Crocs are one of the most popular types of shoes in the world today.
They are light, comfortable, versatile, unique, and even customizable.
The only challenge is that they aren’t the most durable. They can easily be damaged, and the strap, in particular, is a weak point.
If you need to know about fixing broken Crocs, then you’re in the right place.
Here is all you need to know about how to reattach or repair a broken Crocs strap and make your crocs usable again.
A Detached Rivet
One of the most common issues with croc straps is that the plastic rivet that keeps the strap connected to the base of the shoe often comes undone.
This can happen after a lot of use when the socket that holds the rivet starts to wear out or it can happen to a brand-new pair of Crocs shoes if too much force is applied to the rivet and it’s yanked out of its socket.
First, you need to check the condition of the socket that the rivet is connected to.
In some cases, the socket will be fine, and the rivet will be intact as well, and it has simply come out of the socket. In other cases, the socket can be slightly torn, which causes the rivet to come undone.
In both situations, the repair process is the same. Using some good quality shoe glue, super glue, a glue gun, or EVA glue, you can stick the rivet back into the socket.
If the socket is torn, then you will first have to glue the socket together so the rivet will fit tightly inside. Then, you can glue the rivet back into place.
Another solution is simply to make a new shoe hole and install the rivet. This can be tricky to do on some shoes because the length of the strap and/or the design of the shoe will limit how far the new hole can be for the strap to still be usable.
It might be your only option if the original hole is torn beyond repair.
To make a new hole, simply make a small slit with a knife on the shoe so that the rivet can fit snugly inside the slit.
Snap the rivet in place, and you will be good to go. If it still looks a little loose, you can apply a bit of glue to ensure a strong bond between the two surfaces.
A Broken Rivet
Crocs are incredibly tough.
They can withstand a lot of use. You could drive a car over them and still wear them after.
But the rivets on the straps are not quite as durable, and they are prone to breaking easily. In fact, the rivets are designed to break quite easily—it’s a safety mechanism.
If your strap gets stuck to something, the rivet will break, and you won’t get your foot caught and trip. If the rivet was stronger, it wouldn’t break, and the chances of tripping and falling would be much higher.
However, there is a solution to broken rivets.
Essentially, the rivet is just there to hold the strap in place and make it possible to move it above or behind your ankle. You can replace this with any other kind of connector that will allow this movement.
For instance, you could use cycle chain bolts to connect the strap and the shoe or you could use regular Chicago bolts to hold the strap and shoe together.
Both of these will allow rotation of the strap, and you can easily find something that fits the size of your shoe.
If you want to go the extra mile, you could get replacement rivets for your shoes.
Several third-party manufacturers provide rivet sets in all kinds of shapes, styles, and sizes that will fit different types of Crocs.
These simply snap together—you put one end through the inside of the shoe and one end through the outside of the strap and snap them together to repair Crocs.
A Torn Rivet Hole
The rivet hole on the strap or the rivet hole on the shoe can also be torn.
The strap will come undone, and you could lose your rivet.
Remove the rivet and have a look at the tear. If the entire socket is in place but torn in one area, it can be fixed. If the socket is torn in such a way that a chunk of the socket is missing, you will need to get a replacement strap.
If there is a simple tear in the socket, use some EVA glue and stick the torn parts together. Make sure you clean the surface before applying the glue, as it won’t adhere properly if there are contaminants on the surface.
When the glue has cured, and the tear has been fixed, reinstall the rivet, and you will be good to go.
A Broken Strap
Another common issue is that the strap tears from close to where the rivet is.
In some cases, the strap can tear right from the center, but the fix is easy as long as you have both ends of the strap and some basic tools for these DIY projects for your torn Crocs.
Using scissors, snip off the jagged ends of the strap, so you have a flat surface to glue back together.
Apply some EVA glue to both ends and stick the two ends together. Let this cure and bond, and then reinstall the strap to the shoe.
Final Thoughts
The Crocs shoe is easy to fix, and you don’t need any fancy tools or equipment for the job, and you don’t need to take them to a shoe repair store.
When using EVA glue to repair torn Crocs or a broken strap rivet, use gloves and a glue spreader to avoid getting any on your skin. EVA glue is the best option because it adheres to the material used in Crocs.
Using adhesives like superglue or rubber glue is a good option, or even a hot glue gun works to repair damaged Crocs.
Even if you have lost some shoe components, you will find replacement parts online from the Crocs company or your nearest footwear store.
