Blog posts about footwear design, construction, fitting tips, and how they react with orthotics
Sandal Brand Review: SOLE Sandals
Every once in a while a product comes along that take a product category to another level. I feel that SOLE was able to do that when they entered into the sandal market a few years ago.
Prior to their launch, there were very few options in the supportive flip-flop category. They were able to take the success of their arch support insole business and translate the fit into a sport sandal. Better yet they were able to make the whole package attractive enough to bridge the gap between fashion and function, without compromising much in the way of support.
Now a few seasons in, they are finding new ways to expand their product offering, the addition of the cork based line and the all leather sandals are the best example. With each new kind of sandal, the support story remains quite consistent, while the styling and colour choices improve each season. Needless to say, we are big fans of this brand in our clinic.
Top Things We Like Most About SOLE Sandals:
- Good heel cup and arch support, consistent with their line of insoles.
- Good flex-point at the forefoot and a modest amount of toe spring (rocker).
- Durability. They handle the elements well. Backed by great customer service.
- 90 Day Comfort Guarantee. Try them without risk; enough said.
- The Premium Leather sandal. Try one on and you will know what I am talking about.
Now, with several years of experience fitting these sandals, there are a few things that we notice could benefit from some incremental improvements. One thing I will say about SOLE is that they take their product development very seriously. Chances are that they are working as we speak to incrementally improve their sandals.
Minor Fit Issues We See (as of June 2011):
- The strap material on the cork based sandals is a little bit stiffer than that of the sport sandal. About a quarter of the feet we have seen will notice the difference in fit. Only a very small percentage notice enough to not purchase. Our solution so far has been to apply heat to the strap to soften the material, essentially accelerating the break-in process.
- The instep band on the slide sandal can cause pressure points at the toe or instep of some feet, probably less than 5% of the time. I am honestly not surprised by this simply because not all feet are the same shape. Still worth noting.
Summer + Sandals = ?
Summer is upon us and brings with it a challenge of how to maintain an adequate level of support when our normal shoes take a back seat to sandals and summer friendly footwear. Keeping your body supported in this season is no small challenge.
There are four key areas to be concerned about with sandals.
- Support
- Cushioning
- Heel to Toe rise
- Fit, Accommodations
Support
Your typical sandal doesn’t do much more than offer your foot some protection from the ground. And in the case of cheap & flimsy flip-flops, I would argue that they barely accomplish that. The average sandal offers only a fraction of support compared to that of a shoe, which in small doses provides a decent challenge to the body. It can become an issue when that barely supportive sandal is worn day after day for the summer months.
There are some options out there in the market that address this. A brand like Birkenstock is probably the best known for providing strong and stable support. Say what you want about how they look, you can’t knock how they work. I’m not saying your sandal needs to be exactly like that, but it should be more like that than just a slab of foam.
Cushioning
Most sandals do not have that much inherent cushioning. Generally speaking this isn’t a big deal, unless you spend all day walking in them (or days/weeks). This seems to be an increasingly common type of usage for sandals, and therefore is part of the urgency we feel to write this kind of post.
Not all cushioning is created equal. Cheap foam will pack down quickly and the cushioning effect will diminish rapidly. Quality cushioning materials will last much longer and will maintain their resiliency.
Heel to Toe
Almost every shoe out there has a Heel-To-Toe pitch where the heel sits higher than the forefoot. A high-heel shoe is an obvious example of this, but even a running shoe or a dress shoe has at least a half-inch or so of pitch. Your average sandal, however, is much closer to or is perfectly flat. In the short-term this is a good thing. It provides a much-needed stretch to the Achilles/Calf area. In small doses this isnt’ a bad thing. All day, everyday for several months a year can lead to an overuse injury.
Fit
A good fitting sandal should be one with your foot, which means you should have to squeeze your toes or alter your gait to accommodate for your sandal. Any kind of alteration to foot posture or gait over a sustained period can lead to issues. Inexpensive flip-flops are the worst offenders here as the wearer is often forced to scrunch their toes to keep the sandal on their foot or even alter their gait pattern to compensate for a sandal that does not want to stay on their foot. These kinds of alterations to body posture and motion can lead to overuse discomfort or injury.
Brand Reviews
In future posts we will be reviewing our favourite summer sandal brands that pass the tests described above. Stay tuned.
Series: All About Footwear
For a pedorthist footwear is as important as an orthotic device, in some cases even more important. The biggest challenge we have is getting a patient to wear a shoe that has the fit and function we are looking for. What is their biggest challenge? To find shoes that they will actually wear. The next biggest challenge is figuring out if it is a “good” shoe or not.
This series of posts will be designed as a teaching tool, to help you understand the footwear industry and navigate the store shelves and differentiate the good from the bad. Along the way you will learn about the different kinds of footwear and what they are designed for, the features that pedorthists and foot health professionals are looking for.
What you won’t find are to many rules, simply because there aren’t any that really work for everyone. Instead we will discuss the kinds of questions to ask yourself, and what your answer should look like. Our goal is to help you navigate your way through the shoe store, and how to avoid shoes that may lead to trouble.
