The older I get, the more and more difficult is it to find a good pair of comfortable summer shoes. At a certain age, strictly wearing sandals 24/7 in the summer just doesn’t jive with your overall personal style. The fact is this: Most summer shoes look like microwaved rubber that survived nuclear winter (…I’m looking at you, Crocs) or severely lack overall comfort, especially in the arch and heel of the foot (…I’m looking at you, boat shoes).
When it comes to comfortable summer shoes in my wardrobe, I’ve been a staunch boat shoe man for almost all of my adult life, dating back to college. Boat shoes look fine with practically anything in the warm weather months – Khakis, shorts, jeans, swim trunks, board shorts. They were designed to wear on boats, which is great if you spend a lot of time on boats.
But, if you’ve ever walked more than a couple miles in a pair, you know just how they can wreck your feet overtime.
Plus, good luck keeping the laces tied.
Every April, like ritual, I buy myself a pair of comfortable summer shoes that I can wear barefoot all the time. I typically wear this pair of shoes HARD, putting hundreds of miles on the shoes from hoofin’ it. Usually they’re trashed by July, when I have to re-up with another pair of comfortable summer shoes to last me into the fall.
For the past 10 years, it’d been a pair of boat shoes. This year, however – with my sights set on an adventurous summer around California and beyond, I decided it was time for an upgrade – perhaps due to the onset of platar fasciitis, perhaps from dread of boat shoe blisters on my heel.
Besides, I needed a steez change, if you will.
In my never-ending quest for a Jimmy-Buffett inspired lifestyle, OluKai’s Liko Kahu slip-ons caught my attention. You can wear them at the beach or pool or at a BBQ or concert with friends. In just a matter of weeks, the Liko Kahu became the most comfortable summer shoe I’ve ever owned.
Here’s why:
The Liko Kahu is constructed with a canvas upper that snugly hugs your feet. The canvas upper is super soft, with the same velvety feeling of your favorite pair of slippers. Despite the plushness, the Liko Kahu are still rugged enough for frequent, everyday use. It’s barely noticeable. Unlike a harsh, constricting leather from boat shoes, OluKai’s canvas is remarkably comfortable.
The canvas on the Liko Kahu is also made from a handsome material that’s mindfully crafted from generations of tradition – Each pair is hand-dyed with plants found in Hawai’i, plus each pair includes custom artwork on the footbed of the plants used in the dye process.
Like all OluKai shoes, the arch and heel support in the Liko Kahu are exceptional. One of the reasons the Liko Kahu earns major marks as one of the most comfortable summer shoes out there is because the sole of the shoe is cushiony, like a pillow. It feels like walking on air, an experience that once seemed reserved for expensive athletic sneakers. The different it makes to arch support is noticeable couple hours of walking – your feet don’t hurt. In fact, they’re quite happy.
See, at my heart, I’m a pretty simple man. I like fishing and sitting on my patio with a glass of lemonade on a hot day. I like walks on the beach and a balanced meal that includes some whole grain carbs, a protein source, and lots of veggies. I enjoy the occasion Steely Dan song, played at loud volumes while grillin’ in the yard.
If you’re looking for a breezy summer shoe that looks great and feels even better, I can’t recommend OluKai’s Liko Kahu enough.
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