The Olukai Men’s ‘Ohana Sandals BREAK NEW GROUND IN COMFORT
Built for the surf. And the turf.
I’m going to give it to you straight: I’m not a sandals or slides guy. While I appreciate the idea of freeing the feet, I’ve always felt awkward sporting some foot thongs and flip-flopping my way through my day. So, when I say that it takes a special kind of shoe to change my mind, I mean it.
When the generous folks at OluKai sent me over these well-built bad boys, I let them marinate in the box for a few days while I brainstormed how I wanted to conduct this review. Do I take them to the beach? The pool? Do I wear them to walk the dog? Do I commit the cardinal sin of slipping them over my socks, just because I appreciate a sense of non-conformity? Ultimately, I decided to focus initially on one thing -- the comfort level.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY WERE MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR FEET.
The first thing that became abundantly clear to me, was just how damn comfortable these were right out of the box. From the moment I slipped them on, they hugged my feet, evoking a feeling closer to a high-end pair of running shoes or really solid pair of boots. As I took my first few steps, I marveled at the arch support, felt the squishy, cushy footbed embrace the bottom of my foot, and finally understood that a break-in period wasn’t going to be a factor.
Technical speaking, the high comfort marks are owed to the unique, and meticulous construction of the sandal. The EVA midsole with ICEVA drop-in footbed creates a personalized fit, with the anatomical compression-molded construction working in perfect symmetry with the curves of your feet. Overall, it’s a master class in what it takes to create a sandal that’s as comfortable as they are functional. Best of all, the comfort holds strong for hours on end.
THEY’RE NOT AFRAID OF NO ROCKS.
Much to my surprises, the 'Ohana doesn't feature that familiar flat or slightly ribbed sole found on most sandals. These pairs are composed of a non-marking rubber in the design of a coral reef which provides added grip on wet or dry surfaces.
In short, these make for one tough sandal. There’s a stability and thickness that makes you feel like you could scale a cliff or tread your way through the undertow as unadvisable as that may be. Add in responsive support and protection from hard surfaces, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a sandal that can do what the ‘Ohana can.
THEY’RE FINE WITH GETTING WET.
Like any good beach patroller, they’re water-resistant. Furthermore, the jersey knit lining dries quickly, so transitioning from wet to dry land isn’t an issue. The traction isn’t compromised, so untimely slips are something you can firmly take out of the equation. Bottom line, if you’re looking for the perfect summer beach sandals and plan to spend an inordinate amount of time at the beach, pool, or lake, then this is your best bet. They also get bonus points in my book for being able to float.
THEY LOOK LIKE LEATHER SANDALS, BUT THEY’RE TOTALLY VEGAN.
No cows were hurt in the creation of this shoe. They’re made completely from 100% high-quality synthetic materials and are free of animal products. So not only do they feel good, look good, and perform good. They’re also good for the animal world.
THEY’RE EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT.
The last thing you want is to feel like you’re shuffling around with slates of rock on your feet. As the minutes grew into hours, I honestly forgot that I had these on. Combined with the compressive feel, it was easy to go about my day without feeling anchored down by an overbuilt and hefty sandal. Even when they got wet, they maintained their featherweight functionality. No small feat, even to a notoriously anti-sandal individual.
