Flip Flops- for southern US

Submitted by Scubathief t3_10p7oli in BuyItForLife

I live in Houston, I spend most of my time in the south, and while I do what I can to protect my sandals /flip flops, I have numerously had issues with my straps breaking and having to walk barefoot. I am looking for flops that can handle walking in puddles of water and hot surfaces. I am basically looking for the flip flops you would recommend to someone who is at disney walking around in rain all day

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I have heard about rainbows but don't know if they are built for this kind of use?

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LT1roadmaster t1_j6iuqrj wrote

Leather OluKai's. Tough as nails and sooooo comfortable

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regaphysics t1_j6j7ng9 wrote

Not for water…

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aiiyaiyai t1_j6kma5z wrote

Right, not for water.

I let mine get wet and the leather stretched out. Now they’re hard to walk in because they’re too loose.

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Significant-Point98 t1_j6irtq3 wrote

Love my rainbows, they last years and have never once had a strap break. On my second pair now, first pair lasted 3 years and I replaced them just bc they get pretty dirty and gross looking after a couple of summers

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ActualWait8584 t1_j6j7ne7 wrote

Rainbows are the absolute best for comfort and lifespan. I know there’s other brands out there but I’ve had a pair on in some form for nearly 30 yrs.

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Fat_Head_Carl t1_j6nn3j1 wrote

I'm an 8.5 - in your experience, because they only come in whole sizes, would you size up or down?

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SloChild t1_j6j3a62 wrote

They are sandals, rather than flip-flops, but I've been wearing my Z-Trail EV's from Xeroshoes 85% of the time for several years, and I walk a heck of a lot, through all sorts of weather and terrain, and they have survived a lot of abuse without wearing down much at all. Although they are years old, they look more like only a few weeks old. My wife has a pair that are about 8 months old, and basically look new.

I hope that helps.

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stereolithography t1_j6j5vkd wrote

Oooo I might have to try these. I find Chacos and Tevas a little too bulky for hiking through the woods when I'm fishing and the tread on these seem aggressive enough to handle muddy river banks. Wish they did half sizes though. Have you noticed them running smaller or larger than what you typically wear?

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SloChild t1_j6jab2g wrote

I find, unlike so many other shoe companies, these run true to size. If you like these, then I suggest you also look at the Aqua X Sports. They are what I wear the other 15% of the time, and are great lightweight trail runners that are not bothered by water/rain or mud. I've removed the insoles from mine to make them even lighter, and they are amazing for running/walking through rough and slippery terrain (trails through tropical rainforests with plenty of mud, rocks, and significant inclines/declines). [The default color of light blue look like clown shoes to me, but the others are much more tame... I own the black ones and get away with using them in business-casual situations if I use black socks with them... without socks they are great as aqua-shoes for shallow water with jagged rocks].

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stereolithography t1_j6kbzeq wrote

Hmmm the treat looks a little too aggressive for the running I do, but I love a minimalist shoe and some of the offerings look great and their trainers have a wide toe box, so I'm contemplating those too lol. Thanks!!

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0000GKP t1_j6itgw9 wrote

I’m currently wearing Reef Phantoms. I’ve had them for 1 year and it seems like I will be able to get a second year but they do have visible wear already. This is my first time with this brand. I have not worn them in the water.

My previous 3 pair were Crocs Athens which I love, but they are hard to find in my size. These are not as comfortable as the Reefs, but are very durable. I wore them as daily use shoes, wading in the surf on the gulf coast, kayaking, and around the house.

I walk a couple miles per day on average in my flip flops which is probably more than most brands are built for.

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Undrthedock t1_j6jvve7 wrote

Huge fan of my Bedrock sandals.

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AdmiralBofa t1_j6ir6h8 wrote

I like Rainbow a lot (disclosure: they're from my home town and I grew up in them). You will want rubber or hemp for good wear in water. My preference is the double-layer Classic Rubber.

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regaphysics t1_j6j7qyk wrote

Synthetic Olukai, reef fanning , or Chacos (which are sandals not flips). Leather and water is not a good mix no matter what people tell you: I’ve tried.

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Intrepid-Taste-1111 t1_j6jq20g wrote

Birkenstocks. I have the slip on sandals but I think they have flip flop styles too. I’ve had mine since 2011 and just had to take them to get resoled like three years ago

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BHapi1 t1_j6kqpbw wrote

I like my Piper sandals. Haven’t tried the flip-flop variety, but they are very good quality and comfortable. Not sure how they hold up with salty water though. https://www.pipersandals.com/

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scott32089 t1_j6njy33 wrote

Rainbows my go-to. On pair #4 in 15ish years walking almost exclusively in them. Take’s a couple weeks to really break them in but after that they’re good for years and 1000’s of miles. This current set’s strap should have broken years ago but they’re still trucking. Back up set waiting patiently in closet. Worth at least trying out for $60

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Rundiggity t1_j6k17jy wrote

I am notorious for destroying shoes. I’m big and active. Most shoes last 6 months or so. Flip flops sometimes days. I did, however, have a pair of torchies for like two years. Roofed a house in them, flyfished, a month in Costa Rica where they got worn every single day. I will probably grab another pair for the summer.

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Grammar-Police2002 t1_j6kd18k wrote

Rainbows are flat with no arch support. OluKais are the answer.

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LN4848 t1_j6lvdcz wrote

Oka-b have arch support and last a while. There are some that are plain and be worn by anyone, so no gender bias, but the sizes are limited because they are sold for women.

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CMYKoi t1_j6o9y1t wrote

OP, how do you prevent chigger bites while wearing flipflops down there??

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Scubathief OP t1_j6oaa11 wrote

Neem oil on my feet or mixed into my moisturizer

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