Instant Relief from Plantar Fasciitis
I've only just received these, so I can't comment in durability or long term use yet; however, I am so impressed at the outset that I wanted to share my review.For 10 years I've suffered from Plantar Fasciitis, and as part of managing it have foregone time spent barefoot, even at home. I've gone through many pairs of "house sandals" and want to share how the Oofos compare with the others I've tried. I started with Birkenstocks, went through a couple pairs of them over the course of several years. They provided great arch support, and that got the job done. Eventually I got frustrated with the other contours of the footed, which really didn't fit my feet well. So I decided to try other options.I already had some Chacos that I wore out-and-about, and they were good for that purpose. But they were perhaps too robust for house wear. I had a pair of slippers from Sole, whose insoles I like, and they were decent but hard to put on/take off, and not suited for year-round use. I researched many options, and the finalists were these Oofos, slides from Vionic, and leather slides from Olukai.I chose the Olukai. Without actually trying the options all on, it was impossible to differentiate the comfort and arch support of the candidates. Ultimately I liked the Olukai for their smooth leather footed, which I thought would be more comfortable as a house sandal than the Vionic and Oofos, as they both had textured footbeds. Also, the strap on the Olukai was adjustable, which struck me as a plus.The Olukai worked reasonably well, but I was never 100% happy with them. The leather was nice on the feet, but I found their cushion lacking, and always felt like they could provide better arch support. For a long time my Plantar Fasciitis was well tamed, so the moderate arch support was not an issue.For the last month or so, my Plantar Fasciitis has flared up, building to the point of knife-like pain on every step, which only eased mildly through the day. I started stretching again, which I hadn't needed in years. Out came my foam roller, and the arch straps. Finally I broke down and decided that 2.5 years was a decent run for the Olukai, and that it was time to get something with better arch support.I reviewed many options, read articles, searched specialty footwear sites, but kept coming back to the Oofos, which have soared in popularity since the last time I looked at them. I considered the Superfeet slides, having gone through several sets of their insoles over the years, but the sandals seem to have a limited track record. So I ordered the Oofos.I put the Oofos on, and was immediately pleased with the cushion and arch support. Looking at them, the arch doesn't seem very pronounced, but my feet sink in at the main pressure areas, and the arch ends up in full contact with my foot. My first steps were an immediate improvement from the pain I'd been in for weeks, and it just got better the more I wore them. And the cushion! It's like walking on clouds. I have zero regrets in retiring my old sandals, or in the choice of the Oofos. I'll miss the look and feel of those leather slides, but these are so comfy there's no going back.The strap on the Oofos is not adjustable, but it seems to work out OK. The footbed does a good job of holding your foot, so the looseness of the strap seems to be a non-issue. The texture on the footbed is not ideal, but it's subtle enough that I can deal with it.For reference, I'm 5'-11", 240lbs. I wear a size 11 shoe, have high arches, narrow heels, and wide forefoot.Update 1/12/2020: I'm still happy with these, but have reduced my rating to 4 stars for some disappointing changes over time. The sandals have held up well in terms of overall durability. However, the straps that I'd been on the fence about before have stretched over time, meaning my foot tends to migrate too far into the sandal. This leaves my toes hanging off the front, and my arch not hitting the support quite right. All I need to do is move my foot back into position frequently, which is not ideal, but not worth demoting these to less than 4 stars. Another complaint is that my feet have permanently compressed the main pressure points on the sandals, reducing the previously cloud-like cushioning. They're still very comfortable, but not like they were at first.Take note, if the sandals get wet, your feet will slide freely. This is particularly problematic if you're walking on a hill. Yes these are my house sandals, but I occasionally forget/am lazy and wear them out into the yard. Another minor quibble is that inserting your feet into the sandals while wearing socks (just in the house, I swear!) is difficult - the socks stick on the foot bed and won't slide in.In hindsight I suspect the ones with adjustable straps would be worth the added cost.
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