From heeled sandals to square toe footbeds, flip flops have been this summer’s breakout footwear trend. No longer just worn on the beach or poolside, the thonged shoe has commanded street style with the likes of Hailey Bieber and Zoe Kraviz incorporating minimalist designs into their model-off duty looks. Among the trending designs are Archies, whose arch support flip flops have gone viral this season with celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Kylie Minogue donning a pair.
A fresh take on the trend, the Australian brand places foot health at the core of its designs with arch support, a base that moulds to your feet and a comfortable, tight strap. The flip flops were designed by physiotherapist Daniel Jones who sought a solution for the patients who needed support from their shoes, but couldn’t part with their favourite summer sandal.
As someone interested in foot health having converted to barefoot shoes, my attention was piqued by these flip flops. I got my hands on a pair to test around London and on holiday. Here’s how I got on.
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Archies arch support flip flops
Rating: 4.5/5
Why we love it
- Foot felt secure and supported
- Provided all day comfort
- Lightweight and stylish
Take note
- The straps needed loosening for me
Design
Archies founder Daniel Jones has said that traditional flip flops may lead to an abnormal walking pattern and strain on the musculoskeletal system, because of their flat base and loose straps. Archies aims to combat this with its high arch design, which raises the area by 2.2cm. This does take getting used to but after a few wears, I enjoyed the gentle cushioning it provided. The flip flops also have a slightly elevated heel, which can be helpful for those with achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis according to Archies.
A solution most of us will rejoice in is Archies’s one-piece design, with straps that are built into the base instead of having a plug that is pushed through a hole in the sole. This avoids straps randomly popping out of the sole – a huge bug bare with traditional flip flops.
Keep in mind that the straps need adjusting to fit your foot shape, which you can do by pulling at the rubber. When they arrived, I found them extremely tight and, having not loosened them enough, this affected my first day of wearing them – albeit a big test, with a day walking more than 10,000 steps around London – with my feet left feeling sore. That being said, after adjusting the straps to fit better, I haven’t looked back and have had a very positive experience with the flip flops.
The footbed is made from a closed cell material, which moulds to your foot and in practice supported my grip in the shoe. Secondly, there are raised contours that sit under your toes, again providing more support and keeping your feet in a comfortable position.
Comfort
The comfort of Archies is unmatched to any flip flops I've tried before, especially once the fit is adjusted to your feet. In the past, I would suffer from a strained feeling in my calves after a long day of wearing the thonged footwear. But after wearing these non-stop on my holiday, I never experienced the same painful feeling.
The cushioning base felt like a massage for my feet and I felt secure in the straps, which gave me more confidence in my strides. This helped to reduce the need to claw at the base with my toes (which Jones says can cause foot injuries).
Despite their bulkier design, they are lightweight so ideal for throwing into your beach bag.
Durability
After a few weeks of testing, I can only say good things about the durability of the arch support flip flops. With the one-piece design, the straps don’t feel flimsy and the thick base is high quality. My only note is after two weeks I noticed a slight scuffing on the front edge. At £35, they are on the pricer side for flip flops but not much more than industry leaders like Havaianas – and in my opinion if you’re a serial flip flop wearer, it’s worth the investment for improved foot health.
Key specifications
Buy now £35, Archiesfootwear.co.uk
Are Archies flip flops worth it?
In my opinion the viral Archies flip flops are worth the hype. After my initial blip, I can only report great things after taking them on holiday and mooching around the city in them. The arch, sole design and straps kept my feet in a healthy position and I didn’t experience any aches or strains after wearing them continuously. If you don’t take flip flops off when summer swings around, it’s worth seeing if these work for you – plus there are many stylish colourways to play around with.
How I tested
I tested the Archies arch support flip flops for weeks, wearing them as my holiday shoe in Madeira and for running city errands around London. I looked for the following as I wore them:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alice Reynolds is a writer at IndyBest with an interest in fitness and wellness including foot health. She has previously tested barefoot shoes and has spoken to podiatrists about the topic.
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