Put Your Pickleball Game in a Nomadic State of Mind
Anyone who ’ s played pickleball knows that the right footwear can make all the difference both on and off the court , and Chris Anderson , owner of Nomadic State of Mind , has been laser focused on off-the-court footwear for more than 20 years .
Anderson took up pickleball about 8 years ago after a shoulder injury limited his racquetball addiction and his local club had just adopted the new , growing sport .
“ I was going nuts not being able to play racquetball , so I showed up at the gym to try my hand at pickleball ,” he said . “ I couldn ’ t use my dominant right arm at all at this point , but with such a light paddle , and being mostly ambidextrous , I started playing lefthanded and loved the game instantly .” Then it became a father-son activity , much like his business . Chris ’ dad had to stop playing tennis , when Chris found pickleball he tried to introduce his dad to it immediately , knowing it was easier to move around the court than tennis . His dad at first seemed uninterested , “ that ’ s for old people ,” he said . Finally , after some pushing , Chris ’ dad went out to play , and now plays every day , and when Chris comes home , he joins his dad in his pickleball pickup games .
As someone who has been making zero-waste rope sandals for decades , Anderson also discovered that his unique brand of sandals was perfect for sore and swollen pickleball feet coming off the court .
“ Most people like sandals . For me , as soon as I get off the court , I take off my constricting sneakers and get back into my sandals ,” he said . “ For pickleball players , we now offer all sorts of different types of sandals , from our Global Nomad sport sandals , which consists of two layers of EVA ( built just like sports sneakers ) and a vibram sole . This sandal is our most versatile and super tough . Our other sandals offer freedom , flexibility , and comfort as well .”
Nomadic State of Mind offers dozens of regular sandals , vibram-soled versions and their Global Nomads , which are two layers of EVA under one layer of rope and geared for sports . They don ’ t soak up water , are cut just like a running shoe , and the vibram is as light as air . Anderson said the Global Nomads are the most lasting sandals that he makes and assembled in his home state of North Carolina .
“ Global Nomads are for everything . I was a rafting guide in Colorado and we ’ d wear them in the river , in the mountains ,” he said . “ In Florida , New York or North Carolina where I now play pickleball , they ’ re equally up to the task of everyday use .”
Not only are Nomadic State of Mind ’ s sandals some of the most comfortable options for your feet , they ’ re also some of the most socially-responsible products on the global market . After obtaining his degree in social work , Anderson ventured to Nicaragua to start making a difference . He ended up hiring six people to work for him 20 years ago . Today , Nomadic State of Mind has 60 people working together and their contributions to Nicaragua range from building homes to plans for a community park in the near future . The recent project of the global nomad which requires machinery ( all the other sandals are handmade ), he began assembling those sandals in North Carolina and started another facility .
“ We did it slowly and it worked ,” Anderson said . “ We now have a global brand that is fair labor , environmentally conscious and appeals to pickleball people who value social responsibility and environmental responsibility . Those responsibilities are built into everything we do , and check out all the rope art we make from our sandal scraps ”.
For more information on all of Nomadic State of Mind ’ s sociallyresponsible , sustainable , zerowaste sandals and other rope products , go to their website at nomadicstateofmind . com . You can also call them at 781.816.3030 or email them with any questions at peace @ nomadicstateofmind . com . You can also find them on Facebook , Instagram , Youtube and Pinterest .
OCTOBER 2021 | MAGAZINE 67