Sandals With Superior Arch Support

Spring has sprung, which means we’ll be flipping & flopping in sandals soon. Toni is planning ahead & asked me to research sandals with superior arch support. I’m with Toni, like good arch support too…so much so that I regularly put inserts in my shoes & sandals, but more on that later.

Did you know the arch is one of the most important parts of your foot?

The arch of your foot acts like a spring, absorbing shock every time you take a step, thereby taking a lot of pressure. Without proper arch support, you could end up with knee, hip or back pain. Having the right support will keep you stable & aligned.

Fashion vs. Function

Sandals are a matter of personal taste, style &, of course, purpose – fashion vs. function. If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, you’ll probably want the support of a heel strap. If you’re just doing a few errands, flip-flops or slides might do. Going out to dinner? Wedges are a more supportive option than stilettos. Regardless of your destination, if you seek support, search for sandals with contoured foot-beds that have built in arch support & sturdy soles.

I researched, read & searched some more, looking for the best, most highly recommended brands of sandals with excellent arch support & compiled a list, below. Like I said before, everyone has their own personal style & purpose so find what works for you. Or, make the sandals you already own & love work by using inserts.

Insert Options

If you don’t see a sandal that makes you want to dance, don’t despair; I may have a solution for you. As I mentioned above, I put inserts into almost all my shoes, & that includes my sandals & heels. Yup, even in my strappy stilettos!

I have an arsenal of inserts! I’m not kidding. I keep a variety of inserts on hand so I’m always ready to pop a pair into my shoes or sandals to make them more supportive & comfortable. I have several pairs of flat sandals that I love but they have zero support, which makes my feet tired & achy, so I put gel arch supports in & it makes all the difference. The inserts have an adhesive back so they don’t slide around or fall out.

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Depending on how high your arch is, how much support you want/need & what’s most comfortable, choose Dr. Scholl’s Hidden Arch for moderate support & Dr. Foot for high arches.

For my high heels & even some of my flat sandals, I live for these Dr. Scholl’s High Heel Relief inserts, below. I love that they also cushion the ball of my foot as well as support my arch. Not to get too personal, but here are 2 pix of how I use both the above hidden arches & the below inserts in my sandals.

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Sandal Brands With Superior Arch Support

Brands are listed alphabetically. Also, just a reminder, Amazon owns Zappos so take advantage of your Amazon Prime account for free 1-2 shipping &, in most cases, free returns as well.

Aerothotic – Everyday casual sandals with an orthopedic insole available in lots of styles, colors & materials on Amazon. Their Original Orthotic Comfort Thong comes in over a dozen colors & is very highly rated with 4.5 stars from over 20,500 reviewers.

Aetrex – Lots of cute styles that range from flip flops to wedges, all have great arch support available on Amazon, Nordstrom or Shoes.com.

Birkenstock – Long known for their contoured cork footbeds, Birkenstock has grown from hippy-dippy to hippy-chic. You can find their classic 2-strap Arizona, the Gizeh flip flop & everything in between on Birkenstock, Amazon, Nordstrom or Shoes.com.

Clarks – This British brand has been making comfy shoes since 1825. Check out their vast sandal collection on Amazon or Clarks.

ECCO – Mostly sporty & casual sandals here, but all made with comfort & support in mind. A wide-variety of well-priced styles are available on Amazon.

FitFlop – There’s a lot of technology going on at FitFlop. They’ve got lightweight, cushy flip flops with anatomically shaped footbeds & built-in arch support. You’ll find a variety of styles on the FitFlop site & there are a bunch on sale on Amazon & Nordstrom Rack.

Kork-Ease – This brand was born in Brooklyn & earned their claim to fame in the 70’s with their Buffalo sandal, a platform wedge with cross-crossing leather straps. I had a pair & I LOVED them. They’ve expanded their styles since then – you can find cute slides, wedges, platforms, slides & ankle straps on Kork-Ease, Amazon & Nordstrom Rack, where many styles are on sale, including some cute non-sandal styles, all made with “more comfortable construction”.

Merrell – Known for super supportive shoes for walking & hiking, you can’t go wrong with a pair of their sporty sandals. You can find the biggest selection on Merrell but there are over 100 styles on sale on Amazon.

NAOT – More hippy than chic, they are highly recommended for their all around support, flexibility, shock absorption & durability. Countless styles of sandals available on Amazon & Nordstrom.

OluKai – These claim to be the best high arch sandals with “anatomically contoured footbeds” & a “biomechanically engineered shape that supports and positions your entire foot”. Look for their high arch supported sandal styles: Paniolo, Nu’aPi’o, ‘Ohana, & Pihapiha on OluKai or Amazon.

Taos – This is another brand making very supportive sandals that are more hippy than chic. But if comfort & support are your goals, you’ll want to check them out on Taos or Amazon.

Teva – Best know for their supportive hiking shoes & sandals, Teva has upped their game with some cute wedges & platform sandals. Check them out on Teva & Amazon.

Vionic – This is probably one of the best known brands for sandals with great arch support. In addition to their popular classic flip flops, you’ll find wedges, platforms, ankle straps, slides &, of course, a vast selection of cute thongs. Shop the full collection on Vionic & Amazon.

Please let me know how you make out…I’m curious to know which brand turns out to be your favorite.

And don’t forget to get a pedi!

Just a sampling of supportive sandal styles from the brands I listed above. Left to right – Top Row: Birkenstock (Arizona), FitFlop (Fino), Aertrex (Cora). Middle Row: Teva (Mahonia), FitFlop (H-Bar), Vionic (Amy). Bottom Row: Merrell (Kalari), Kork-Ease (Sammi), OluKai (Paniolo)