HealthyFeetBlog.com

Keep your head low and your eyes peeled; we’re about to embark on a sandal safari traveling deep into the wilds of warm weather footwear. Today we’ll take you to the watering holes and grazing grounds of some of the most beautiful sandals in the world. As your guide, I’ll point out some of the identifying features of different sandal species so that you can recognize them when you come across them in your own travels.

Uh oh, lookout behind you, better watch your feet! You see that savage five inch spike heel, sunning itself at the edge of that far clearing? Good thing you’re safe in our HealthyFeetStore.com Blog safari vehicle. That sandal is a clever predator. It’ll damage your metatarsal joints, shorten your Achilles tendon, and devour your foot health if you’re not careful make no mistake about it.

Strap in. It’s time we were underway!

The Slide Sandal

Hardly endangered, this is one of the most common sandals out here on the savanna. You can tell it’s a slide sandal by the fact that it has an open-heel and an open-toe. If it weren’t for the forefoot strap over the top of foot most slide sandals would slide right off. However; many slide sandals have specially designed footbeds to help your foot grip the sandal at anatomically raised surfaces beneath the toes (hallux support) and the ball of the foot. The slide sandal is a slip-on style, renowned for its convenience of wear. It is among the most breathable style of sandal, although it may not provide the support or protection that a closed-heel sandal such as a fisherman would provide.

The Ankle Strap Sandal

Ankle straps are the chameleons of the sandal world. Ankle strap sandals are at least as successful a species as the slide sandal and some would argue more so. Dressy, casual, sporty, or flirty; an ankle strap sandal exists that can serve the purpose. Ankle strap sandals have also developed to meet the needs of those seeking orthopedic support and walking comfort. The secret to judging the function of an ankle strap sandal is to look at the heel height and the width of the strap. A slightly higher heel denotes a dressier ankle strap sandal whereas a flat ankle strap sandal tends to be a more casual style. Narrower straps tend to be dressier while thicker straps tend to be more casual. This is because thicker straps are more sporty and functional because they provide more support and are less likely to cut into the skin. If you need a dressy sandal but have very sensitive feet, a Mary Jane sandal or a slingback sandal will provide better support without sacrificing fashion sense.

The Slingback Sandal

A slingback is a particular type of strap that goes behind the back of the heal without making a full loop around the ankle. The term, slingback can be used interchangeably for both sandals and shoes. Slingbacks always have an open-heel, but slingback sandals are distinguished from slingback shoes because they have an open-toe. Slingback shoes are usually members of either the clog or mule family.

The Thong Sandal

The casual or sporty variety of this sandal is known among the natives as the flip flop. Similar to the slide sandal with its open-back design, the thong sandal is distinguishable by a single strap between the first and second toe. Although frequently found in grocery stores in the form of a glorified piece of rubber; thong sandals that have an EVA, polyurethane, or cork footbed with a leather-lined top sole to decrease friction and absorb perspiration are your best bet for preventing foot pain. Although dressier thong sandals have been sighted in the back country by some of the more intrepid naturalists, the thong sandal is typically considered a more casual style.

The Toe Ring Sandal

Toe ring sandals, particularly when lacking an ankle-strap, are often mistaken by tourists for the thong sandal. A good rule of thumb for telling the two species apart is that thong sandals never have any material over the toe. By contrast for toe ring sandals, also called toe loop sandals, the loop of strap around the big toe is the defining feature. In its casual, slip-on form (toe ring sandals also come in the spike-heeled carnivorous variety) the toe ring sandal can definitely fill a similar fashion niche to the thong sandal, and the two may find themselves in competition with one another. Unfortunately the toe ring sandal has a much more fragile fashion reputation than the thong sandal. While the thong sandal has long been considered a classic that will never go out of style, the toe ring sandal population seems to expand and decline in relation to the whims of style aficionados. This year it seems to be hot, next year it could very well be not.

The Fisherman Sandal

Observe a herd of fisherman sandals taking a dip in the local watering hole or nestled beneath an acacia tree to escape the summer heat and you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to a primeval world. Fisherman sandals have been around for several hundred years. Over time sandal makers have appropriated new, more comfortable materials for the fisherman sandal’s footbed and increased the sophistication of its outsole, while changing little of the sandal’s basic visual design. A fisherman sandal is a woven sandal that keeps the foot protected and supported beneath layers of leather sandal straps, but still allows the foot to stay cool and ventilated. The fisherman sandal is a casual, yet highly sophisticated sandal that has become a favorite amongst travelers and vacationers in warm climates.

The Mary Jane Sandal

Of all the species of sandals we’ve surveyed so far this one is the most likely to be mistaken for a shoe. Like a shoe, the Mary Jane sandal tends to have a closed-back and a closed-toe. Less frequently a Mary Jane sandal may have an open-heel with an ankle strap or an open-toe with a wide forefoot strap and closed-heel. What distinguishes a Mary Jane sandal from the typical Mary Jane is usually the sidewall. In a Mary Jane sandal the sidewall is open allowing for greater breathability. Mary Jane shoes, (with some exceptions) are usually more effective at trapping heat.

Well, here we are back at base camp. Hope you city folks enjoyed our wild, untamed sandal safari and found it informative. It’s a jungle out there shopping for the perfect summer sandal. Keep your wits about you and remember that healthyfeetstore.com blog is never more than an email away, should you need any help navigating the treacherous back countries of footwear fashion towards healthier shoe and sandal choices.

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