When you think of flip flops, you probably think of Hawaii. But what makes them so popular among beachgoers?
The answer: comfort, ease, and style.
Yes, flip flops are known for their ease of use—they’re easy to slip on and off your feet without any hassle or trouble. But they also make it easier to get around when you’re on vacation! With their lightweight design, you can easily walk barefoot through water parks or just enjoy the hot sand at the beach without worrying about getting sand in your shoes.
And then there’s style: flip flops are known for their fun designs and bright colors that match anything from a vacation shirt to a swimsuit coverup. Whether you want something simple and classic or want a unique look (like flamingos!), there’s a pair out there for everyone!
Flip flops are uniquely suited to the tropical climates where they are most often worn, so it’s natural that a Hawaiian company would create and market flip flops.
Having had a Hawaiian roommate my freshman year of college does not make me an expert on all things Hawaii. Though we shared a room roughly the size of a cell in Folsom prison for a year we were never really “close.”
However, living in close quarters with my Hawaiian roommate I learned a few things about Hawaiians.
I was like the bird on the back of a rhino.
There were three things my Hawaiian friends took very seriously:
- The ukulele: My giant of a roommate (he was the starting center for our college football team) could play this tiniest of instruments beautifully. He didn’t play in the “ironic” way hipsters do today. Him playing that uke was the picture of authenticity and he looked that much closer to his paradise-like home when he played.
- Spam: This was totally new to me; I thought they were kidding. They weren’t.
- Flip flops: Worn year-round. Sun, rain, snow, freezing temperatures. Nothing could get them out of their flip flops. They had indoor flip flops for around the dorm and outdoor flip flops for everywhere else. Flip flops matter to Hawaiians.
Which brings me to my Olukai flip flops.
They are marketed as Hawaiian flip flops and I cannot confirm this to be fact.
I can say that they are comfortable, effortlessly good looking, and well made.
These aren’t the lightest flip flops out there. Like the air in Hawaii, they have a bit of heft to them but it’s not uncomfortable or overwhelming. In fact, it is quite nice.
They’re here for me, ready to carry me wherever I want to go.
The foot beds are as soft as the white sandy beaches of Maui yet very supportive.
The fine forgiving velvety rubber is perfectly contoured to the foot. These shoes reach out and hug you.
The treads and the soles are made to cover a lot of ground joyfully. I’ve worn mine all over on nearly every type of terrain and they happily gobble up the miles.
You will quit before these flip flops give up on you.
What’s more is that they work for almost any social event. Beach walk? No problem. City stroll? Done.
Work event? Most likely. These flip flops can handle it all without making you look like a jackass.
The one drawback to these wonderful flip flops crops up when they get wet.
In the wet the foot bed takes on the texture of a slimy slug.
They aren’t slippery, they just feel a little…gross. Apart from that these are among the most comfortable, effortlessly good looking flip flops I’ve worn.
So dig into a loco moco, grab your ukulele and slip on a pair of Olukai’s. Like I said before, I’m no expert on Hawaii but I know my roommate would approve. Aloha.
