The best flip flops for walking have a few notable additions that help set them apart from your standard foam-and-plastic versions for summer beach bumming. Features such as a moulded or zoned footbed, a chunkier and grippier outsole, and soft straps will all aid comfort levels when walking.
While the best flip flops for walking are designed to deliver higher levels of comfort, there's only so much support and protection this style of shoe can muster. You should swap to a pair of the best walking sandals or even the best walking shoes for men / best women's walking shoes for more strenuous walks or trickier terrain.
However, flip-flops can be a great choice when only the easiest, breeziest footwear will do. If you're headed to the beach, check out T3's best beach tents and best cool box guides.
The Olukai Ulele flip flops are ideal for versatile outdoor use, offering excellent grip, support, and comfort. They float, but may feel narrow for those with wide feet.
Keen's Waimea flip-flops offer enhanced support, cushioning, and protection with an EVA midsole, signature toe bumper, and heel cup, and provide good traction and durability.
Columbia Kea II flip-flops excel in comfort and ergonomics with Omni-Grip rubber soles for traction and Techlite EVA midsoles for shock absorption. Great for longer walks.
The Seasand HP 2 flip-flops, designed for calm seaside use, offer good grip and comfort with a synthetic upper. They incorporate recycled materials and provide secure foot support.
Merrell's Terran Post II flip-flops are comfortable with nubuck leather, neoprene, and microfiber. They look great but may mark easily. Sizing runs small and wide, ideal for wide feet.
Hurley's old-school flip-flops feature a plastic rubber upper and diamond-shaped lugs for better grip. They offer some cushioning but cause feet to slide, suitable only for short strolls.
The Olukai Ohana flip-flops are water-resistant with a padded EVA footbed for all-day comfort. They feature a soft nylon toe post and quick-drying straps, but some might find the straps stiff.
The Birkenstock Gizeh flip-flops are durable with buckled leather uppers and a wide, deep, cork-contoured footbed. They're comfortable, stylish, and ideal for everyday summer walking.
FitFlop iQushion Ergonomic Flip Flops offer excellent walking comfort with air-foam cushioning and 'impact pillows' at high-pressure points. They support all foot types, come in various colours, and are very affordable.
Best overall
The best walking flip flops for most people are the Olukai Ulele flip flops. The brand's 'most technical sandal yet', the Ulele is built for versatile outdoor use, and that includes walking. The rubber outsole is designed to retain its grip on wet surfaces, with razor sniping (those thin cuts all along the rubber) to improve traction.
A moulded footbed with cupped heel and shaped arch provides decent foot support and keeps your foot securely in place as you roam, while the EVA cushioning absorbs impact for comfort over longer periods. They float, too! Reviews are overwhelmingly enthusiastic, although a few found the fit a bit narrow and tight, so that's something to be aware of if you have wide feet.
Best foot protection
These fancy flip-flops from American sandal specialists Keen are secured by a single piece of webbing between your big toe and the rest of your pinkies in the classic style, but they supply enhanced foot support and cushioning, thanks to an EVA midsole – a rare inclusion indeed in such a shoe.
In another departure from traditional flip-flop design, the Waima also provide proper protection for the sensitive parts of your feet: Keen’s signature toe bumper is included on these flippers, so you’re shielded from stubbing injuries (always a worry when wearing flip-flops), and there’s a heel cup that cradles the back of the foot.
The contoured outsoles offer really good traction (and even some braking control when going downhill), and they’re thick, too, to guard against any puncture injuries when you’re walking on sharp rocks, sticks or stones.
The piece of webbing between the toes is wide and comparatively comfortable (compared to the sharp plastic often encountered on cheap flip-flops), and the lined full-grain leather upper is also comfortable against the skin (and extremely hardwearing – these should last for ages). The toe bumper does reduce the feeling of freedom slightly.
Best for women
We highly rate the Columbia Kea II flip-flops for walking. They may look understated, but these are a cut above your average flip-flop both ion terms of comfort and ergonomics. The main event with the Kea II is Columbia's Omni-Grip rubber sole, which dishes out enhanced traction when you’re heading off-road or traipsing over slippery surfaces.
On top of this, Columbia’s Techlite EVA midsoles ensure better shock absorption and energy return with each step. The enclosed, wrap-around toe post doesn't irritate or rub, either. These are brilliant flip-flops for even considerably longer strolls. Beware when you order that we found these sized up small, although not as small as Merrell's Post II.
Read our full Columbia Kea II review.
Best for the beach
The Seasand HP 2s are probably one of the least technical pieces of kit produced by hard-core Norwegian outdoor equipment and apparel brand Helly Hansen. They tend to specialize in stuff that will keep you alive in the frozen extremes of the mountains and on the high seas.
These classic style flip-flops are designed for far calmer seaside experiences and low-level strolls, but there is more going on here than first meets the eye. They do offer a pretty good grip, thanks to a zig-zag serrated pattern on the soles, and the upper (including the wide toe divider) is constructed from a comfortable synthetic material that doesn’t rub or make your feet sweat.
This one-piece upper grips the top of your foot really well, thanks to the way the sidebands are angled, and these flip and flop around much less than cheaper, more basic models. There’s nothing particularly revolutionary about these flip-flops, but they do what’s asked of them very well, and – impressively – over 80% of the upper and 30% of the rubber sole is made from recycled materials.
Most comfortable
Merrell's Terran Post II flip flops are supremely comfortable, with nubuck leather, neoprene and microfibre all doing their part to hug and cushion your feet in the most delightful way. They look fantastic, too, although the soft nubuck sole tends to mark after a while, and they're not the most breathable flip flops you can get.
Sizing is a slight issue; we've found them to be too small, and while you order a size up you'd probably find them too wide. It's this oversight that's holding the Terran Post II off the top of this list. However, if you have wide feet and don't mind going a size up, then you should be perfectly happy with them.
Read our full Merrell Terran Post II review.
Best cheap
Made to an old-school design, with a plastic rubber three-point upper that punches right through the sole, it takes quite a while for your feet to get used to the toe divider on these flip-flops, made by British brand Hurley (best known for their highly-regarded deck shoes).
There is a bit of cushioning in the sole, and the outsole has decent diamond-shaped lugs that supply significantly more grip and traction than really cheap flip-flops, but we found our feet slid around on the top of the base section (which was a bit annoying). It’s possible to do very modest-length strolls in the Hurleys, but no hikes.
Best arch support
The Olukai Ohana comes in women's and men’s versions. These are water-resistant, so perfectly happy on the beach, and feature a padded, smooth-touch footbed that’s ideal for day-long wear. The footbed itself is made from moulded EVA and dips smoothly towards the toes to deliver an anatomical fit. These flip-flops will continuously boost your walking comfort, fitting closely to the natural shape of your feet.
The Olukai Ohana boast a soft nylon toe post, so you won’t experience any nasty rubbing or chaffing there, along with quick-drying jersey knit lined straps that are soft against the skin. They’re durable too, so they’ll last many a summer adventure. Reviews are generally extremely positive, although a handful of customers found the straps a bit stiff.
Best for wide feet
If you just want a simple, no-frills flip flop for walking short distances, and one that’s easy to slip on and kick-off, try the Birkenstock Gizeh. It has a somewhat stiffer feel underfoot, but these shoes are built to last and have buckled leather uppers to enhance their durability. Birkenstocks are also known for their wide and deep cork contoured footbeds, making them a good choice for anyone prone to their feet swelling while out walking.
The Gizeh flip flops are comfortable to wear, and look good with jeans as well as outdoors gear. We wouldn’t wear them up mountains or even take them out on a day hikes, but they’re perfectly fine for everyday walking in summer thanks to a lightweight EVA midsole for added cushioning and better shock absorption.
Best budget
Granted they don’t look like much, but don’t underestimate the walking comfort dished out by these back-to-basics FitFlops. The iQushion Ergonomic Flip Flops rely use air-foam cushioning to ensure every step you take is comfortable and supported. FitFlop has designed them with ‘impact pillows’ (pockets of cushioning) at high pressure points such as the balls of your feet, arches and underneath your toes.
It doesn’t matter if you’re heavy-footed, or you more towards the back or sides of your foot, these will support you. The FitFlop iQushion come in a range of colours and finishes, making them the best flip flops for walking if you want a shoe you can colour-match them to your summer wardrobe. And they are so affordable!
How to choose the best flip flops for you
Before you buy your next pair of flip-flops for walking, pay attention to what the uppers are made of. Synthetic materials are quicker to dry if you're planning on dipping your feet in the ocean or a stream, but leather is better for durability and general wear and tear. Another key thing to look for is increased arch support – a lack of arch support is to blame for much of the pain you can feel when walking in unsupportive footwear, and it can lead to painful foot conditions like plantar fasciitis.
How we test the best flip flops
Flip-flop testing might sound like a redundant activity, but just like any specialised footwear, flip-flops need to be thoroughly tested. We pay careful attention to how they fit, how much cushioning they provide, and how comfortable it is to wear them for long periods of time. Durability is tested the only way possible: wearing the flip-flops for weeks on end.
FAQ
Why do podiatrists hate flip flops?
Obviously, while they’re breezy and bestow a sense of summery freedom, flip-flops are not the most supportive or protective choice of footwear for hiking – they can’t and don’t try to compete with good walking boots, walking shoes or even sandals – and it’s true that podiatrists might discourage people from wearing them too often.
They can exacerbate foot problems such as bunions, arch and heel pain (and other problems associated with over-pronation), and lead to painful rubbing between your toes if you’re not used to wearing them.
On the upside, like barefoot shoes (and, indeed, walking literally barefoot), they also let your feet and toes spread and breathe beautifully while you walk, and as barefoot runners know, that is quite a liberating feeling.
The skin on your feet will also become accustomed, desensitised (and hardened) to having a piece of fabric or plastic between your toes.
The best idea is to be sensible, listen to feedback from your feet and legs (as well as heeding advice from podiatrists), and wear flip-flops in the right terrain and for limited periods of time. At the end of the day, you’re better off in flip-flops than high heels.
Are Birkenstocks better than flip-flops?
Selecting footwear is a very subjective process, and many factors will influence your choice (protection, suitability for one activity or another, and so on), but style and comfort are big considerations when you’re looking at summer shoes.
Flip-flops are the ultimate sunny-day footwear, so long as you don’t intend to tackle any really lengthy or technical trails (when a more substantial hiking sandal is a better option).
But what of Birkenstocks? Like Crocs, Birkenstocks has carved out a distinct corner of the market all to itself. They are somewhere between a flip-flop and a sandal, but their defining features include suede uppers and cork soles.
Typically armed with buckles, Birkenstocks can be tightened to secure a firm fit, which isn’t possible with flip-flops, but the more comprehensive coverage can also lead to sweaty (and smelly) feet.
Some people also swear by Birkenstocks’ distinctive soles, but others find that the cork dehydrates the bottom of their feet, leading to painful cracked heels.
Flip-flops are typically considerably less expensive, and a lot freer feeling than Birkenstocks, but they’re also usually made with synthetic materials like rubber, which is awful for the environment, and the cheaper ones don’t last many seasons. Look for brands using recycled material where possible.