A sandal gets judged twice. Once in the morning, when it looks right with the dress. And again at four in the afternoon, three streets from the car, when you find out whether it was holding on to your foot or your foot was holding on to it.
Most of what decides the second verdict is visible before you buy: where the straps cross, what the sole does under the ball of your foot, and how high the heel or wedge sits.
Count the straps that hold your heel
A slide stays on because the band across the top of your foot is snug. Nothing holds the heel, which is fine for the walk to the mailbox and less so over a mile.
Add a strap behind the heel, or one around the ankle, and the sandal moves with your foot instead. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons points to ankle straps as one of the things to look for in a sandal. Our flat sandals include back strap and ankle strap styles for exactly that walk.
- Band across the toes only: slides and mules. Short walks.
- Toe post only: flip-flops and thong sandals. Short walks.
- Strap behind the heel or around the ankle: the sandal to walk in.
What the flip-flop is for
The American Podiatric Medical Association is plain about flip-flops: even a sturdy pair gives little shock absorption or arch support, so they are not for long distances. It also suggests a simple test in the store. A flip-flop should bend at the ball of the foot and never fold in half, and your foot should not hang over the edge.
That makes the flip-flop the pool shoe, the beach shoe and the shoe for the locker room, and it is good at all three. Keep a strapped sandal for the day out.
Flat is not the same as easy
It feels as if a flat sandal must be the gentle choice. The same Association warns that long wear in flat slides can bring on arch and heel pain, and suggests keeping those stretches short or adding a cushioned insert.
That is where a shaped footbed changes the feel of a sandal. Several of our flat sandals sit on a contoured footbed that rises under the arch, with a back strap or an ankle strap to keep it in place. It is a different feel underfoot, not a treatment, and a foot that already hurts deserves a doctor or podiatrist before a new pair.
Wedges: wide and flat beats tall and narrow
For wedge sandals, the Association prefers a wider, flatter wedge with a sole that grips. A wedge carries its height under the whole foot, so it stands steadier than a slim heel of the same height, and the lower wedges are the ones to walk in.
Espadrilles fit that description well. Our Four Strap Espadrille Low Wedge sits on a jute-wrapped wedge of about 2.56 inches, with straps across the foot and around the ankle.
Heeled sandals for an evening on your feet
Both the Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Podiatric Medical Association suggest heels under two inches for everyday wear. For a wedding or a party, that points to a kitten heel or a low block heel with an ankle strap, rather than a slide on a tall heel.
The strap matters more as the heel rises, because nothing else keeps your foot from sliding forward. If a heeled sandal has only a toe band, save it for the dinner table.
Fit a sandal like a shoe
Shop late in the day, when feet are at their largest, and fit the larger foot, as the Academy suggests. On a sandal, look at the edges: your toes and heel should sit on the sole, not over it. A strap that presses into the skin in the store will press harder by the afternoon.
Then match the pair to the walk you have planned. Slides and flip-flops for the short trips, a strapped flat or a low wedge for the long ones, and a low heel with an ankle strap for the evening.
A question about a pair in this piece? Write to bootroom@athlefitstore.com and the Athlefit team will answer.