When I was a kid we called these flip-flops. We bought a pair every summer and they lasted about three months, just long enough to get to the day when the public pools all closed down for the winter. The Holomua (translated as “to make progress”) by OluKai are so far from a pair of flip-flops that I can’t even use that term anymore. I have to call them sandals, a word that did not even enter into my vocabulary until my late twenties. I imagine I’ll be wearing these for many summers to come.
It’s been at least ten years since I bought my last pair of (ahem) sandals and here is the first thing I noticed. The Holomua Sandal by OluKai rocks. I’m sorry, was that a little too generalized and overly enthusiastic? Alright, here are some details. First, they have arch support, not a ton (they’re not clogs) but it’s noticeable, you feel it, at least I do. Second, they’re grippy. My foot doesn’t slide around in the foot bed and I feel like I have good traction on both wet and dry surfaces. Third, they’re just plain comfortable. I don’t know what kind of awesome sauce they mixed in with all of the injected TPU, molded EVA and other space-agey materials, but whatever it is, it works for me.
I think that part of what I’m feeling is OluKai’s patent pending footplate design. If you look at the pictures, it’s that little red strip that runs down the center of the sandal. It’s made out of some strong yet flexible polymer and I think that’s what really gives this sandal most of its structure.
On top of all of this (literally) are the adjustable nylon straps. Why don’t more sandals come with these? They’re brilliant! Did i mention comfortable? I barely notice the part that goes between my toes and I can synch the straps down so the sandals actually stay on my feet. I can put them on and ride a bike. I can hike down the trail that leads to the beach without them falling off. I can scramble over wet rocks or even run if I need to because these sandals have actually been designed to handle that kind of activity.
Like many of OluKai’s shoes, the Holomua sandals were developed in partnership with the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association*. What that means is that the design has been well thought out and tweaked long before it hit the shelves. They have been field tested and given the HLA seal of approval. What else could you ask for? I mean, that takes the word sandal to a whole other level.
The Good:
- comfortable
- arch support
- they don’t slip when wet
- adjustable straps
- fit true to size (mine are a size 8, same as my shoe size and they fit perfectly)
The Bad
- um… makes you wish you were in Hawaii?
Available from Amazon for about $90.00
The more you know: OluKai is the official footwear of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association. Each year they provide over 400 pairs of HLA approved shoes to the Lifeguards that help keep Hawaii’s beaches safe. A portion of the proceeds for each HLA approved shoe that is sold goes to support the HLA junior Lifeguard Association.
boring stuff: Olukai provided me with a free review sample. This in no way effected the opinions expressed in this review. All images via Olukai’s website.