...are da bomb!

I've always worn the cheapos from the likes of "Wall-Monster" and, now that I've gotten my first pair of Sanuks, I have to kick myself for not gettin' 'em sooner. Yes, thirty six bucks seems an exorbitant price to pay for something so quintessentially simple as a pair of flip flops ...but these really are worth it. And if you can get 'em cheaper ...well ...what're you waitin' for? I got mine for $18 on a BOGO sale :-D

There's a locally owned store near my home carrying the Sanuk line; I got to try on some different styles of their flips. The "Fraid So" won out as the best compromise in comfort, style and price. The "Fraid So" is a super-comfortable sandal. They look great, fit your foot more "snugly" than lesser flips (they tend to not "flop" as much because they seem to stay closer to the sole of your foot when you walk) and they are uber comfortable ...light as a feather ...I can wear these all day ...no sweat.

The "Fraid So" has a suede leather foot-bed that feels great against your feet and really adds to the overall comfort of the sandal. The foot-bed is layered atop a spongy soft mid-sole ("high rebound EVA" according to the website ...akin to what's found in running shoes) which in turn has a hard recycled rubber out-sole, with little Sanuk faces for a tread, layered on the bottoms. The sandals have some arch support which also ups the comfort factor and the foot-bed will mold to your foot. The straps and toe thong also notch these flips well above the cheapos. They're made of very soft canvas cloth, with frayed edges (ergo the "Fraid So" moniker) and lined with a terrycloth material. All this means you aren't going to get rubs or blisters from wearing your "Fraid So" flips and you won't need to break them in, or your feet, to enjoy instant comfort. And don't let the light weight and low profile of the sandal fool you. There is a surprising amount of cush and support hidden in their sleek design.

Sizing. Always a gamble when you can't try the stuff on. Sanuks only come in whole sizes. I wear a men's 8.5 and a size 9 Sanuk fits perfect. We all have different tastes in fit; I like my sandals to fit close to the size of my feet ...some folks like a little extra room at either end. The 9's fit me with about a 1/2" of space between my foot and the edges of the sandal ...and for me that's perfect. Based on the fit of my sandals, if you wear a whole size, I would say go up one size. A guy with a real size 9 foot would be pushing the edges of the 9's I'm strapping to my 8.5-sized feet.

The only downside, and it's a small one, are the soles. They're made of a hard recycled rubber. On rough ground they're fine and I suspect they'll hold up fairly well. But on hard, smooth interior surfaces those hard soles can be a bit slippery so be careful ...especially going down stairs. We have a lot of hardwood flooring in our home and these Sanuks slide a bit walkin' 'round the house.

Overall the "Fraid So" strikes a nice balance between style, comfort and price. At $36 retail ...or less (they list for $44 :-0) ...they're right at the top of my "flip flop" budget and anything more expensive is just ridiculous IMHO. These Sanuks have quickly become my favorite summertime/most-time footwear. My flip flop expectations have reached new heights and I'll never look at them quite the same anymore ...'fraid so.