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Sandals vs. Flip Flops: What Are the Differences?

sandals-vs-flip-flops
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Are you in need of some new summertime footwear?

There are two types of people in the world of summer footwear: flip flops people and sandals people. If you don’t know the difference between the two, then this is the post for you. Both are meant to let your feet breathe and provide you with some much-needed comfort during the hottest months, but there are some important differences as well.

In this post, we’re going to look at the sandals vs. flip flops debate and give you a quality sandal and flip flops guide so you can buy the ones that appeal to you the most. Read on and let your feet guide you.

Your Sandals Guide

NOLDARES Sandals for Women Casual Summer Solid Women's Sandals Flat Open-Toe Dressy Comfy Sandals Buckle Strap Beach Sandals, Gold, 8

You may have thought that flip flops were just one subsect of the entire sandal category, but there is an important difference between the two. Sandals are an ancient piece of footwear that exposes at least the front of the foot. More often than not, sandals expose your entire feet, with a variety of strap styles to keep the sole connected to the foot.

Within the category of “sandals”, you can have an enormous number of styles, shapes, materials, etc. You can even get high heels, as you can see with these sandals. In general, they provide a bit more security and arch support than flip flops and they can be worn in both casual and formal settings, depending on what they look like.

Here’s a quick sandals buying guide:

  • Decide on the purpose of the sandals before buying them (formal, casual, beach, dinner date, etc.).
  • Always take arch support into account, as well as overall comfort.
  • Leave a little bit of space at the end of the footbed.
  • The flexibility of the sole is important for long walks.

Your Flip Flops Guide

OluKai Paniolo Women's Beach Sandals, Distressed Full-Grain Leather Flip-Flop Slides with Wet Grip Soles, Compression Molded Footbed & Soft Comfort Fit

Flip flops are like sandals that aren’t quite finished. They’re defined by their thong between the big toe and the second toe, as well as the lack of any strapping that keep the sole attached to your foot. The name “flip flop” comes from the sound that the plastic or rubber sole makes as it slaps against the bottom of your foot when you walk.

They’re usually cheap to buy and used in more specific circumstances than sandals. If you’re going to the beach, hanging out in your back garden, or any other comfy situation, flip flops are a great choice.

Here’s a quick flip flops buying guide:

  • Choose a material that feels great.
  • Don’t spend too much money on them.
  • Don’t buy hard soles.
  • If you want to spend a bit more money, you can get arch support.

The Sandals Vs. Flip Flops Debate: Where Do You Land?

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the sandals vs. flip flops debate, where do you land? In all honesty, there’s plenty of room for both sandals and flip flops in anyone’s shoe closet and you kind of need a variety to suit any situation. As long as they’re comfortable, easy, and breathable, then they’re great summertime shoes.

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