FitFlop builds cushioning and arch support into shoes that do not look orthopaedic. We went through the range by style to work out which kind suits which feet, and which to skip.
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Comfort footwear used to mean choosing between feet that did not hurt and shoes you were happy to be seen in. FitFlop built its business on refusing that trade, putting engineered midsoles into styles that look like ordinary sandals and trainers.
The range is now wide enough that the brand name alone tells you very little. A flip-flop and an ankle boot share a design philosophy but solve completely different problems, so the useful question is which style fits how you actually spend your days.
Straight to it If this is your first pair, start with iQUSHION flip-flops — the cushioning is immediately obvious and they are the cheapest way to find out whether the brand suits your feet.
FitFlop's pitch is comfort technology in shoes you would wear anyway.
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The shortlist
Start here
Three styles that between them cover summer, all-day walking and cold weather.
Best overall & best first pair
iQUSHION flip-flops
★★★★★4.8/ 5
iQUSHIONToe-postSummer
The range most people meet the brand through. Cushioning you feel immediately, in a shoe light enough to live in a bag all summer.
Two things actually distinguish the brand, and one caveat is worth stating up front.
Cushioning you notice immediately
The midsoles are the product. Unlike shoes that need breaking in, the difference is obvious on the first wear — which also means you will know quickly whether a pair suits you, well inside any returns window.
Independent recognition
A number of FitFlop styles carry the American Podiatric Medical Association's Seal of Acceptance, an independent review of whether a product is good for foot health. It is a meaningful signal, though it applies to specific styles rather than the whole range.
Designed to be worn in public
The engineering is hidden inside ordinary-looking sandals, trainers and boots. For most buyers that is the actual reason to choose these over obviously orthopaedic alternatives.
Buying guide
How to choose the right one
Three questions will narrow the range quickly.
1
Start with the surface you stand on
Hard floors and pavements are what this footwear is for. If you spend the day on tile, concrete or city streets, the cushioning earns its price. If you are mostly on carpet at home or sitting down, you will notice far less benefit and the premium is harder to justify.
2
Then match the closure to the length of your day
An open flip-flop is ideal for short trips and warm weather but gives the foot nothing to brace against. For a full day of walking, a style that holds the heel; a closed sandal, a trainer or a boot, will leave your feet in much better shape, because your toes are not gripping to keep the shoe on.
3
Last, think about socks and seasons
Toe-post styles rule out socks, which in the UK limits them to a few months. Closed styles, trainers and boots extend the same cushioning across the year. If you are only buying one pair, a closed style is the more useful purchase.
👟 Sizing & fit
Cushioned footwear fits differently from flat shoes, because the footbed is contoured rather than level. If you are between sizes, most people do better sizing up in closed styles and staying true to size in toe-post styles, where a loose fit means the shoe slides.
Check the brand's own size guide for the specific style rather than assuming your usual number carries across, and buy somewhere with a returns policy you are happy with — these are shoes you can judge within an hour of wearing.
🧼 Care & longevity
Midsole cushioning compresses with use. That is normal and gradual rather than a fault, but it does mean a heavily worn pair stops doing the job it was bought for — if your old pair no longer feels like it did, that is the signal to replace rather than a reason to doubt the brand.
Keep them out of direct heat. Leaving cushioned shoes on a radiator or in a hot car is the fastest way to deform a midsole and ruin a pair that would otherwise have lasted seasons.
In-depth reviews
All 6, reviewed
Ranked by how well each one delivers on what it promises: not by price.
1
Best overall & best first pair
iQUSHION flip-flops
★★★★★4.8/ 5
4.8Score
The cheapest way to find out whether this brand suits your feet, and the answer arrives within about ten minutes of putting them on.
The short of it
iQUSHION is FitFlop's best-known range and the one the brand leads with. These are flip-flops built around a cushioned, contoured footbed, and the difference against a flat rubber flip-flop is obvious on the first wear rather than something you have to be told about. For holidays, poolsides, garden and short town trips they are hard to fault.
They are still flip-flops, with the limitations that implies. There is nothing holding your heel, so your toes do a quiet amount of gripping to keep them on – which is fine for twenty minutes and tiring over a full day of walking. Treat them as excellent warm-weather shoes rather than all-day walking shoes and they are an easy recommendation.
Range: iQUSHION
Type: toe-post flip-flop
Best for: warm weather and short trips
Limitation: no heel retention
Pros
Cushioning is immediately obvious, with no break-in
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2
Best for easy wear
Cushioned slides
★★★★★4.6/ 5
4.6Score
Everything the flip-flop does, minus the bit between your toes that some people simply cannot get on with.
The short of it
A toe post is uncomfortable for some people, and a slide solves that without giving up the cushioned footbed. A single band across the forefoot makes these the easiest style here to get on and off, which is exactly what you want for a poolside, a garden, or wearing around the house.
The trade is stability. A slide holds the foot in one place only, so it is even less suited to distance walking than a flip-flop, and it will come off if you move quickly. Buy these as comfortable convenience shoes, not as something to explore a city in.
Type: single-band slide
Footbed: cushioned and contoured
Best for: poolside, garden, indoors
Limitation: least secure style here
Pros
No toe post, which suits people who cannot wear them
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3
Best for all-day walking
Closed-toe sandals
★★★★★4.6/ 5
4.6Score
Holding the heel is what turns a comfortable sandal into one you can walk all day in.
The short of it
This is the most useful warm-weather style in the range and the one we would choose for a city break. Because the heel is held rather than simply rested on, your toes are not gripping to keep the shoe attached, and that single difference is what makes a sandal viable for a full day on your feet.
They cost more than a flip-flop and take a moment longer to put on, which is the entire downside. If you are buying one pair of warm-weather shoes and expect to walk in them, buy this style rather than the toe-post one, it is the difference between shoes that are comfortable standing still and shoes that are comfortable at the end of the day.
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4
Best for active days
Cushioned trainers
★★★★★4.3/ 5
4.3Score
The most practical thing the brand makes in a British climate, simply because you can wear it in November.
The short of it
A trainer takes everything the brand does well and makes it wearable year-round. Laces mean the fit can be adjusted properly, socks are an option, and the closed upper deals with British weather in a way no sandal can. For commuting, standing all day at work, or travelling, this is the most practical style in the range.
They are comfort trainers rather than running shoes, and that distinction matters. The cushioning is tuned for standing and walking, not for the repeated impact of running, so buy them to be on your feet in, not to train in.
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5
Best for cold weather
Ankle boots
★★★★★4.2/ 5
4.2Score
The style that extends the brand's one real advantage into the half of the year when sandals are useless.
The short of it
Boots carry the cushioned-midsole idea into the colder months, which in Britain is most of them. Holding the ankle adds stability on uneven or wet ground, and a closed, higher upper keeps the weather out, so this is the winter counterpart to the closed sandal.
They are the heaviest and usually the most expensive style here, and that is the plain trade for warmth and coverage. If you already have a trainer from the range, a boot is a seasonal addition rather than a necessity, but if you spend winter on your feet outdoors, it is the right one to own.
Type: ankle boot
Season: autumn and winter
Adds: ankle stability and weather coverage
Trade-off: heaviest style here
Pros
Extends the cushioning into winter
Ankle coverage helps on wet, uneven ground
Warmer and more protective than any other style here
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6
Best for slip-on comfort
Clogs & mules
★★★★★4.2/ 5
4.2Score
The shoe for people who are on their feet all day somewhere warm and dry, and who take them off repeatedly.
The short of it
Clogs and mules split the difference between a sandal and a shoe: the toes are covered, the heel is open, and they go on without using your hands. For anyone who is on their feet indoors all day – at home, in a kitchen, in a workplace with hard floors, that combination is practical.
The open heel is the limitation. There is nothing securing the back of the foot, so these are not walking shoes and they can slip off at pace. Think of them as comfortable standing shoes rather than going-out shoes and they do their job well.
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Methodology
How we judged them
We assess products on construction and claims we can verify, not on which brand pays most.
Claims checked against spec
We test marketing claims against the actual published construction and specification, rather than taking a product name at face value.
Like for like within a range
Every product in a guide is judged against its siblings, so the ranking reflects what you actually choose between.
Certification and durability
Independent certification, materials and build quality all feed into the score, not just headline features.
Matched to real people
A score means nothing without context, so every pick states who it suits – and who should skip it.
Total cost of ownership
We weigh what's included and what isn't, because delivery, fees and accessories change the real price.
No sponsored rankings
Brands cannot buy a position. Affiliate commissions fund the site but never determine the order or the wording.
FAQ
Common questions
Is FitFlop actually good for your feet?
A number of FitFlop styles carry the American Podiatric Medical Association's Seal of Acceptance, which is an independent assessment that a product is beneficial to foot health. That is a genuine signal and more than most comfort brands can claim.
It is worth being precise, though: the Seal applies to specific styles rather than everything the brand makes, and it is not the same as a medical device or a prescribed orthotic. If you are managing a diagnosed foot condition, speak to a podiatrist about what you need rather than relying on a comfort brand.
Which style should I buy first?
Flip-flops from the iQUSHION range are the usual entry point. They are the cheapest way to find out whether the cushioning suits your feet, and the effect is obvious immediately rather than after a break-in period.
If you want one pair to cover more of the year, buy a closed style instead — it works with socks, holds your heel for longer walks, and is far more useful outside summer.
Do they work for plantar fasciitis or similar problems?
Many people with arch and heel pain find supportive, cushioned footwear more comfortable than flat shoes, and that is the general principle these are built on. Several styles being APMA-accepted is a reasonable indicator.
But this is comfort footwear, not treatment. If you have persistent heel or arch pain, see a GP or podiatrist – the right answer may be a specific orthotic, an exercise programme, or something else entirely, and a shoe purchase should not delay that.
How long does the cushioning last?
Midsole foam compresses gradually with wear, and how fast depends on your weight, how far you walk and what you walk on. A pair worn daily on pavements will soften noticeably sooner than one worn occasionally.
The practical test is simple: if a pair no longer feels different from ordinary shoes, the midsole has done its work and it is time to replace them.
Can I wear the toe-post styles with socks?
No — a toe post sits between the first and second toe, which rules socks out. In the UK that limits toe-post styles to warm weather and indoor use for a good part of the year.
If you want the same cushioning across the seasons, choose a closed sandal, a trainer or a boot from the range instead.
Where to start
If you are new to the brand, a pair of iQUSHION flip-flops is the cheapest way to find out whether the cushioning suits you. If you want one pair that works year-round, buy a closed style instead.
Browse current FitFlop styles
Styles and availability change by season and region · Check the size guide and returns policy before buying
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