The Most Comfortable Walking Sandals to Wear This Summer

Behold, commerce editor Meaghan Kenny’s go-to summer sandal. “Rothy’s Weekend Slides are comfortable and pair well with everything, from jeans and linen pants to sundresses and maxi skirts,” says Kenny. The two crossover knit straps give off an effortlessly chic look, while keeping your feet secure and making the sandal easy to slip on and off. The thick, contoured footbed offers nice support, making them a solid option for office commutes, lunch dates, or standing courtside. More things she loves about this neutral slide: It is machine washable and is made from eight recycled plastic bottles.

When wearing unsupportive shoes on my no-arch feet led to several years of foot pain, my doctor told me to wear sturdy arch support shoes, even around the house. So Birkenstock Arizona Birko-Flor became my go-to sandals for every occasion. I rotated through a black pair as my house shoes, a dark brown one as my everyday sandals, and even a gold pair as my special occasion shoes. The famous style of the classic 1973 shoe is both a throwback and a style statement, but more importantly, its contoured cork latex footbed is tough enough to elevate the arches, while its EVA sole is flexible and lightweight enough to keep you going.

The podiatrist-approved label is especially known for its contoured footbed designed to alleviate foot pain. With that technology embedded in this performance sandal, it’s exactly the kind of supportive footwear that goes the distance. Its hook-and-loop straps allow for an adjustable fit, while its nitrogen-infused midsole does its part with cushioning and flexibility. Plus it’s available in a range of colors, from bright and beachy to gold and sleek.

The Elle criss-cross sandal from Keen is as versatile as a walking sandal gets. Whether you’re headed to a concert, strolling down the boardwalk, or sitting poolside, these sandals have you covered. They’re designed to follow the contour of your foot for a snug yet comfortable fit and feature a shock-absorbing foam insole. The heel strap can be easily adjusted and the sandal offers great arch support, keeping your feet feeling good all day long.

Teva knows a thing or two about designing quality hiking sandals. A favorite of ours from the brand is its Universal Sandal: Simple and classic in design, these bestsellers are so versatile—making them a worthy packing essential. They offer a contoured EVA footbed and midsole, adjustable straps, and enough cushion for a full day on the trails.

No two feet are created equal, and this Columbia shoe gets that, with all three straps being adjustable so that you can find the perfect combination for your foot shape. Its adaptive cushion helps with stability, and its outsole’s tread pattern is made to traverse a variety of surfaces. Available in a basic black and a colorful red, pink, and orange, this shoe live up to its name as a true globetrotter.

Sandals and hiking trails may not seem like the right combo—until you’ve met Keen’s Hyperport H2. The PFAS-free shoe is covered, but still a slatted sandal. With a shock-absorbing insole and Aquagrip rubbersole for extra traction, it’s designed to give you durability during rough and rugged conditions, yet is still spacious and lightweight enough to keep you on your toes through the miles.

If anyone’s going to make performance hiking shoes using recycled materials that are still open-toed and comfy, you better believe it’s Teva. The vegan sandals from its new Grandview Max line have upped the ante with plenty of technical features, like Vibram MegaGrips sole promising traction and durability and achilles padding for cushion mixed with support. Plus its W strap system ensures a secure fit, preventing slippage and blisters.

Associate articles director Megan Spurrell raves about these somewhat ugly, somewhat perfect recovery slides. As a marathon runner, she regularly turns to these bad boys to soothe her tired feet after pounding the pavement. While Spurrell mostly wears these around her apartment to aid in muscle recovery, these Oofos slides are also ideal to slip on for a walk around a cruise ship or to grab a coffee at a nearby cafe. Are they the sexiest shoe on our list? No, but they just might be the comfiest. A new neon berry colorway was just added, cranking up the fun factor.

Read a full review of this sandal here.

While I’ve long been a fangirl of Oofos, which have helped get me back on my feet after multiple marathons, the moment I discovered these Oliver Thomas slides, I knew they’d become my newest travel necessity. The quilted footbed feels like walking on a supported cloud, and it’s no surprise since it’s a podiatrist-designed, especially targeting plantar fasciitis. Plus the vegan slide is super light and packable, can be tossed in the washing machine. Most importantly, compared to other recovery slides, they are super cute!

An updated model to Hoka’s original Ora slides, another favorite of Spurrell’s, these recovery sandals feature four air flow channels for maximum breathability and are more lightweight. The soft foot bed provides plenty of cushion for your feet after an intense workout or day hike. These futuristic slides come in a variety of vacation-ready colors like Pink Twilight, Shifting Sand, and Aqua Breeze, as well as classic white, black, and gray.

For something with a little more flare than Rothy’s Weekender sandal, the brand’s new Buckle slide features adjustable straps with chic gold hardware. The contoured footbed and thick sole offer pretty good support for a sandal, meaning you can comfortably sport these all day with a sundress or maxi skirt. They look a little bit more polished than your everyday sandal, while still looking simple enough to match a variety of outfits you pack.

The perfect sandal to stroll around resorts in style, Vionic has designed this shoe with thoughtfully placed cross straps made of leather or nubuck and a two-inch heel, paired with its supportive insole that’s the footbed in all of its shoes. Choose from black or tan leather for an everyday style or go for the gold or gunmetal for an extra sheen.

If it’s the formal night on your cruise or you’re headed to dinner in Florence where cobblestone streets are unavoidable, you might want to consider this lug sole sandal. Offering a one-inch platform and two-inch heel, these stylish strappy sandals are polished enough to wear with dresses, but won’t leave your feet covered in blisters. With a padded insole and stretchy, elastic upper, these are the perfect alternative to wedges or block heels. Research director Alexandra Sanidad swears by them for every type of trip. Did we mention they are machine washable?

One of Reef’s customer favorites is its Cushion Vita Hi, perfectly marrying style with comfort, thanks to the brand’s trademark cork-topped cushioned footbeds, known for both arch support and heel cupping. The 1.75-inch outsole also provides an extra boost of height, while its woven collection with braided and wicker vegan straps give the shoe an upscale beachy look.

If you already have a go-to pair of neutral-toned walking sandals, associate commerce director Madison Flager suggests water-friendly Birkenstocks made of EVA to switch things up from your everyday shoe. Not only are they great for the pool and comfortable enough for casual all-day wear (think: mixed modes of transportation—for days of pure walking, she opts for Teva’s trail sandals or sneakers), they also add a pop of color to even the simplest outfits in your suitcase, like a plain white T-shirt and denim shorts. The classic double-strap sandals come in colors like lavender, dusty blue, pink, light green, and white; however, black is the easiest one to dress up.

A comfortable upgrade to standard flip-flops worn to the pool—the Ohanas are the brand’s bestseller year-round for both men and women. After all, it’s soft and lightweight with water-resistant synthetic straps with a quick-drying jersey knit lining. The rubber outsoles have traction ridges inspired by a coral reef that give plenty of grip to avoid slipping. Plus, the sandal is available in plenty of fun summer colors like coral, orchid, pink, marine blue, and more.

A sandal that’s cute, comfortable to walk in, and water-friendly? The Reef Water Vista sandal really does it all, making it an ideal pair to pack for a cruise or a beach vacation. These are a favorite of commerce writer Paris Wilson—and it’s easy to see why. This pair with an adjustable velcro back strap keeps your foot secure, offers great support, and looks a lot more stylish than classic pool shoes. Choose from a variety of colors including blush, hot pink, blue, brown, and black.