What a glorious weather out here in Florida. The sun is out, bright and shinning. Hello Alaska, are you enjoying this, or are you outdoors in your snow shoes? This is the time most of us remember those forgotten sandals.
People living in sunny climate may take wearing sandals all year round for granted, but for anyone coming out of the cold months, spring and summer are happy periods that are expressed in casual apparel, and you will need not just any sandals, but one with good arch support that can be worn for long hours without aching feet.
Sandals however, are notorious for poor designs, inadequate support for feet, and cause more foot problems than normal shoes. Blisters, cramps in the arch, and heel pains are some of the common problems we all experience with ill fitting sandals; when we wear them all day long, strolling in the shopping malls, walking on beaches, parks and the neighborhood.
If you are suffering from foot pains, or have calluses, you have good reasons to hesitate putting on sandals. People like me recovering from Planta Fasciitis, are even more suspect. I have however found that I can enjoy sunny weather, walking and strolling with the kids wearing sandals with good arch support.
Finding a comfortable pair of sandals with good arch and heel support can be even more difficult if you have high arched feet, or are flat footed. Many manufacturers tend to focus more on style and aesthetic in sandal designs, and not much thought is given to comfort features.
As our feet are shaped differently, no single design of a sandal will suit everyone. There are however common features to look for in sandals that will provide good support for arch and heel areas of our feet, and these are usually the best sandals for walking, and sports activities for people of all ages.
Table of Contents (Jump ahead!)
- Features of Good Sandals with Arch Support
- Top 3 Best Sandals with Arch Support
- #1 Orthaheel Men’s / Women’s Kinetic Thong Sandals
- #2 Spenco PolySorb Total Support Yumi Sandal for Women and Men
- #3 Orthaheel Tide Open Toe Slides Sandals for Women
- Want Instant Arch Support? Try Insoles for Sandals
- Dr. Metzl Video Explanation Foot Pains
Features of Good Sandals with Arch Support
As you go out on social events, walks in the park, or jog on bright sunny days, ensure you enjoy the experience and sensation of the refreshingly cool air on your feet by wearing a supporting and comfortable sandal. Check for the following when buying a pair of sandals that will provide the right arch support for your feet.
- Cushioning that is at the right height to support your feet if you are a low or high arched person.
- Cupped heel support with good shock absorbing material, and indentation that is deep enough to wrap around your heel comfortably.
- Does your foot slide up and down a sandal? A good fit prevents your feet rubbing against the sandal, which often lead to sores in your feet.
- Look for sandals with shock absorbing rubber outsole as they provided excellent cushioning if you wear sandals all day, particularly when travelling or on vacations.
If you will be walking off road, consider closed toe sandals with good arch support, as they will protect your toes from strikes against loose stones and branches on the trails.
Top 3 Best Sandals with Arch Support
To get a good balance of customer satisfaction in my top 3 sandals with good arch support, I used a mix of three criteria based on the quality of the sandals and feedbacks from customers that have purchased and used the sandals:
- A sandals that has all the features mentioned for comfortable arch support
- Sandals that have at least 50 reviews from customers
- And my third selection criteria is the sandal most have a customer satisfaction rating of 4 stars and above.
The data I used in the selection were based on customer satisfaction feedbacks on Amazon at the time of writing this review. This may change as more customers purchase the sandals, and come back to leave reviews.
#1 – Orthaheel Men’s / Women’s Kinetic Thong Sandals
<<UPDATE >> The Kinetic Thong Sandals are current unavailable on Amazon. However , another Orthaheel sandal with equal, and some would say even better heel support is the Orthaheel Orthaheel Tide Fashion Sandals.
With a choice of 16 colors, the popularity of Orthaheel Tide has overtaken the Kinetic Thong, and you can click the link to read some of the rave customer reviews. I would mention though that this sandal is for women.
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The Orthaheel Kinetic Thong Sandals is unisex with a design that will appeal to both genders. It has some unique orthotic features, with the benefits of recent advances in biomechanics and better understanding of how our skeleton respond when we move. Deep heel cup, stabilizing foot support with EVA insole and quick-dry lining that help keep feet dry are some of these benefits.
The sandal wraps around the shape of your feet, delivering crucial arch and heel supports that will prevent or relieve foot pains. With the highest customer satisfaction rating of the top three sandals in my selection, the Orthaheel Kinetic certainly lived up to its reputation as a sandal inspired by athletes and designed by a podiatrist. Others benefits of the Orthaheel Kinetic Thong sandals are:
- Motion control footbed that helps stabilize your strides, and keep your feet in a more natural position
- Quality Manmade sole that is durable, and will carry the weight of light and heavily built persons for a long time without falling apart as is often with ill fitting sandals.
- Soft fabric is used for the toepost to prevent rubbing harshly between your toes, which is one of the common causes of toe sores when wearing sandals
- It available in 2 combinations of brown and black colors suitable to wear daily at home, for casual occasions, or packed for holidays.
- Easy care material that is easily wipe clean
- The Orthaheel Kinetic Thong is designed to fit, and provide good support for male or female feet.
Pros:
The most satisfying reviews I find on Amazon are from Planta Fasiitis sufferers who discovered Orthaheel Kinetic Thong Sandals, love the effective relieve from foot pains, and arch support they enjoyed from the sandals and would not consider any other foot wear to ease their pains. Many had no need to wear their specially made orthotic shoes after purchasing the Kinetic Thong Sandals. That is the kind of benefit you may also enjoy from wearing such a highly rated sandal.
Cons:
One customer gave the sandal a low rating, only because her order was too big. In my opinion, if the only negative you find in a sandal designed for arch support is the size, that says a lot for the quality. Needless to say the she returned her oversized 7, and got a better fitting size 6 from Amazon without quibble.
Rated 4.7 Stars in Customer Satisfaction
| Orthaheel Men’s / Women’s Kinetic Thong Sandals (Currently Unavailable) | ||
| Men | Women | |
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My New #1 – Orthaheel Tide Fashion Sandals for Women
Until Amazon is able to make the Kinetic Thong again, if you are a woman suffering from heel pain, the Orthaheel Tide Fashion is as good as the Kinetic Thong. It now has more favorable reviews online than the Kinetic Thong, or any other heel support sandal I have reviewd. In fact, it has over 1000 reviews on Amazon as I write. Some of the appealing features and benefits include:
- Manmade sole – durable and long lasting
- Woven/polyurethane upper – With sporty look that is also stylish and comfortable
- EVA footbed – lightweight and flexible medium-density midsole that absorbs shock, reduce stress on your feet, ankles and knees
- Tri-planar Motion Control footbed – Podiatrist-designed and biomechanical with deep heel cup that helps stabilize, support and realign your feet back to their natural position.
- TPR outsole with wave-patterned tread that helps improve traction
- Padded neoprene upper liner for comfort
- It is available in 16 appealing colors to suit your taste
#2 – Spenco PolySorb Total Support Yumi Sandal for Women and Men
The Spenco PolySorb Total is another slip on sandal with othotic design for great heel and arch support. If you have a high arch or searching for solutions for your heel pains, you will find the superior shock cushioning and motion control of Yumi sandal very comforting. Other features of the sandal include:
- Deep heel cup with orthotic arch support
- Anatomically designed EVA outer surface that molds naturally with your feet
- Cushioning and impact support for your metatarsal arch area
- Frictionless soft strap made of high quality material
- It is in Spenco PolySorb 39-422 for women, and 39-325 Men
- The sandal can be purchased in 8 attractive colors for women, and 5 colors in the men design
Pros:
Customers find the Spenco PolySorb very lightweight to wear, stylish in design, and more importantly, provide very good support for the arch and heel. The orthotic design of the sole provide full support from heel to the toe bones at the front of your feet. Many with foot pains and elderly customers with easily aching joints find great relieve with the sandal.
Cons:
Some customers remarked that the size they purchased were about a size too small. I also observed comments that the arch support was stiffer than expected. But if you have ever experienced foot pains as I do, Orthotic foot wear do have a certain amount of stiffness in the heel support which is meant to help with the healing process, especially if you are suffering from Planta Fasciitis.
Rated 4.5 Stars in Customer Satisfaction
| Spenco PolySorb Total Support Yumi Sandal | ||
| Men | Women | |
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#3 – Orthaheel Tide Open Toe Slides Sandals for Women
The Orthaheel Tide open toe sandal has a deep heel cup, and flexible EVA mid sole material that provides good shock absorption for your feet. The sandal is light weight and comfortable to wear for long period without feeling the stress of normal foot wear. It is stylish and available in a variety of colors that will suite different occasions. Other features of the Orthaheel Tide include:
- Synthetic Material
- Durable manmade sole
- Stylishly Woven/polyurethane upper that is easy to care
- Footbed made of EVA material with Podiatrist-design that is supportive, comfy and gentle on the feet
- The upper liner is padded neoprene material that does not rub against your skin
- The sandal is in a large range of 24 eye popping vibrant colors for women
Pros:
Overwhelming numbers of customers with Planta Fasciitis remarked that the Orthaheel Tide open toe sandal helped ease their foot pains, and would recommend it to others. Some customers purchased the flip flop for their elderly parents who were so pleased with how well it supported their aching feet, they purchased a second pair for themselves.
Cons:
They are available only for women, and men that have purchased it find it a bit narrow, which it should as a female wear. Some customer’s have also complained that they find it difficult to get used to wearing the sandal, or adjust to the Podiatrist-design of the heel and arch support.
Rated 4.3 Stars in Customer Satisfaction
| Orthaheel Tide Open Toe Slides Sandals for Women | ||
| Women | …. and Men too! | |
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Want Instant Arch Support? Try Insoles for Sandals
We find it difficult sometimes to part with our walking, sport, or dress sandals, particularly if they are designers and we have spent quite a bit in buying them. But if they do not provide the necessary arch support you need to stop you developing foot problem, or help heal your foot pain, you may want to consider using good insoles in your expensive sandals.
Though they are not as common as insoles for shoes, some of the popular brands provide very good arch support in sandals.
Dr. Rosenberg instant arches for sandals are one of the known brands that can be used to achieve pretty good shock absorption, and arch cushioning in your old collections of dress and casual sandals. They are made of durable closed cell foam material with special adhesive that allows adjustments for individual fit, preventing your feet from slipping in the sandals.
Instant arches have very good reviews from customers that have used them. Some claimed they have transformed their sandals to foot wears they no longer dread to wear daily. It is an insole that could add comfort and stable support for heel and sole in your sandals, and relieve your pains if you suffer Planta Fasciitis.
I too suffer from plantar fasciitis. I have found nothing that compares with Orthaheel Kinetic flip flops. Orthaheel sandals, in general, are better than everything else I have tried, but the Kinetic has no equal. Too bad they have been discontinued.
I recently tried Spenco Yumi, Montrail Molokai, New Balance Revitalign Rx Conquest, and several others. Those three provide mixed degrees of comfort, cushion, arch support and heel cupping. But they are no match for the Kinetic.
I absolutely agree the Orthaheel Kinetic sandals have great heel support for plantar fasciitis. It is a shame it is currently unavailable on Amazon, but the Orthaheel Orthaheel Tide Fashion Sandal has become an even more popular alternative with very high customer satisfaction rating, and 16 colors to choose from.
Jeff
I have achilles tendinitis…what would help me… I have a narrow foot, very high arches…if size runs large, I would need a size 5. I love vionic relax slippers, but their sandals are too loose, or too hard insoles. Appreciate advice.
Hi Linda,
Orthaheel sandals have very good arch and heel support and the insoles are very comfortable. I suggest you try one of the Orthaheel sandals, and if you don’t like the fit, you can always return it at no extra cost if purchased from Amazon.
Regards
Jeff