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The best flip flops let you strut comfortably with breezy, barefoot-like freedom, keeping your feet cool and stylish for summer adventures.
We've been testing women's flip flops for over a decade, and we've worn over 50 pairs. We know you have many options to choose from, so we took these flips biking through cities, hiking on mucky backcountry trails, walking through rivers, and running daily errands, all in the name of helping you find the perfect pair.
Our favorite flip flops are the Olukai Ohana. No other model combines the comfort, support, and traction so seamlessly.
The best bargain is the Sanuk Yoga Mat. “I was just delighted by the squishy comfort,” noted one tester.
If you need more from your footwear than a simple flip flop and provide, we've also tested sandals for casual wear and outdoor adventures.
Editor's Note: On May 2, 2025, we changed our flip flop scoring and award winners to offer suggestions more in line with traditional flip flops.
The OluKai Ohana has been at the top of our rankings for nearly a decade. Why? It takes zero time to break in and feels amazing right out of the box. It's highly durable, the contoured footbed is soft, provides excellent arch support, and offers decent traction while walking on variable terrain. The design runs big and wide, so it's an excellent choice for those with meatier feet or wider toe boxes. If you have high arches that require solid support, this is for you.
The pricier Ohana is a flip flop for those wanting a more durable long-term option, and don't mind paying a few extra bucks for something that will last. Unfortunately, the durability of the footbed also causes it to be quite heavy, which your feet will feel after wearing all day. It takes some time to dry after getting wet, but the support you get from this shoe is fantastic, regardless, and it's sure to please your arches for years to come. “This is well-constructed, and I love all the fun colors it's offered in,” our tester said. We've tested it in several colors over the years. If you don't care as much about style, but you want something supportive, comfortable, and lightweight, check out the OOFOS OOriginal. The Sanuk Yoga Mat is a great option for comfort on a budget, though they'll do better lounging around a campfire than on an adventure.
Footbed Material: EVA (yoga mat material) | Weight (pair): 12.8 ounces
PROS
Made from yoga mat material
Comfortable
Wide straps
Very affordable
CONS
Lacks support
Subpar traction
Not good for harsh terrain
The Sanuk Yoga Mat is a fun twist on a simple flip. This soft, squishy shoe is made from yoga mat material and forms to the foot like memory foam with every step. Though it doesn't offer much arch support or any footbed contouring, the general squishiness of the footbed and the soft, wide straps make it feel like you are walking on a cloud. The straps are made of synthetic leather lined with a silky jersey material. They are smooth and malleable, ensuring you will be left without a blister in sight. “The stitching on the strap gives off a casual yet put-together look. I loved wearing this flip flop with almost any of my casual summer outfits,” remarked our tester.
Because the Yoga Mat is flat and lacks any footbed contouring, there is zero arch support. The footbed traction is surprisingly good, but the outsole traction is subpar. The general support this shoe offers works just fine for flat, easy terrain, but if the terrain gets technical, you'll want to reach for a more functional shoe. The Yoga Mat is meant for casual use. If you are looking for something to throw in your gym bag or backpacking pack or wear for a stroll down to the beach, this is a great option at a killer price. The Teva Olowahu is a decent alternative in the same price range. It has a bit more curb appeal but doesn't quite match the Yoga Mat in performance. Another reasonably priced option is the Cushionaire Luna Cork Footbed, which performed higher overall but is not quite as comfortable as the Yoga Mat.
The Birkenstock Gizeh excelled in every test we put it through. One tester noted, “This supremely well-made model offers exceptional support and stability and became more comfortable the longer I wore it.” We are impressed by the traction while hiking around on all terrain, and while the aesthetic isn't for everyone, most find it highly stylish. These shoes shine near water, with a solid grip on wet river rocks and ridiculously fast drying time. Plus, the raised sidewalls of the footbed protect the sides of your feet from abrasive sand and sticks.
The Gizeh is an investment, and you need to be prepared for a longer break-in period while the footbed molds to your feet. “The toe post is stiff and uncomfortable initially, but it softens with time. My feet adjusted to it after about a week of wear,” our lead tester said. Patients will reap the rewards with the most durable, comfortable, and supportive summer shoe. For a waterproof and more affordable version, check out the Birkenstock Gizeh Essentials EVA. While the EVA version doesn't offer as much overall support and comfort as the leather Gizeh, they do lend more traction and are comfortable right from the start. You could also check out the more budget-friendly Cushionaire Luna Cork Footbed, a comfortable flip with minimal traction but great looks and support, making them perfect for more casual wear.
The Birkenstock Gizeh Essentials EVA is a foam version of the classic leather and cork model. It's super lightweight, doesn't require weeks to break in, and retails for less than half the price of the leather version. If you've wanted the famous contoured Birkenstock footbed but prefer something that excels more in water, this is a great alternative. The adjustable strap holds the foot snugly while the raised sidewalls protect it from sand, rocks, and sticks. The EVA sole sticks to wet, slippery rocks and grips sandy hillsides with ease. The material is also impervious to water, making this a solid choice for gardening, beach time, and more.
The drawback of this foam version is that it's less durable. There's also less oxygen flow because of the design — it really cups the foot and holds it snug. This snugness makes it highly supportive and comfortable, but as our tester noted, “It can make funny sounds while walking if the footbed is wet or sweaty.” A light foam shoe likely isn't the one to pick if you want something to last for many years, but this is among the best water shoes we've tried for the price. If you're a fan of Birkenstocks, we recommend the leather version of the Gizeh or the Birkenstock Mayari for a sandal style.
The Birkenstock Gizeh Essentials EVA is an excellent flip flop choice for romping around in rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
The OOFOS OOriginal is marketed as “recovery footwear,” and by that standard, we think they absolutely nailed it. The thick, foam footbed is giving but firm, while the straps feel secure against the tops of your feet. The OOFOS patented footbed geometry claims to enable a more natural motion while cradling and supporting the arch and reducing stress on your feet, knees, and back. Our lead tester wore these shoes on the days following an ascent of Mt. Whitney when her feet and back were quite sore. “Compared to walking around barefoot, I had significant improvement in lower back and leg soreness while wearing these,” she remarked. If you are looking for a lightweight option to wear after long runs, hard workouts, or big days in the mountains, the OOFOS OOriginal should be at the top of your list.
The OOFOS OOriginal does exactly what it claims to do—it provides a comfortable, supportive, squishy footbed for your feet to rest and recover on. What it doesn't do is look cool. No matter what color, all of these look a little silly. “They're designed to be practical, not stylish,” laments our tester. If practical is what you are looking for, and you don't mind the bulky, foam aesthetic, these are a great choice. You could also try the Hoka Ora Recovery Flip, a similarly scoring option with a looser fitted strap.
The Oofos Ooriginal feels like you are walking on a cloud.
Credit: Brooke Hess
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Whether dressed up for a night on the town or scouting out flowers in mountain meadows, the Gizeh is a comfortable and stylish friend.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
How We Tested
Before we slipped any feet into these flip flops, we went to considerable lengths researching the market to select the best models available from an initial product pool of more than 100. Once we decided which ones to test, we wore them on countless outings from the city to the mountains to the beach. We waded across rivers and walked up dusty trails to a climbing crag, paying attention to key performance areas and details like support, stability, and traction. Our comprehensive review will leave you well-equipped with the knowledge you might need to acquire the perfect pair of flip flops. Our comprehensive testing was divided into five key metrics:
Comfort (30% of overall score weighting)
Support (20% weighting)
Traction (20% weighting)
Versatility (15% weighting)
Style (15% weighting)
For more details on our testing process, see our How We Test article.
Why Trust GearLab
This review is headed up by Brooke Hess, Penney Garrett, and Hayley Thomas. Brooke is a professional whitewater kayaker who spends the majority of her time romping around rivers in flip flops. She brought and tested these flip flops on wilderness river trips in Idaho, to climbing crags in the Sierra, and even wore them around camp the weekend she climbed Mt. Whitney! She tested them on mud, dirt, rocks, water, and just casually around town. Penney is a bit of a flip flop freak, preferring any excuse to remove her socks and get sun on her toes. An avid trail runner, skier, and climber, her feet are almost always on the transition from uncomfortable footwear to flip flops. Hayley travels around the US in her van with her partner and their two dogs. She is almost always traveling to and from the mountains, which inevitably involves many hours in flip flops. From hanging on the beach to hiking in the backcountry to walking around in rivers to city strolls, these flips got a chance to flop on all different kinds of terrain.
The beautiful and functional (though expensive) Birkenstock Gizeh out for a day in nature.
These fun and funky shoes are worth every penny.
While they are great on casual terrain, these flips fail to offer support and traction in more demanding landscapes.
Various flips for various adventures. Everyone has their own preference.
Analysis and Test Results
For many of us, that time of year when the weather turns warm enough to ditch the socks and break out the flip flops is a joyous occasion. If you need a new pair, you could just grab something cheap and plastic that will last a season or two, but we think your feet deserve better. Admittedly, choosing the right sandal is less important than finding the right trail running shoe or the best-fitting hiking boot, but opting for something with extra support, traction, and comfort can help keep your feet and joints healthy - especially if you spend a lot of time in open-toed footwear.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
Higher cost often correlates with better quality, but materials and features vary by need. Our favorite value options:
Sanuk Yoga Mat: It is cushy and easy to wear with — no breaking-in needed — and will hardly set you back at all.
Birkenstock Gizeh Essentials EVA: If you want out-of-the-box comfort but need a little more footbed support, this costs a bit extra but is also a more mindfully constructed shoe.
The Birkenstock Gizeh EVA excels as a water shoe.
Credit: Brooke Hess
Comfort
The requirements for keeping our feet healthy and happy differ from person to person, so assessing this metric is a multifaceted and involved process. Comfort is highly subjective, and the scores we award in this category reflect factors observed over time. We note how comfortable each pair of flips feels straight out of the box, how cozy they become after some breaking in, and how the materials feel in various situations and terrain. Our favorites for comfort showcase some very diverse shoes, each with its own appeal depending on your foot shape and preferences.
None of the flip flops we tested are uncomfortable, but some are more luxurious than others. Our favorite in this category is the OOFOS OOriginal. It is marketed as a recovery shoe, meaning it is built to be worn after long runs, strenuous workouts, or anytime your legs and back could use a break. It isn't very stylish, but if all you are looking for is comfort, you won't care how your feet look. This shoe feels like you are walking on a cloud. We also loved the OluKai Ohana. It certainly provides the “ooooh ahhh” factor more than all the others in our fleet. The Ohana has a super soft molded drop-in footbed inspired by the feeling of bare feet in wet sand. The arch support is in the exact spot you want it and feels perfect for a wide variety of testers' arches. Almost every single tester had a smile on their face and positive things to say the moment they slipped on this shoe.
The unique wet sand footbed of the OluKai Ohana is the perfect remedy after a long day of hiking.
Credit: Matthew Blake
A few close runner-ups are the Birkenstock Gizeh, Cushionaire Luna, and Sanuk Yoga Mat. The Birkenstock EVA/cork/suede footbed molds to your feet over time; when new, it can feel quite stiff and unfriendly, but you will be rewarded with some patience and perseverance. The contoured footbed and upturned sides hug the feet snugly, and the brushed leather on the footbed and the underside of the straps is soft and supple. The Gizeh has a hard rubber toe post that might turn people off of this shoe because it can be quite painful at first. But, at least for us, after a few long days of wear, it ceased to be an issue.
After the break-in period, the Birkenstock Gizeh is comfortable and supportive.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Another pair worth mentioning for its comfort is the Hoka Ora Recovery Flip. Just like the OOFOS OOriginal, this shoe is meant to be worn after long runs or big days in the mountains. The thick footbed provides a large cushioned platform that feels like a couch for your feet. The gripe we have with these sandals is the sizing. The strap feels loose on your feet, while the footbed isn't as long as we'd like. We read through numerous online reviews that had the same experience; however, all feet are sized differently, so it's possible these will work better for your feet than they did ours!
The Hoka Ora Recovery flip flops are great recovery shoes with a thick, squishy footbed.
Credit: Brooke Hess
If you love the design and contouring of the original Gizeh but would prefer an easier break-in period (or no animal products), the foam version of the same sandal, the Gizeh Essentials EVA, is also highly comfortable. The material doesn't feel quite as nice against the skin — especially when wet or sweaty — but the classic Birkenstock contouring is still exceptional.
Unlike traditional leather Birkenstocks, the Sanuk Yoga Mat and OOFOS OOriginal are all comfortable right out of the box. The Yoga Mat and OOriginal share the squish factor that makes you smile the second you slip them on. The Yoga Mat is made from actual yoga mat material, which, as you can imagine, feels like heaven, while the OOriginal is made of OOfoam Recovery Technology, a material specifically made to absorb more impact than your typical shoe.
The Oofos' squishy footbed feels like walking on a cloud.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Another notable mention is the Crocs Crocband. This flip flop is about as minimalist as it comes. There are no fancy bells and whistles on these Crocs—just a simple rubber footbed that feels good under your feet. The Teva Olowahu and Teva Mush II are also notable here. They are both made of lightweight EVA foam, ensuring they don't weigh you down. The straps come in all sorts of fun colors, and the footbed just seems to get more comfortable the more you wear them.
The Teva Olowahu comes in all sorts of fun color options and the footbed seems to mold to your feet over time.
Credit: Brooke Hess
The Clarks Breeze Sea is soft to the touch but firm and supportive, and it offers an adjustable thong strap. It requires zero break-in period, and the straps are gentle on the inside, ensuring that you never get a blister.
The Clarke Breeze Sea is comfortable and adjustable.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
Support
It's easy to think that support and stability aren't particularly important with a simple summer shoe, but a well-constructed flip flop with a good fit can mean happier feet and less potential for pain or injury over time. Just because sandals are minimal doesn't mean you need to sacrifice foot support completely. We test each flip on advanced hikes that ordinarily demand appropriate hiking shoes to push every pair to the limit. We climb rocks, trudge through mud, and navigate treacherously steep downhills, all to see how much support these flips can offer.
The Birkenstock Gizeh, Birkenstock Arizona, and Birkenstock Mayari, with their strategically contoured footbeds, are understandable winners in this category. Even before the cork-lined suede molds to your anatomy, you will notice how well it hugs each foot and supports the arch. The upturned sides keep the foot cradled in the footbed, so there is never a worry that you will slip off the edge when the shoe is wet or you're on uneven terrain. These qualities continue to improve as the Birkenstock footbed becomes broken in and personalized. The Gizeh has a slight edge on the Mayari and Arizona here, as the plastic toe post of the Gizeh provides a firmer and more stable base for steep hill walking than the soft leather straps of the Mayari and Arizona — which continue to soften over time.
The Birkenstock Gizeh performed surprisingly well while walking down steep talus to the climbing crag.
Credit: Brooke Hess
The OluKai Ohana scored just as well. They are superbly made with a drop-in footbed and a nice wide base. Our testers found the arch support of the Ohana to be the best by far out of all the sandals we tested.
The Cushionaire Luna and Cushionaire Lane Cork Footbed are also notable in this category. You get similar support from the footbed that you would get from Birkenstocks but with a little less height in the arch. The footbeds are quite a bit more cushioned than Birkenstocks, but the shoe probably won't last as long.
The Cushionaire Lane is very similar to the Birkenstock Arizona, but less than half the price and a shorter break-in period.
Credit: Brooke Hess
Another model that offers excellent support and stability is the OOFOS OOriginal. The highly cushioned footbed has a unique shape that offers more cushioning in the center of the foot and tapers out towards the toes and heel. This extra cushioning provides soft yet effective arch support right where you want it. Your back and legs will thank you at the end of the day.
The curvature of the outsole helps rock your feet from heel to toe with every step.
Credit: Matthew Blake
A few other runner-ups in this category are the Birkenstock Gizeh Essentials EVA and the Chaco Classic Flip. Both have a unique and supportive contoured footbed. The Gizeh EVA offers the same foot-hugging shape that Birkenstock is known for, just in a lighter, squishier package. The Chaco Classic Flip offers a firmer footbed with medium-sized arch support and a slightly concaved cup for your heel. However, this new version of the Chaco Classic Flip has an uncomfortable tag on the inside of each shoe's strap that rubs the foot. For this reason, we don't recommend the new version as much as older models of this sandal.
With a medium arch support, the curvy footbed of the Chaco Flip is great for the average foot.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
Traction
Often, people fail to think about traction when purchasing footwear they don't associate with hiking, running, or climbing. But if you're anything like us, you'll end up using your flip flops for impromptu hikes, crag approaches, or random scrambles. If that sounds like your lifestyle, then it's to your benefit to have a shoe that won't leave you slip-sliding all over the place and fearing for your ankles. All our tested sandals performed decently, but a handful of them rose to the top and impressed us with their extra stickiness. Traction performance is not limited to the bottom sole, also known as the outsole. It includes the top sole or the footbed, which is often forgotten about. Footbed traction can be compromised by the presence of moisture or steep inclines, so we took note of each flip's performance during muddy treks, river walks, and steep hikes.
While none of the options in our test suite offer a highly textured outsole, there are a few decent performers. The Birkenstock Gizeh, Gizeh Essentials EVA, Mayari, Arizona, and OluKai Ohana all offer good bottom and footbed traction. The Birkenstocks all have a very high lip around the entire shoe to keep your foot in place, and the textured sole prevents slipping and sliding. The Ohana has a thick, heavy sole that protects the bottoms of your feet from rocks and sticks.
The outsole traction on the Ohana is decent but we especially love the way the grippy footbed feels.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The Chaco Classic Flip has excellent bottom sole traction, and the footbed is decent enough depending on conditions. The footbed is very curvy and hugs the feet nicely, but the firm LUVSEAT PU material tends to get slightly slick when wet. We even found ourselves slipping around in the shoe a little while walking on wet grass. This may be due to some of our testers being between sizes and having to size up, leaving a little extra room to slide around. The newest version of this sandal has a large tag attached to the inside of the strap, which we found to be both slippery and uncomfortable.
The new version of the Chaco Classic Flip has a tag inside the straps that is quite uncomfortable and also negatively impacts the shoe's footbed traction.
Credit: Brooke Hess
The Clarks Breeze Sea doesn't have a particularly textured sole, but the material is stickier than you would think while walking around on wet river rocks and hiking up and down dirt hills. Unfortunately, the footbed of the Clarks Breeze Sea felt quite slippery when wet, and the raised platform of the footbed made a slippery heel much more consequential while walking on uneven terrain. The OOFOS OOriginal Sport and Sanuk Yoga Mat are very spongy, so they provide decent traction on uneven ground but not on wet, slick rocks.
The Clarks Breeze Sea have a little texture on the bottom to help with traction.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
Versatility
There is nothing wrong with wanting one tool for every job, but if you are an outdoorsy person, you understand that rarely can you control the elements. When you're out for what was supposed to be a dry, flat walk, sometimes your adventure takes a turn and has you crossing creeks or hiking through loose, steep terrain. While it can be nice to plan for these events and dress accordingly, it's even nicer when you just so happen to be wearing something that works on a variety of terrains. In order to test versatility, we make sure to walk through water in shoes that were clearly not meant for moisture and hike up scree in flips designed for more casual use. We also utilize each shoe for its intended use, but that is less exciting.
The OluKai Ohana is a well-designed shoe. It has a nice look to it, goes with various outfits, and can handle most terrain. Similarly, all the Birkenstock models can easily take you from the beach to lunch and back again without a hitch. You might even get away with wearing the Gizeh to a casual wedding. If you are like us and enjoy wearing sandals in as many climates and seasons as possible, you might find the Arizona to be the most versatile since it can easily be worn with socks.
Above-average traction and decent style make the Ohana a relatively versatile summer shoe.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The waterproof qualities and comfort of the Gizeh EVA make it a great flip flop for lake hangouts and city strolls alike. The Sanuk Yoga Mat does not have particularly great outsole traction, but we found that this was the shoe we reached for most often in our months of hands-on testing. It is of higher quality than your average plastic flip flop but casual and comfortable enough to wear with almost anything. On top of that, it is light enough to throw in your pack if you think you might need a second pair of shoes. It would have scored higher if it could truly handle more demanding terrain, but it is designed to provide cozy plushness and more than delivers in that department.
The Sanuk Yoga Mat is an easy casual choice at an affordable price.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The Clarks Breeze Sea is another semi-versatile flip flop as the fit is adjustable and comes in a ridiculous amount of color options. Some women experience swelling of the feet during their menstrual period or pregnancy, so the adjustable thong strap can come in handy more than you may realize. One of our testers sprained their ankle during our testing months and could still wear the Breeze Sea while recovering despite the bandaging and swelling. Now that's a flip flop that will really stick with you through thick and thin.
Adjustable strap make the Clarks Breeze a sure fit for any foot, even a broken one.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
The Chaco Classic Flip is another semi-versatile shoe. It can handle most uneven terrain as long as the footbed stays dry. Weighting only 7.6 ounces for the pair, they're pretty lightweight and highly durable, just as Chacos are known for. They offer good all-around support for most feet, so throwing it in your crag bag to slip on between climbs or your beach bag for your walk back to the car is pretty convenient.
Toss the Classic Flip in your bag for an active day or strut around town - you won't be disappointed.
Credit: Hayley Thomas
Style
The flip flops in this review represent a wide array of styles, from rugged and athletic to delicate and feminine. We poll a sizable group of women during our testing to generate our style scores as objectively as possible. The data we gather reveals a broad spectrum of opinions, but not surprisingly, the more athletic-looking flips end up lower on almost everyone's list.
It's probably no surprise at this point that the Gizeh also finishes very high in the style department. Although the look of Birkenstocks doesn't appeal to everyone, many find it to be a classy shoe that looks beautiful with a lot of different outfits. Be aware that a quality leather shoe like this one will take some breaking in. Don't get frustrated if they hurt at first because the longer you wear them, the more comfortable they will become. If you want the look of the Gizeh without all the hassle, consider the Gizeh Essentials EVA for a foam version.
The well constructed Gizeh gives any outfit a classic and timeless look.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The beautiful stitching on the footbed, hand-wrapped toe post, high-quality materials, and vibrant colors combine to deliver a truly lovely shoe in the OluKai Paniolo. We've seen this shoe after many years of use, and like any quality leather item, it gets more beautiful — and much softer — the longer it's worn.
The Paniolo is a well-constructed and comfy leather sandal that gets more comfortable with time.
Credit: Penney Garrett
The many-straps style of the Birkenstock Mayari isn't what everyone thinks of when they picture a flip flop, but it proved to be a big hit with many of our testers. The classic style of leather straps goes with just about every outfit, and the extra straps seem to take the Mayari up a notch from the aesthetic of the V-shape of standard flip flop straps. Our testers received loads of compliments when they wore this sandal. Similarly, the Birkenstock Arizona scored quite high in the style category. Walk down Main Street in any mountain town out west, and you'll spot numerous pairs of Arizonas.
From the crag to the city, the Birkenstock Arizona, Mayari, and Gizeh are all stylish in a variety of situations
Credit: Brooke Hess
The Sanuk Yoga Mat is notable here, too. It is a somewhat plain flip flop, but the synthetic leather, neat stitching, and checkered detail set it apart from your average rubber one. If you are in the market for a simpler flip flop, the Havaianas Slim and the Rainbow Single Layer Premier are available in tons of colors and rock a minimal look.
The Yoga Mat is a classic flip flop, but little characteristics like the detailed lining and synthetic leather strap give it a leg up in the style department.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The Teva Olowahu is an easy flip flop to love with cute interlaced straps and a cushy foam footbed. Whether you're sporting your favorite shorts, jeans, or a cute dress for the evening, the Olowahu can easily be dressed up or down. And when you consider the modest price tag, picking up a pair is practically a no-brainer. Fit-wise, we find that the pinkie toe tends to pop out the side on some foot shapes, so be aware that these straps, cute as they are, won't work for everybody.
The Teva Olowahu is a fashionable shoe at a good price point
Credit: Brooke Hess
A few runner-ups in this category are the OluKai Ohana, Clarks Breeze Sea, and Teva Mush II, all of which are offered in a variety of colors and won't detract from most outfits.
Birkenstock, Olukai, and Sanuk have all mastered the art of a stylish flip flop.
Credit: Brooke Hess
How to Choose The Best Flip Flops for Women
We've compiled four key considerations, including style, support, and budget, to help narrow your flip flop selection. This is a summary of our complete women's flip flops buying advice.
What Type of Flip Flop Do You Need?
While most flip flops are breathable and easy to wear, some are best suited for running errands around town, while others are best at the beach in and around the water. While most flip flops provide some level of versatility, it is worth considering what type of use you want out of your next pair. Flip flops such as Birkenstocks, which are largely comprised of cork and suede, are much better off as casual, everyday flip flops, while a flop made out of rubber and synthetic materials will hold up much better to activities around water.
Finding the right flip-flop will make your feet happy and ready for the right occasion.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Do You Need Foot Support?
Contrary to popular belief, flip flops can provide adequate foot support and help support the natural shape of your feet. For those with issues such as flat feet or pronated feet needing arch support and more supportive soles, look at the footbed shape, the material used, and the cushioning provided. Many flip flops come with moldable and contoured footbeds that help form to the shape of your feet. If you are less concerned about foot support and just need something for quick use, there are less expensive options that will work as well.
Is Traction Necessary?
Finding a flip flop you trust while hiking, hopping around river rocks, or just walking around town requires solid traction. Identifying traction characteristics such as the material and texture will help more adventurous folks find a trusty flip flop. Look for key characteristics such as the tread pattern/thickness of the outsole and the traction on the footbed to avoid moving around in your flops. If you plan to use your flip flops outside and around uneven, slippery terrain, it's a good idea to consider looking for a pair with adequate traction.
A flip-flop like the OluKai Ohana offers great traction and is ideal for scrambling on uneven, wet terrain.
Credit: Matt Blake
Is There a Break-in Period?
Some flip flops require a break-in process to shape and conform to the feet. Additionally, certain straps might feel stiff and tight initially, but through wear and use, they will break in and loosen enough to fit comfortably. Before deciding on a pair of flops, consider whether you have any trips or special occasions planned and have the time beforehand to break them in.
Flops such as the Birkenstock Gizeh will require some break-in but result in a comfortable, precise fit.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Conclusion
Finding just an ordinary pair of flip flops for warm weather is by no means difficult, but finding the right pair, complete with superior support, traction, and comfort, is a different story. Our expert team of testers put our contenders through many thousands of steps on all kinds of terrain to gain a deep and comprehensive understanding of each pair. And we do it all to ensure that you can make the best choice possible for your feet, your style, and your pocketbook. Maximize your spring and summer experience with some open-toed shoes that can handle every facet of a well-lived life!
Our footwear reviews don't stop at flip flops. We've also taken the time to assess everything from water shoes for women to an impressive lineup of the top women's trail running shoes and even women's slippers when it's time to get cozy. No matter what adventure is on the horizon, we can help your feet stay comfortable and supported.
