Are FitFlop Shoes Good for Your Feet? Don’t Pick the Wrong One

FitFlop shoes

FitFlop is a British brand that is loved in the USA and over 60 countries. The shoes are designed to energize you and make you feel terrific when you are on your feet. They are constructed using what the company calls “footbed technology”.

What are FitFlop shoes?

FitFlop is a brand that offers a diverse range of products for men and women. It was launched in 2007 by three individuals in London. The brand’s shoe designs are based on Microwobbleboard and other footbed technologies, which aim to give the feel and effect of walking shoeless. They provide a workout for the muscles and tone the legs. Meanwhile, the shoes are also constructed to provide cushioning so that there is no discomfort even when wearing them throughout the day.

Is FitFlop a good brand?

FitFlop shoes bear the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. The brand leads the market for comfort and fit. It is popular among those who spend a lot of time walking and standing. It is also good for those with back, ankle, knee, and leg problems.

FitFlop is ergonomic and fashionable as well. It is flaunted by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Garner, Alessandra Ambrosio, Aishwarya Rai, and Jennifer Lopez.

Best FitFlop shoes

FitFlop makes a wide range of sandals, shoes, boots, and sports sneakers. They are also categorized based on purpose and use – like beachwear, sportswear, water-resistant, walking, holiday, flat shoes, slip-on, platform shoes, and backstrap sandals.

Let’s find out if the brand’s diversity meets your purpose.

FitFlop for walking

The shoes have a three-level targeted cushioning and shock-absorbing heel that offers excellent comfort for walking. They are also designed to prevent overpronation.

These are the best FitFlop shoes for walking:

  • For women: Walkstar, Surfa, Vitamin FF, Rally Knit sneakers, and Wonderwelly
  • For men: Trakk II, Ryker backstrap sandals, Vitamin FF, Rally X, and Flexknit

Among the FitFlop models for women, Walkstar is a sandal that is ideal for walking. It comes with a wide fit, fine strap, and pressure diffusing midsoles. Surfa is another sandal with a soft fabric toe post, extraordinarily cushioned Microwobbleboard midsoles, and foot-hugging straps. Vitamin FF is a lightweight sports sneaker suited for brisk walking. It is well ventilated and has the brand’s new Neodynamic midsoles.

Love to walk in rain? – Pick up the water-resistant Rally knit sneakers from FitFlop with top cushioning Anatomicush midsoles. The sneaker is good for summers too as it is light and breathable. It also comes in stylish options.

If you are looking for boots for fashion, cold winters, and snow, FitFlop has some good choices. Look at Wonderwelly, Mukluk, and Skandi. They are designed using biomechanics – are light, well-cushioned, supportive, water-resistant, and comfortable for long walks. What more? They also come in trendy designs and colors.

For men, FitFlop has the best-selling Trakk II sandals with leather toe-post and Microwobbleboard midsoles. Ryker backstrap sandals are also a good model for walking – it is slip-resistant and has foot-hugging padding. The midsoles have cushioning and are designed to cut down impact.

Among men’s sneakers, Vitamin FF, Rally X, and Flexknit have a well-contoured design and flexibility to accompany you for a comfortable walk.

The Wonderwelly, Sumi, and Mukluk boots models with lightweight, comfortably cushioned, and water-resistant fabrics are also available for men. They provide exceptional support to the feet and ankle – so, are good for walking.

FitFlop for running

The FitFlop Vitamin FF E01 sneaker is ideal for running as it is designed for improved stability, flexibility, and high rebound cushioning. The regular Vitamin FF is a wonderful sneaker with a springy central carbon plate for smooth running. The model is also flexible and well-ventilated.

FitFlop for pregnancy

If you are pregnant, FitFlop is the one-stop footwear solution for you. You can pick up iQushion Super-Ergonomic Sandals with arch contour, impact heel pillow, and air foam cushioning. The model has a variant with comfortable toweling toe posts and another with a back strap.

If you want trendy options, go in for Lulu or Walkstar – they are constructed with the company’s Microwobbleboard midsole for extraordinary comfort. Gracie leather sandals with backstrap have flat soles, arch contours, supportive footbeds, and slip-resistant rubber outsole – making it an eligible foot companion for you. Shuv backstrap clogs are a great option too – they are super modern, lightweight, and extremely cushioned.

If you want flat shoes for a classic look, Allegro is the model for you. It has comfortable cushioning and slip-resistant rubber outsoles. You could also favor the Rally canvas shoes – they go well with shorts, jeans, and dresses. They will hold your feet securely, they are light and flexible, and have slip-resistant rubber soles on the outer.

In summary, these are the best FitFlop shoes for pregnant women:

  • iQushion Super-Ergonomic sandals
  • Lulu
  • Walkstar
  • Gracie leather sandals
  • Shuv backstrap clogs
  • Allegro
  • Rally canvas shoes

FitFlop for people with Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s is a condition that can cause joint stiffness and make the movement of ankle and feet difficult. This calls for a shoe or sandals that provide extraordinary support and cushioning.

For women with Parkinson’s, Allegro flat shoes, Rally Strap Suede Sneakers, and Sumi leather boots would fit the bill. FlexKnit sneakers, Rally X sneakers, and Rally X leather sneakers would be a good fit for men with Parkinson’s.

FitFlop for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is a condition where the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes gets inflamed. Wearing the wrong type of shoes and excessive walking can aggravate the condition.

For this, you will need shoes that are supportive with proper cushioning and sufficient room at the toes. You should avoid wearing high-heeled shoes and sandals.

FitFlop’s solutions for Plantar Fasciitis include Allegro flat shoes and Rally sneakers for women, and FlexKnit and Rally X sneakers for men. These models are lightweight. They will provide great support to your feet and ankle along with well-cushioned midsoles and slip-resistant outsoles.

It may be a good idea to wear shoes that are one size larger to provide enough movable space for your toes. Nevertheless, if the condition aggravates or you develop this condition with the use of FitFlop shoes, consult a medical practitioner.

FitFlop for flat feet

For people with flat feet, the arches of the feet are not well developed with the entire sole touching the floor. To improve stability, supportive shoes with cushioned insole are recommended. If you have flat feet, you must avoid wearing flat shoes and very high-heeled sandals.

iQushion Super-Ergonomic Sandals and Rally sneakers would be good options for women with flat feet, while FlexKnit and Rally X sneakers would be comfortable for men with flat feet.

FitFlop for narrow feet

If you have narrow feet, wear shoes with laces – this will help you to close the side gaps tightly. Women with narrow feet can choose FitFlop sneakers like Rally and Vitamin FF with lace options. Vitamin FF, Rally X, and FlexKnit with laces are good options for men with narrow feet.

FitFlop models are said to run slightly big. Therefore, you can pick up a smaller size. Further, some shoes stretch with use. If you find the shoes to be too loose, you can fit in cushioned shoe inserts.

FitFlop for wide feet

If your wide feet feel suffocated wearing shoes for a long time, FitFlop’s wide range of sandals, toe-post sandals, back-strap sandals, and flat shoes are worth an investment. You can also try a bigger size of shoes – they are breathable, flexible, and have soft cushioning.

The most recommended FitFlop options for people with wide feet would be Walkstar, Lulu, Surfer, Gracie, Vitamin FF, Track II, iQushion, Ryker, Flexknit, and Gogh. Note that FitFlop shoes are generally a little bigger. Some of them also stretch with use. So, you need not worry about not finding a FitFlop model for your wide feet.

FitFlop for bunions

Bunions make your feet appear wider. You will need shoes that are extra wide and made of flexible fabric.

Pick up FitFlop’s Rally X canvas or leather sneakers, or go for Walkstar, Lulu, Gracie, Ryker, Gogh, and iQushion sandals that are non-restrictive on your bunions. The brand’s shoes are said to run a little big – therefore, they will be fine to accommodate bunions.

FitFlop shoes with arch support

Arch support is important for good orthotics. It is important in your footwear for maintaining the proper position of your feet, knees, hip, and back. It ensures that your body weight is spread out evenly, controls body balance, and provides proper traction.

Wearing footwear without arch support, especially for long-duration, will cause serious conditions to the knee, hip, and back. It will result in pronation and rolling in of the ankles while walking.

A few FitFlop models are designed biomechanically to provide contours for good arch support. This includes

  • iQushion beach sandals
  • Gracie toe-post sandals
  • Gracie buckle leather slides
  • Gracie backstrap sandals
  • iQushion multistrap sliders
  • iQushion pool sliders
  • Vitamin FF sneakers
  • Rally strap suede sneakers
  • Flexknit sneakers
  • Urbanknit Ever

Are FitFlop shoes true to size?

Most FitFlop models are not meant for a snug fit. The brand is not for formal wear where a neat fit is a benchmark. The aim of the brand is to provide comfort. It is known that FitFlop models run slightly big – however, they are neither baggy nor cramped. If you do not like the loose fit, choose a smaller size.

Are FitFlop shoes slip-resistant?

Yes, all FitFlop shoes are slip-resistant. They have slip-resistant rubber soles to provide improved traction and prevent accidents. Slip resistance is a crucial feature in shoes as it allows you to have a good posture, prevents falls and slips, protects your feet, hip, and back, and avoids fatigue.

Are FitFlop shoes washable?

Shoes accumulate a lot of dirt, grime, soil, and bacteria. It is important to keep them clean to maintain hygiene and keep your feet tidy. However, not all shoes can be cleaned in the same way.

Whether you can wash your FitFlop shoes or not depends on their type, fabric used, and insoles.

In this table below, we answer if these particular models of FitFlop shoes and sandals are washable, or not. We also tell you why. 

ModelWashable?Reasoning
Beachwear and pool slidersYesMade of air foam and plastic or cotton straps
Meant to be worn on beaches or poolside
Leather sandals, sliders, platforms, sneakersNoMade of high-quality leather
Washing with water will cause the leather to crack and discolor
Use shoe polish or cloth to clean
Suede wedges, sandals, loafers, platformsYesCan be washed by hand with cold water and mild detergent
Washing with hot water or in the washing machine will damage the suede
Suede mix platforms and mulesNoWashing with water will damage the leather
Should be dry cleaned
Webbing sandalsYesCan be safely washed in the washing machine
Can also be cleaned with a damp cloth or sponge
Multistrap slidersYesMade of microfiber – can be machined washed
Nubuck slidesNoMade of nubuck with leather insoles
Brush gently to remove dirt
Canvas and polyester sandals and sneakersYesCan be washed by hand or by machine
Knit flat shoes and sneakersYesMade of nylon
Wash with mild detergent and gentle machine wash
Crystal toe-post sandalsNoWashing with water or in the washing machine can cause the crystals to fall off
Dry clean or use shoe polish for leather
If not leather, clean with a damp cloth
InsolesNoIt is recommended to remove the insoles and wash them by hand or wipe them with a damp cloth

Are FitFlop shoes comfortable?

FitFlop shoes are known for providing all-day comfort. They are designed with a thorough understanding of biomechanics – that is, how shoes impact muscle activity and body alignment. All products of the company undergo laborious testing at its Human Performance Lab in Calgary – which happens to be the leading biomechanics research center in the world.

Additionally, the midsoles of all FitFlop models are based on these eight company-developed footbed technologies –

  • Anatomicush
  • CushX
  • Dynamicush
  • iQushion
  • Microwobbleboard
  • Neodynamic
  • Supercomff
  • WonderWelly

Conclusively, Fitflop shoes are indeed comfortable and good for your feet and physique. They are known to be the least hazardous in causing an injury or pain.

References:

  1. https://www.fitflop.com/uk/en/
  2. https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-choose-healthier-flip-flops-3435240
Anand Srinivasan
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