Scouting Report: Rainbow Sandals are the best—they take a few wears to break in, but once they are, they shape to your foot unlike any other sandal I've tried.
One of the few tenets upon which I’ve lived my life so far is that when it comes to flip flops, you can’t do any better than Rainbows. They’re the only sandals I’ve ever consistently worn anywhere but the beach. I’ve tried rubber, foam, and even sturdier fabric for sandal material, but the combination of a leather top layer and rubber sole Rainbow has perfected will simply feel better after these shoes are broken in. I knew these sandals meant business when after wearing them on a six hour walking tour of Boston with my ghost-tour obsessed uncle, I didn’t feel my feet ache once.
Rainbows come stiff which, while it means there is a break-in period, is ultimately a good thing. New leather, similarly to fancy denim, will start out stiff as a board but wear into a more uniquely fitted and often longer lasting material over time. I’ve owned two pairs of Rainbows over the last ten years, and the longest a pair ever took me to break in was usually around two weeks. The slight arch support that’s initially built in will only increase as your weight slowly shapes the sandal to one of the few true instances of a perfectly fitting piece of footwear. While these certainly aren't river shoes, They do just fine with getting wet as any good sandal should.
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Rainbows will always be an everyday shoe for me because they are sturdy, beautifully classic shoes: a flip flop that can actually be considered as a stylistic choice rather than a last resort. Their durability has always almost fascinated me. Every time I’ve seen other flip flops get torn to shreds after a few weeks' use, I marvel that, for what feels to me like an incredibly low price, I can get a high quality, reliable pair of shoes . Besides making a lasting, good looking version of a usually expendable consumer item, I’ve never understood how Rainbows, even after years of use, never feel worn bare or oily. In fact, they've only ever felt supple.
I wear these shoes while driving, I wear them when it’s 35 degrees out and I have to run around the block to pick up lemons. These shoes have been one of the most often reached for pieces of footwear I’ve ever owned, and I know that I’ll be using them as long as they’re being made.
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