bass would no longer exist, I began tracking down stores where I'd bought these before; luckily, I was directed to Zappos.com from a Netscape search and I've ordered two more pairs.
Just this week alone, I've been asked twice what kind of shoes I was wearing and where they might be purchased! I've seen knock-offs, complete with a little brass tag on the strap, but nothing comes close to these
Bass sandles. I hope I never have to do without a source for them.