I Walk at Least 7000 Steps Per Day—These Comfy Sandals Make That Possible

Since having a kid a little over a year ago, my workouts mainly consist of walking whenever and wherever I can fit it in. You’d think that would mean I’m always in sneakers, but I’m one of those L.A. clichés who loves a sandal. Hence, a walking sandal that’s both comfortable and chic is essential for my day to day. Tasking myself with finding opportunities to get a walk in often looks like, grabbing a coffee? How about a walk around the block afterward? Taking the baby to the bookstore? Let’s tour the neighborhood! And so it goes. Pretending I’m still a New Yorker as well as freaking out passersby in their cars because there is, in fact, someone walking in L.A. are bonuses.

If I’m in the wrong sandals, however, those jaunts are cut awfully short. In an effort to find out exactly what I should be looking for when it comes to choosing a walking sandal that won’t leave me cursing and blistered, I spoke to Michael Levi, an L.A.-based podiatrist and team doctor and consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers, Loyola Marymount University, the L.A. Ballet Company, and several Olympic track and field athletes. His first recommendation? “The more stability you have in [a] shoe, the better,” he says. According to Levi, a good walking sandal should have a strap that fits across the back of the heel “to keep the foot approximated to the shoe,” a deep heel cup (i.e., the part of the shoe that the bottom of your heel fits in), and provide arch support. “It's also nice [if] there's a groove for all [of] your toes to sit in the base of the toe box,” the toe box being the end of the shoe where your little toe to your big toe come across.

Flimsy slides, heels and platforms are a no-go in his book—too unstable—and from a health perspective, it’s worth forgoing these options on a regular basis. As Levi points out, “Your feet control your ankles, your knees, your hips, your upper, and your lower back. And bio-mechanically, if your feet are working correctly, it decreases the chances of having bio-mechanical problems in the other joints of your body.”

With these criteria in mind and thanks to a few recommendations, I’ve rounded up five of the best walking sandals out there right now, as well as 25 other worthy contenders, below.

Our Top 5 Walking Sandals

• Best Fashion Walking Sandals: A.Emery Jalen Sandals
• Best Everyday Walking Sandals: Birkenstock Arizona Suede Slides
• Best Closed-Toe Walking Sandals: Melissa Possession Jelly Fisherman Sandal
• Best Athletic Walking Sandals: Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Sandal
• Best Splurge Walking Sandals: Prada Padded Napa Leather Sandals

Best Fashion Walking Sandals: Jalen Sandals

I can’t stop hearing about A.Emery sandals lately. If you’ve been on the hunt for a fashion walking sandal at a moderate price point that's as pretty as it is functional, the Jalen is it. Featuring a molded footbed, toe hold, and two crisscross straps that keep the foot nice and secure, they check nearly all of Levi’s boxes. Plus, they come in both luxe suede and leather in an assortment of rich colors. Act quickly; they sell out fast!

Best Everyday Walking Sandals: Birkenstock Arizona Slides

I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here. Birkenstock’s Arizona sandals are still the best around. I, like many of you, have worn these comfortable sandals for years. They’ve come with me on countless vacations and, more recently, on a long beach-adjacent walk that involved me pushing a stroller uphill. While they don’t have a strap in the back per Levi’s orders, the two straps that go across the top of the foot are thick enough to both prevent your foot from sliding out and your toes from holding on for dear life. Plus, they mold to your foot!

Best Closed-Toe Walking Sandals: Possession Jelly Fisherman Sandal

Whenever I need immediate feedback, I always take my fashion queries to the group chat. Per the question of walking sandals, my extremely stylish friend Lily Waronker (her recent uniform has been The Row’s Gala Crepe Wide-Leg Pants and a perfectly worn-in vintage sweatshirt—yeah, I know), a screenwriter, quipped back, “The Melissa Jellies are padded and are SO COMFORTABLE. I wear them in the matte black.” Her equally stylish mom has them too, and according to Lily, “they’re perfect for walking around Europe in the summer.” Who could ask for more?

Best Athletic Walking Sandals: Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Sandal

Back to the group chat—another friend who spends a lot of time on her feet for work said that she adores her Original Tevas. But, upon further investigation, the Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Sandal seems to be slightly more supportive for walking, with its soft heel strap padding and sturdy sole, making it ideal for nature walks and beyond. One Nordstrom reviewer enthusiastically wrote, “I love this shoe. [They’re] the most comfortable walking sandal[s] that can go anywhere. Beach or city walking. I just took mine to Europe for a 2 week trip and they were the only shoes that held up to the constant walking on cobblestone streets.”

Best Splurge Walking Sandals: Prada Padded Nappa Leather Sandals

As the old saying goes, “Go Prada or go home.” Okay, maybe that’s not the old saying, but it should be. CEO and co-founder of Malbon Golf Erica Malbon tells me, “Whenever I’m traveling somewhere warm, I pack these Prada sandals that are the most comfortable shoes. I wear them with summer dresses for sightseeing and shopping on foot.” With a padded upper, back heel strap, and lug tread sole, these sandals might not be made for walking, but they’ll definitely take you places.

Shop More Walking-Sandal Picks

This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.