Orleans Shoe Co. — Eight Months of Sandal Weather
Men's Sandals
In New Orleans sandals aren't a summer shoe, they're most of the year. Which means the pair you buy has to actually hold up — arch support, a strap that doesn't rub, and a sole that grips when it's wet.
What ruins a good sandal
No Arch, Loose Strap
A flat footbed gives your arch nothing, and a loose strap makes your toes grip to hold the sandal on. Do that all season and it shows up as heel pain in October. Get fitted like you would for a shoe.
The Brands We Reach For
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BirkenstockThe cork footbed molds to your foot over the first week and then it's yours. Arizona and Boston are the ones people come back for.
Shop men's Birkenstock -
OluKaiBuilt for heat, humidity and getting wet. Slip-ons and thongs with real support underneath.
Shop men's OluKai -
ChacoAdjustable straps and a genuine arch. The one to wear on the water or the trail.
Shop men's Chaco -
TevaSport sandals that go from the levee to the boat and back.
Shop men's Teva -
Hari MariFlip flops with a soft toe post that doesn't rub raw on day three.
Shop men's Hari Mari -
SASHandcrafted in Texas, in widths from slim through triple wide. When nothing else fits.
Shop men's SAS -
KeenClosed toe, real toe protection, and a wide toe box.
Shop men's Keen -
OOFOSRecovery slides. Not for a long walk — for after one.
Shop men's OOFOS
Getting the Fit Right
Your foot should sit inside the footbed
Not hanging over the edge, front or sides. That overhang is where blisters and rolled ankles come from, and it's the most common sizing mistake we see in sandals.
Snug, then adjust
Straps should hold the foot without pressing. Feet swell in this heat, so buy something adjustable if you can, and set it later in the day rather than first thing.
Break them in
Birkenstock cork takes a week or two to mold. Leather straps soften. Don't take a brand-new pair on a ten-mile day.
Also see women's sandals · wide and extra wide · plantar fasciitis · arch supports
Come get fitted. Sandals get fitted the same way shoes do. Free fitting, no appointment, at Magazine Street · French Quarter · Metairie Road · Severn. Don't see your size or width? Call 504-910-2900 — we can usually order it. In New Orleans since 2002, six-time Gambit Best Shoe Store. How we fit.
