Slides: In general, slides, not unlike the ones you wear to shower, are great for lounging or hanging at the poolside. Recovery slides are a breed of sandals to be worn after workouts or sports to help relax muscles since they generally support the arch with good cushioning, according to Dr. Mendeszoon. “These are generally recommended to be utilized for minimal walking activity,” he adds.
Flip-flops: For flip-flops, definitely do not go cheap since the budget ones generally have horrible support and can cause more arch fatigue, pain, cramps, or spasms. “There are some flip-flops that have arches but once again they should not be utilized for long walking activities or standing on your feet for a long duration,” warns Dr. Mendeszoon. Otherwise, they should be your go-to for the beach or the poolside.
Outdoors/Hiking Sandals: Dr. Mendeszoon says that these often have a closed-toe design—or at least have several durable strappings or webbings if they’re open-toe, as seen in Teva’s, ECCO’s, and Chaco’s sandals featured above—to protect the ankle, in addition to a durable outsole and a molded arch footbed.
Dress Sandals: While the dress sandals are often made of higher quality materials, and the ones we’ve tested here—such as Camper, Todd Snyder, and UGG—all fit and feel comfortable, Dr. Mendeszoon recommends them only for warm weather offer activities that don’t require a lot of heavy walking.
