Archies Review

The Archies are a solid, basic shoe designed by healthcare experts to maximize arch support and relieve foot pain. The construction is more durable than your average flip flop, but remains lightweight and low-profile. The design works well wet or dry and even floats if you wanna take them to the lake or a body of water without losing them. We love that they're available in bold and neutral colors, depending on your preference, and think they provide great performance at an affordable price.

Comfort

The Archies design is comfortable as soon as you put them on; however, they just get better as you break them in. Depending on the size of your foot, the toe strap can feel pretty tight; however, it stretches and molds to the shape of your foot within just a few uses. The closed-cell foam and EVA material provide extra cushioning for your feet, as well as support for a high arch. They are not available in half sizes, and we recommend sizing up if you are in between.

While the toe strap can feel a little tight at first, we do appreciate the security it provides when we're running errands around town. The tighter toe also helps support the feet, so the muscles aren't overworking and tiring out enough to cause any discomfort. While we won't recommend running around in your Archies all day, every day, they are great for running a few errands, showering at the gym, around the campsite, or to your best friend's BBQ. We wore them while belaying a climbing partner.

Support

This is where the Archies really shine. These flip flops were designed by health care experts to optimize your whole-body posture, starting with your feet. Over one inch of foam is designed to aid in heel pain relief, especially for those who struggle with plantar fasciitis, effectively alleviating pain and discomfort through a supportive arch and a tighter toe strap that holds the foot in place. While you shouldn't expect the performance of a supportive orthotic, they are certainly a step above your average flop.

We're not podiatrists, so we can't speak to relief and support for every manufacturer claim, but we can tell you that after straining our Achilles, it was nice to wear the Archies to change it up from a shoe with a back that would press into the Achilles without losing support. Overall, the one inch of squishy foam that foams to your foot shape ain't bad and much more supportive than your standard flat flip flop.

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Versatility

Our testers love that the Archies design features a lightweight closed-cell foam and single-piece construction. We experienced less breakage than we typically encounter with a more affordable flip-flop design. They are small enough to toss in a bag, so whether we were showering at the gym after our workout or running errands around town, these shoes were easy to slip into.

They aren't exactly what we would wear to dress up for a wedding or a fancy occasion, but we love all the bold color choices that allow you to make a statement or find a color that blends. And they're affordable enough that we would consider getting them in multiple colors. Because they're so lightweight, they're easy to pack for a backpacking trip or throw into your gym bag for the shower, and we'll admit we wore them around several climbing crags to avoid putting on our approach shoes between pitches. While not exactly a fashion statement, the Archies have a slim, understated profile and are very functional wet or dry.

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Style

Similar to other metrics, the Archies are just a step above your average flip flop but are available in a wide array of fun color choices. The shoe features a smooth surface, making it look a little more high-end, while the thicker foam makes you feel a little more put together than a thin, flat design.

While not the most stylish design that we tested, we did receive some compliments when we were out on the town. That said, these flip flops really shine because of their customizable comfort, arch support, and modest price tag.

Traction

To determine the overall traction of each design, we tested these flops based on how well the outsole performed and the support/grippiness of the footbed. On dry rock ledges while belaying between routes, we noticed how grippy the Archies outsole was, in addition to the level of security that the tighter toe strap provides. The tiny lug pattern on the bottom of the shoe provided an above-average performance for a foam shoe.

Once the Archies got wet, it was a slightly different story. The design is just a step up from your average flop and provides the best performance when dry. While the outsole still provided decent grip when wet, the footbed was quite slippery; however, the tight toe strap helped to keep our feet in place. While walking trails in Spain after the rain, the Archies didn't perform as well on muddy, slippery surfaces, but we remained on our feet. They may not be trail-ready, but we wouldn't hesitate to wear these into a public shower at the pool without concern about taking a fall.

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Should You Buy the Archies?

If you're after an affordable, low-profile flip flop design that provides a little extra comfort and support, the Archies are a great choice. They're great to use in public locker rooms, as a rest-day shoe, or when you need to slip on something easy to run errands around town. Although the toe strap can feel a little tight at first, the stretchable toe straps mold to your foot shape after just a few uses and become more comfortable over time. The tighter fit also helps provide some extra security and support for your feet.

What Other Women's Flip Flops Should You Consider?

If you're after another affordable design, we also recommend options like the Sanuk Yoga Mat II, which won't parallel the arch support of the Archies but also feature a thick and squishy foam that's super comfy to wear straight out of the box. Although not as affordable, we also love the OluKai Ohana that has more structure and style points, along with a supportive arch and squishy foam footbed that are even better for all-day comfort. If you're after the very best design in terms of all-day support and style, check out the Birkenstock Gizeh.