This is my second pair after a friend let me try my first pair a couple of years ago (He had a new extra pair). I've always been pretty haughty about paying "high prices" for flip flops, and I still think that some brands are silly expensive. I mean after all, they're just FLIP FLOPS, the cheapest sandal you can buy. But after wearing flip flops almost daily in my retirement at home and a couple of near-slips on a wet, slick carport while wearing the cheap kind, I tossed those cheapies.  I grew up wearing cheap flip flops in Florida near the beaches. These things have a good tread on the bottom and feel amazingly good on my feet. I'd call them an "affordable pair of high utility casual footwear." I keep the extra pair in a gym/beach/pool party gym bag so I won't forget to take some next time I'm in one of those situations.