I know this is a very individualized decision, but I need to find some women’s open back walking shoes asap. I have injured the back of my heel and am about to go on vacation where I anticipate significant walking. I usually hate open back shoes so I have no idea what would be a good option and I’m probably buying online, so won’t be trying them on.
Any help would be appreciated. Prefer budget conscious as I doubt I’ll wear them after I heal, but I also want to enjoy my vacation so I’ll spend a bit more for something that’s a great fit.
Chaco slides are so comfortable and more cost effective than Birkenstocks. I do love Birks but I feel like they take more “getting used to”. You can find the Chaco’s pretty much everywhere online (Zappos, amazon, Sierra trading, REI, etc) and in many colors. Good luck!
Super comfortable, with plenty of cushioning, but, IMO, the slides run a bit wide. (So do Hokas, if you ask me.) The Sports Flex Slide has an adjustable strap if you have issues with width.
The clogs are also very comfy (and fit me much better than the slides) but can be sweaty in hot weather since the uppers are silicon.
I have a narrow, high arched foot so my issues may not apply to you.
Sandals, slides and clogs are 100% into-the-washer washable. (which is a nice feature)
We are headed to Portugal where the cobblestone and Hills make walking challenging. I bought some allbirds, but they didn’t work for me. It was recommended that I get east spirit shoes for walking on cobblestone. They are very affordable and they have lots of backless, step in shoes.
The Teva Tirra Sport hiking shoe is the best hiking sandal ever, but they do have a strap high up on the heel, so it depends on where your heel injury is.
I had my big toenail removed the day before we went on a hiking trip to Hawaii, and had no idea that my toe was going to hurt so much that I couldn’t even put a sock on it. I hiked over ten miles in the Maui crater with these sandals and no socks, and they were the most comfortable hiking shoes I’ve ever had, and I have high arches, blisters, bunions, all sorts of foot issues.
Olukai makes awesome backless slides. Bought them in Honolulu when my sandals gave up the ghost as I was shopping. Wore them all over the city and then even hiked a couple of (easier) beachfront trails in them on the Big Island.
I wear the OOFOS slippers inside (and sometimes outside for quick jaunts to pick up a few things at the grocery store or other local shops), but I wear the slides, flips and clogs outside all the time. I don’t consider them inside shoes at all. I often wear the clogs when traveling–because comfy when walking in airports, plus easy off-on. I’ve not had trouble walking in the slides on beaches or walking trails/sidewalks. I used to wear the slides to walk 1.5 sidewalk miles home from my volunteer gig all the time when I lived in SoCal.
I personally would never wear a backless shoes on a hiking trail though.
(NOTE: I do usually wear socks with my non-adjustable slides because they’re too wide for my feet otherwise. With the adjustable slides, I can tighten the top strap enough that I don’t need socks to keep them on my feet.)
I think if you do a search on “mule walking shoe” you will get a lot of hits. Personally my foot is high arch and skinny in the arch, medium in the ball of the foot/toes, so I would want something with laces that I could tighten if I am really planning on doing a lot of walking. Although I do walk in flip flops all the time. Skechers makes some backless mule sneakers. So do Easy Spirit and Keds. Clarks has some nice mules/clogs (don’t throw those away – at least sell/donate). Lots of options for mules.
Thank you everyone! There have been great suggestions here.
Looking into oofos and easy spirit and probably one more.
Someone asked about my feet. I think they run a bit wide and have a high arch. My best fit among major brands has been Lululemon’s blissfeel sneakers which got rid of my plantar fasciitis within a couple of months of switching to them. But the back is way too high for me now. I had a biopsy (benign) on the back of my foot about an inch above the ground and it’s maybe the size of a dime and still healing and can’t take any pressure. Bandages and moleskin aren’t enough, so now looking at mules and slides , neither of which I’ve ever worn before. Hopefully I’ll love them!
My husband gives another vote for the Oofos. He had foot pain many years ago, and his podiatrist told him to get those. He wears them all the time and said he’d be comfortable walking for miles in them.
I have 2 pair of Oofos flipflops and 2 pair of Easy Spirit Traveltime (lightweight clogs, avaialble in M, W and WW width). Both work well with my plantar fasciitis concerns. I’ve never wore them for intense walking though.
I started wearing OOfos when I was diagnosed with chronic bursitis in my heel and micro tears in the Achilles tendon at the tendon insertion site. (I also have a large bone spur at the Achilles tendon insertion site which makes wearing straps around the back of the ankle challenging.) About year after giving up most of my shoes that didn’t have softer, shock absorbing soles, my bursitis healed. I’ve been pain-free for 4 years now.