These are pretty great thongs, especially for people who have high arches. They seem well-made and comfortable. I suppose if you are used to rubber or foam flip flops, then these might seem stiff, but I think their sturdiness is a quality, not a failing, and I assume they'll break in quickly, as another reviewer mentioned. The only problem I had is with the sizing. I usually wear a 7.5 and I have a pair of OTBT boots in 7.5, so I ordered that size. However, these are really short; my heel and toes come right to the edges of the footbed, although the straps fit comfortably. So I'm exchanging for an 8 and hoping the straps aren't that much larger. At this price, I'm sort of wondering if I should order another color too! I would definitely recommend these.