Recovery Sandal Showdown: VELOUS vs OOFOS
Is there anything more refreshing than, after finishing a hard workout or race, taking your shoes off? (Well, besides the Shower Beer, but that comes later.) It’s one of the things I most look forward to when wrapping up a long day of riding, or a first-to-last chair day at the mountain. But it’s not like we’re then going around barefoot afterwards. No, instead we are looking for a plush, comfortable experience underfoot with some freedom for your well-worn soles.
Enter the almighty sandal.
We’ve come a long way from the OG post-workout shoe, the almighty Birkenstock Arizona. Extremely firm and with pronounced texture in the footbed, they’re still a workhorse — I still own a pair that I received as a gift nearly 25 years ago. Supportive? Yes. But comfortable? That’s a bit more of a stretch. It’s comfortable in the same way that a good saddle is “comfortable” for five hour rides: it lets you do the thing in the least amount of discomfort possible.
No, instead we’re looking at two sandals that look to put a much softer shoe under your feet: the OOFOS OOriginal sandal versus the VELOUS Pacific Flip. Both are traditional flip-flops, or three-point sandals or thongs, depending on what part of the world you’re reading this from. And both lay claim to a “recovery” based feel out of their flips. Similarities mostly end there, though, as their construction differences lead to two wildly different experiences for your foot.
Second Place: OOFOS OOriginal

Pros: Unmatched initial feel, single material construction helps with comfort between the toes, lower price.
Cons: Durability is lacking, slippery when wet.
Verdict: The teacher has been beaten by the student.
The entire “recovery sandal” category can point to OOFOS launching over a decade ago. Between their slide and this sandal reviewed here, their shoes began a relentless takeover of where, say, Crocs might have left off. Their secret sauce — OOFoam — remains the gold standard of cushioning in these types of things. Absorbing a claimed 37% more impact than traditional form materials, it’s also a closed-cell foam. That means it doesn’t absorb moisture if you, say, wear them into the shower. And you can machine wash them. And you should, because they can and will stink.
So what’s not to love? Well, the price you pay for all that initial comfort is that they will break down quickly. With daily usage, I’ve burned through roughly a pair every three months. Cushioning breaks down first, then the thong stretches out, and you’re left with a sandal that’s flopping everywhere except where you want it. But arguably the worst part is how slippery the surface next to your foot is when wet. I’ve had multiple near wipe-outs while wearing these on pool decks or after a shower at home.
Not exactly a recipe for relaxation. When new, they’re still my favorite. But over the long-haul, there’s a new leader.
First Place: VELOUS Pacific Flip

Pros: All-day comfort, twice the durability of the OOFOS, retains wet traction.
Cons: More expensive, flip fabric is irritating, break-in period.
Verdict: All hail the Comfort King.
It is unlikely that you’re going to try on the Pacific Flip and think it’s the more comfortable sandal over the long-haul against an OOFOS. That “wow” factor is missing from the try-on experience. That’s not to say that VELOUS made something that’s as stiff as a Birkenstock and you have to learn to love it. But initially plush, they are not. And at $10 more expensive than a pair of OOFOS, you would be forgiven for opting for OOFOS and moving on with your day.
The thing is, though, you’d be missing out on how the VELOUS foam gradually molds to your feet. It’s like your favorite leather chair that eventually matches, well, you. And they’re the only one of the two shoes that earned the Accepted label from the American Podiatric Medical Association. It’s the Goldilocks of these types of shoes — soft, yet supportive.
The niggles? Well, you have to live with that break-in period. The fabric for the attachments is rougher than it should be for a sandal at this price point; if a $10 pair can get this right, VELOUS should be able to, too. And that price point does make these issues more pronounced. These are $70 sandals. They better be comfortable. Luckily for VELOUS, they are. And they last: in the time of this review, I’ve burned through two pair of OOFOS versus the one pair of Pacific Flips.
Gonna have to disagree with you here, sorry; this is what you wanted
YMMV, of course, as always
Socks or No Socks?
I agree with RandMart. They cost like $20 and last forever.
Sockless to answer Eric’s question.
I’ve tried all the Hoka recovery slides/sandals and returned all of them. Not that they weren’t good but Hoka’s unisex sizing is awful. Their gender specific sizing is perfectly fine but the unisex stuff is inconsistently too narrow, too long, too short, etc.
Even looking at those gives me creeps.
Can’t believe I used to try to sell people those things…
…and the Birkenstock comment still stands.
Kane Footwear. Unbeatable. I wear these non stop in the summer. I will even run a warm up in them if I want to.