Every now and then a flip flop comes along that surprises us here at Flip Flop Daily. In need of flip flops to review I picked up a pair of Freewaters Supreme flip flops. I’d never heard of the Freewaters brand and was very skeptical. Why? Because the name Freewaters seems to come from their advertised mission of providing clean drinking water to those who live in parts of the world where this is a real challenge.
The marketing tags attached to the flip flops proudly list three such clean water projects they are currently sponsoring around the globe – Haiti, Kenya, and the Philippines. This is a very noble cause and it may do real good for those impacted.
However, I was skeptical of these flip flops because experience tells me that these sort of altruistically led flip flop brands tend to crank out subpar flip flops, at best. Check out our reviews of what Toms Santiago and Olli Fair Trade Natural Rubber offer for some context and background.
So, when a charitably minded outfit also makes flip flops, I’m very skeptical.
The fact is that, as a rule, the more caveated and non-core product-focused business is the lesser their product is. No one chooses the vegan, in-house composted, fork-free steak because it’s the best steak around – they’d go to a steak house for that.
Instead, they choose it because given their desired caveats it is the “best.” See the difference? Similarly, no one is all that impressed when I tell them that I’m the second leading expert in the world on where to find things in my house, and I know number 1 (my wife). Sure, these are true facts, but they just don’t mean much within the larger framework of the world of achievements. So, when a charitably minded outfit also makes flip flops, I’m very skeptical.
That said, the Freewaters Supreme foam flip flops are amazing. Full stop. They’re not just amazing for charity flip flops, or eco flip flops, or elf flip flips. They are amazing when compared to any flip flop made by anyone.
The perfectly placed and proportioned nylon strap holds them firmly and comfortably in place. Freewaters has even added some fun design details to the inside of the straps.
The outside is jet black nylon, yet on the underside or inside they are dark grey with a fun cartoon image of a VW bus with a surfboard on top cruising around the inside of the strap. It’s a cool little detail that only the wearer would ever really notice.
Compare that to most charity brandishing “brands” that wear their do-gooding as a badge of pious distinction in order boost sales – I much prefer, and have found that, the more discrete version brings with it more credibility, sincerity, and impact.
The footbed made of “Supreme Foam.” This stuff is heavenly and pleasantly textured with a diamond pattern that keeps the foot from sliding around in both dry and wet conditions. They are exceptionally soft yet quite supportive.
Walking in them feels like being barefoot on bunnies. The outsoles are made of a rugged enough harder rubber that provides plenty of traction and can take enough wear to make them much more than just another disposable pair of flip flops to get you through a summer fling.
Appropriately, at the very center of the bottom of the sole of each flip flop, is the round Freewaters logo. These are the real deal with a styling that is perfect for summer days or nights.
I don’t have any sense of how effective their clean drinking water projects are but if they are anywhere near as good at helping provide clean drinking water to those in need as they are at making flip flops than they are a true force of good in the communities they support.
I do know, however, that Freewaters makes a darned good flip flop.
