My Sandal-Seeking Pursuit
All in all, finding the best sandals for walking 2025 can be a challenge, especially if you prioritize comfort, support, and style. Whether you’re exploring a new city, strolling through a local market, or enjoying a casual night out, the right pair of sandals can undoubtably make all the difference.
If you’ve read my previous blogs, you know I’m a high-maintenance girly when it comes to foot care! We all have unique shoe needs, and for me, dealing with an Achilles tear, collapsed arches, and now dyshidrotic eczema on the bottoms of my feet, consequently my feet require extra attention and care. Above all, finding the right footwear is essential for being able to enjoy any trip.
After testing multiple options, I’ve narrowed down my top picks based on key criteria that work for me but will benefit anyone looking for a supportive walking sandal and to prevent problems down the line. Generally, this includes a cork or leather footbed, cushioned support, secure straps in the right places, and a stylish design. Below, you’ll find my top recommendations and what to avoid based on personal experience.
My Rating Rubric for Finding the Best Sandals for Walking
Based on recommendations from physical therapists and dermatologists, I evaluate sandals using the following criteria:
- Sole, Footbed and Strap Material: Natural cork or leather footbed materials are best for foot skin health and moisture-wicking properties. A natural strap material helps reduce irritation and potential blistering on the tops of toes.
- Walkability:
- Sole Flexibility: Important for maintaining a natural stride and foot mechanics.
- Support: Adequate arch and heel support and cushioning to ease foot and leg fatigue when spending hours exploring cities.
- Straps: A strap around the toes and a strap around the ankle to protect musculoskeletal health. No toe-specific straps (toe loops overwork specific muscles and ligaments) and no between-the-toe straps (to minimize irritation).
- Style: A versatile design to serve multiple purposes, allowing travelers to pack just one pair for various occasions.
Best Sandals for Walking 2025: Graphing the Results
Best Sandals for Walking 2025
The Winners: Good Material and Good Walkability
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1. For Antimicrobial All-Day Support: Taos The Show Sandal
- Excellent arch support and cushioning.
- Leather footbed prevents sweat buildup.
- Sole is flexible to respond to natural gait of your foot.
- Secure straps without a toe loop.
- Footbed has antimicrobial and cooling properties.
- Designed for maximum shock absorption.
2. For Extra Cushion and Roomier Straps: Keen Elle Sandals
- Cork footbed with molded arch support.
- Secure straps for a snug fit.
- Light flexible cushioning springs back after each step.
- Soft leather strap lining for a luxurious feel.
- Wider strap allows for a more secure fit around ankle area.
- Heel lift delivers a more forward stance.
Great Quality but for Minimal Walking: Good Material but Low Walkability
Birkenstock & Papillo by Birkenstock: These are gorgeous, high-quality shoes, but with how stiff the sole is, especially on long walks (+20k steps / day for several days back-to-back) these can impair your gait’s natural stride. The reason why that is bad is because it can have lasting effects on your leg muscles, causing knots or atrophy, and your overall posture and alignment.
MVP: The Taos MVP sandal, as another cork-bed sandal, comes up against the same problem as the Birkenstocks above. Chiefly that there is not enough flexion in the sole.
Trulie: The Toas Trulie sandal‘s toe strap closure caused intense irritation on the tops of my toes. At this point I’ve learned that if a shoe isn’t comfortable on the first try-on, it won’t get any better, and I don’t want blisters forming on the tops of my toes on the first day of a long trip!
Made for Walking but Not Proactive for Long-term Foot Well-being: Good Walkability but Low Material Considerations
Townes: Historically, this shoe used to be my favorite walking sandal when it was made form suede and leather. Chacos swapped the natural fabrics for what they call “a vegan-friendly footbed.” Mostly, it seems like a nice way to refer to plastic. That being said, with this new plastic bottom, the shoes are unsustainable for keeping away moisture from the skin.
Chacos Z: Chacos main line, their Z shoes, while having a great arch support, due to the plastic bottom, can easily cause blistering and has the same moisture-problem as any plastic footbed. I used these on a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos, and dealt with managing blisters the entire time.
Keens: I have gotten a lot of wear and tear out of my pair on many camping trips and hikes throughout California and Oregon. While they do have some great features for support, once again, the plastic bottoms, while a waterproof feature, are counterintuitive to foot’s skin health.
Söfft: I chose a Söfft sandal for a two-week road trip through Spain. While they were the best I could find leading up to that trip, I quickly noticed within a day or two that the cork footbed felt hollowed out underneath my food and that there was no support upholding my foot. Due to the low-quality footbed, the Söfft line has gone in this ranking quadrant.
Cute but Impractical: Low Walkability Sandals
Pons: I have loved my Pons so much that I have worn through the bottom of two pairs. Suffice to say, I have spent a lot of time walking in these shoes. Some of the big downsides you can see right away is there is no arch support, and no strap around the ankle, which creates really low walkability. They are super cute, and can be very comfy, so if that meets your criteria, it is a shoe I have loved.
Rainbows: Living on the California Coast, I spent about a whole year in almost no other shoe than Rainbows. While they are cure and the leather breaks in nice, without ankle support, this falls into the category of not made for long walks.
Teva Universal: Spending another year hooked on my Teva Universals, these got a lot of wear and tear! Their slip-on quality is great for a lot of quick things, and it can be useful that they’re waterproof, but with no support and being made from plastic, these fall into our not walkable category.
Steve Madden Donddi: I was obsessed with these sandals for about three years, and couldn’t imagine a day I wouldn’t live in them. Fast forward about a decade of wear and tear on my body, I cringe at what I put my legs through everyday wearing the Donddi. Going through several pairs– while they were cute and matched with many outfits– their ultra flat bottoms and lack of support makes them impractical for long walks.
Choosing the Best Walking Sandals for You
All in all, when looking for the best sandals for walking 2025, consider:
- Material: Cork and leather provide natural support and breathability, helping whether you have sweaty feet. But also, if we’re walking around new places all day long– anyone will need these materials for foot skin health.
- Support: Arch and heel support are essential for long walking days.
- Straps: Secure foot placement helps prevent fatigue, discomfort, and musculoskeletal imbalance.
- Style: Versatile designs ensure your sandals work for multiple occasions.
Above all, investing in the right pair of sandals can make travel much more enjoyable. With the options above, you can find the perfect balance of comfort and style for all your adventures in 2025.
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