It's a tough job to have to stroll through beautiful places for several months in multiple different pairs of top-of-the-line flip flops, but someone has to do it. Through multiple seasons and weather patterns in the Rocky Mountains, Europe, Yosemite Valley, the Sierra Nevada, and beyond, we walked, belayed at the crag, the beach, the grocery store, public showers, and everywhere in between. We navigated chilly rivers, desolate deserts, and urban sidewalks while paying close attention to every aspect and nuance of each unique design.
Feet are a funny thing, and as great as a pair of flip flops might be for one person, they may be a disaster to someone else. We kept this in mind as we tested each pair on varied terrain and with different sized and shaped feet. Ultimately only you know what will be perfect for your own body, but we aim to provide enough guidance to help you make the right selection, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the choices.
Comfort
Comfort is highly subjective, and no one can tell you for certain what you will and won't like. But some things are pretty universal, like the fact that soft, supple materials feel good on the skin and rough, sharp ones don't. We assessed the comfort of all our flip flops from varying perspectives, noting how comfortable each pair was right out of the box, how it felt over time as we broke it in, and how each one felt when wet, sweaty, or dirty.
While we don't have a dedicated metric for fit, fit is yet another major detail that we paid close attention to — both when assessing comfort and when noting the attractiveness of each pair. For example, some straps don't work with certain people's toes, and some of the narrower models, beautiful as they may be, simply don't look good on a wide foot. These details are all discussed in each review.
Support
With something like a hiking boot, you expect support and stability to be discussed and tested, but with minimal footwear like a flip flop, it's an aspect that's often overlooked. There are tons of options out there for bargain bin prices that will break within the year and offer next to nothing when it comes to support. But with a bit more research and a few more bucks, you can get something that will actually support your feet while helping you feel stable and secure from the side walk to the shower to the crag. We tested this and many of the other metrics by taking our flips out into scenarios that, frankly, they had no business being in! We walked submerged in water, used logs as balance beams, scaled rock faces, and belayed our partners during hot days in the dust. By pushing the boundaries of what this kind of shoe is normally used for, we were able to gain a deep understanding of the strengths and limitations of each pair.
Versatility
Having the right tool for the job is important, and while flip flops may seem like a casual shoe choice, being prepared for any situation can prove valuable. Some shoes in our test suite are designed for the wilderness, while others are meant for strolls around the neighborhood. To truly test versatility, we took the brunch shoes out of their element and the adventure shoes out to brunch. We were pleasantly surprised with how some of the minimal flips performed, and we were especially impressed with how some of the fashion-forward flips fared in the elements. The adventure models in the city performed just fine, but they often didn't look right unless we were sporting activewear. Take a moment to think about what you want out of your flip flops. If your answer is everything, then look at our models that scored highly in the metric, and you won't be disappointed.
Style
We polled close to 20 women, asking them to rate our tested flops in order from most to least stylish. No surprise, opinions varied, but there was an overall trend that was pretty undeniable. We created two different point systems to calculate our poll results, and the outcome between the two came out almost identical. In addition to that, our testers paid attention to the models that turned more heads and garnered more compliments from strangers.
Traction
Traction was also a two-fold assessment for us. We paid attention to how well the outer sole kept us connected to the ground, as well as if our feet stayed secure within the footbed when both wet and dry. It almost doesn't matter how sticky the bottom of a flip flop is if the footbed allows you to slide all over the place. Besides our water tests, we hiked up and down the stairs, through muddy puddles, along rock ledges, and played around on all manner of logs in order to determine the flops that gripped the best.
Be sure to check out our main Best in Class review for an overview of all our award winners and top performers. If you want more technical details regarding features, you might want to prioritize how a flip flop should fit your foot or what type of material you might like best, check out our Buying Advice article.