You don’t need to live in the tropics to require a great pair of sandals a.k.a. casual footwear. Sandals are great for sliding on to go get the mail or wear in a gym or dorm shower. The best sandals, flip-flops, and slides for men are comfortable, stylish, and will last you years and they are all on this amazing and easy-to-navigate list.
We begin the Men’s Sandals section with a sandal that you either love or you don’t love so much. These are casual footwear that usually, the non-Birkenstockers who have a “meh” attitude about Birkenstocks. Because everyone who owns the ‘Stocks l-o-v-e-s them. These men’s sandals feature a two-strap upper with adjustable buckles. The sole is shock absorbing and the footbed features Birkenstocks’ original cork footbed, which forms to the wearer’s feet. They can be worn if you’re dressed casual, dressier or just going full hippy. Thirteen different colors/styles available, shown in “Brown Birko Flor.”
These men’s sandals hew closer to the idea of “sport sandals” than some of the others in the list. The outsole on these Tevas is Teva’s own “Durabrasion Rubber,” which gives great traction without adding weight to the sandals. The upper is suede and mesh, which Teva says allows the wearer to “make the transition from trail to the street a seamless one.” We do think that these are more trail/sport than dressy, but they would work with a fit that included, say, some cargo shorts. The sandals feature a nylon shank for stability and support. Interestingly, the word “Teva” is Hebrew for “nature.”
Similar to the Teva Katavi, the Ecco Yucatan Sandals are a very sturdy, sporty sandal. These are one of Ecco’s most popular shoes, with more than 10 million pairs sold. The uppers here are leather and synthetic fabric, with three adjustable hook-and-loop straps (one at the toes, one at the ankle and one at the heel). And here’s what Ecco has to say about the footbed: “Dual-density, Agion treated, covered CMEVA footbed helps to inhibit bacterial growth for odor reduction and a healthier environment.” That’s all well and good and everything, but to me, it’s my personal history with Ecco sandals that make them great. I bought a pair more than 20 years ago and I still have them. They are fantastic. Available in 16 different colors.
These are the dressiest sandals on the list and they can certainly be worn with just about any outfit. Like most Dockers stuff, the price is very reasonable. These men’s sandals feature a synthetic upper with contrasting stitching. Dockers say the uppers have been “distressed and tumbled,” which makes them less stiff. The soles are rubber and the insole is comprised of memory foam, which shapes to the foot. Available in brown or black.
The Superstar styling from Adidas is a long-time classic. The three stripes are prominently displayed on the top of the upper, which is adjustable. An adjustable slide is convenient because you can cinch it up a bit tighter if you’re going to be doing more walking or loosen it if you’re going to be doing more just hanging. These men’s slides feature Adidas’s “Fitfoam” midsole, which is made of a visco-elastic rebound foam. In plain language, that means that the insole contours to your foot. Available in four different colors — shown in black/silver/grey. Would go great with some Adidas track pants.
If men’s slides can be dressy, this is probably a good example of it. The Crocs Citilane Roka slide is made of thermoplastic polyurethane and features what Crocs calls “Iconic Crocs Comfort.” To be more specific, it’s a material they call “Croslite”, which is foam resin “engineered for comfort from our own secret recipe.” The footbed is foam with a cup sole design. Crocs has three different fit styles: Roomy, Relaxed, and Standard. These are Standard, which means there isn’t any extra room and the fit is “comfortably snug.” That’s convenient for doing a bit more walking in these slides than you might be comfortable doing (because slides are, by definition, loose-fitting) in another pair of slides. Available in four different color combinations, shown in black/white.
With the Nike Men’s Benassi, you’re basically getting the classic men’s slide that is very simply constructed. The sole and the upper are both synthetic. The midsole is composed of soft foam and has “jersey lining” for comfort. Available in several different color combinations.
The Vertico Shower and Pool Sandal Slide feature a quick-drying construction because Vertico puts a lot of focus on the “healthy” aspects of their slides. Reading their promotional material about the slides might make you think twice about where you’re stepping: “Tired of wondering what is all over the dorm shower floor? Worried about what you are contracting from the hotel you’re staying at? Vertico Shower Sandals offer protection between you and the fungus that lies beneath.” Okay, right, we agree: gross. But the slides are cool. In fact, they feature a vented foot bridge and closed-cell EVA for comfort. The slides pack into each other so they’ll take up less room in your luggage or gym bag. We do want to point out that these don’t have to be confined to the shower or pool. You got taste. You wear them where you want to.
Some pretty stunningly fantastic reviews on these flip-flops for men. The Reef Fanning is named for pro surfer Mick Fanning, so they’ve definitely got a beach pedigree. Mick must be about having a good time because these flip-flop kicks have a bottle opener built into the sole (you can see it in the photo in the darker middle part of the sole). The Reef Fannings are “water-friendly” and feature a synthetic nubuck upper and a contoured molded EVA footbed, as well as a full 360-degree heel cushion and anatomical arch support. Cool looks, great comfort. Another great — and new — men’s flip-flop from Reef is in honor of The Mick’s recent announcement that he’s retiring from pro surfing (say it ain’t so, Mick!): the Fanning Low is a slimmer, sleeker version of the regular Fanning. The Reef Men’s Fanning Flip-Flops are available in 12 different colors.
Teva practically owns the sandals/flip-flops category. They’ve been well known for producing great products for some time now. Teva’s parent company — Deckers Brands — knows what they’re doing, as they also own Ugg and Sanuk, two other hugely popular brands. As for these men’s flip-flops, the Teva Men’s Mush II features a dual-density EVA midsole that is all about the comfort. The fabric thong strap is designed to dry quickly and the soles will form to your feet. Available in six different colors (as of this writing). We’re showing the “Brick Black.”
Sanuks are one of those products that make us think, why didn’t we think of that? There’s something about the Sanuks that just work great. Case in point: the other night we were at a dinner party. It was one of those “please remove your shoes at the door” kind of things. At one point, I had to run out to the car and I asked the host if he had some slippers I could borrow. He pointed to his Sanuks. I put them on, headed out…and wanted to keep going. Not necessarily because the company wasn’t good, but because the Sanuks were great. These men’s flip-flops have a canvas strap and toe post and feature a suede sole and a midsole strip. The heel on these measures about an inch. The outsoles feature the Sanuk “happy U,” which comes in handy for when you’ve got the feet up on the ottoman. Available in four different colors, shown in charcoal.
Another very durable, great-casual-look entry from Skechers. The Bosnia Flip-Flop features a frayed canvas toe post and a plush padded footbed. The footbed is a 360-degree cushion design. These men’s flip-flops also have a traction bottom. We’re showing the black but they are available in four different colors.
With apologies to the J-Man, we present a pair of men’s sandals that are known as “Classic Jesus Sandals.” That comes from Pali Hawaii, and given the popularity of these very affordable sandals, who are we to argue? Also known as “Jandals” (get it?). These are rubber sandals, both uppers, and the soles. Pali recommends ordering a size larger than your usual athletic footwear size. This is the case with most casual sneakers or sandals.
Perhaps the most classic “beach look” of the list, these men’s flip-flops from Skechers feature a soft canvas upper with a fabric toe post (toe post = the thing that goes between your big toe and your second toe). The footbed is cushioned and the midsole is flexible for shock-absorbing. The outsole (the bottom) is a traction sole. The canvas is frayed so you’ll be able to arrive on the scene as if you’ve been there forever. Available in three different colors.
Under Armour has tricked these men’s slides out in a handful of ways. The adjustable strap features UA’s “HeatGear” lining, which provides wicking for sweat and keeps the feetsies cooler. The slides also have a footbed with two layers of UA’s “Performance 4D Foam” which provides comfort and contours to the wearer’s foot. The outsole is EVA built with durable traction pods in the heel. At the time of this writing, they’re available in 10 different color combinations, shown in black/white.
