REASONS TO BUY
Cute
Molds to feet over time
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Not super durable
Straps can chafe
Pinkie toe slips out side for some people
Teva Olowahu Review
This lightweight, stylish, and affordable sandal is a great addition to any summer wardrobe
Teva Olowahu
Credit: Teva
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Our Verdict
The Teva Olowahu is super cute, comfortable, and will mold to your feet over time — all for less than dinner and a movie. While it's certainly not the most durable piece of footwear out there, this ultra-lightweight and plush shoe can, with proper care, still last you for years. The straps can be a bit of a pain to slip in and out of quickly, and some folks will find their pinkie toe slipping out the side, but if this sandal fits your foot, it's easy to love. For a stylish and fun kick that will turn heads and barely dent your wallet, look no further.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Teva Olowahu | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $24.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $55 List $28.17 at Amazon | $50 List $55.00 at Amazon | $30 List $30.63 at Amazon | $26 List $19.62 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Cute, molds to feet over time, affordable | Very comfortable, super lightweight, adjustable, thick straps, slight arch for support | Comfortable, no break-in period, affordable, waterproof | Super comfy, simple, true to size, lightweight, made from yoga mat material | Fun colors, very simple, lightweight, waterproof |
| Cons | Not super durable, straps can chafe, pinkie toe slips out side for some people | Subpar bottom sole traction, style not versatile | Material doesn't breathe, less durable | No footbed contouring, minimal outsole traction and support | Not comfortable for long wears, no sole or footbed traction, zero support |
| Bottom Line | This lightweight, stylish, and affordable sandal is a great addition to any summer wardrobe | These flips offer cloud-like comfort with optimal support and an adjustable strap in a lightweight package | A lightweight and affordable version of the leather original, this flip is fun and functional | This simple flip flop is impossibly comfortable with wide, supportive straps and a squishy, pillow-like footbed made out of real yoga mat material | These simple flips are great post-pedicure or even for pool days, but you'll want something more supportive for long walks |
| Rating Categories | Teva Olowahu | Clarks Breeze Sea | Birkenstock Gizeh E... | Sanuk Yoga Mat | Havaianas Slim |
| Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Support (20%) | |||||
| Traction (20%) | |||||
| Versatility (15%) | |||||
| Style (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Teva Olowahu | Clarks Breeze Sea | Birkenstock Gizeh E... | Sanuk Yoga Mat | Havaianas Slim |
| Sole Material | Lightweight EVA-foam | TPR (thermoplastic rubber) | EVA | Rubber | Rubber |
| Footbed Material | Mush topsole (a trademarked type of EVA) | Synthetic | EVA | EVA | Rubber |
| Strap Material | Fleece-filled polyester webbing | Synthetic | EVA | 95% synthetic/5% polyester | Synthetic |
| Weight (per pair) | 6.4 oz (size 9) | 5.0 oz (size 9) | 6.5 oz (size 40) | 5.0 oz (size 8) | 5.2 oz (size 9/10) |
| Length | 10.75" (size 9) | 10.65" (size 9) | 11" (size 40) | 10.25" (size 8) | 10.5" (size 9/10) |
| Length of Toe Box (just above toe post) | 1.75" | 1.50" | 1.375" | 1.50" | 1.50" |
| Unique Features | Unique strap pattern | Adjustable velcro strap | Adjustable straps | Made from real yoga mats | Signature rice pattern sole |
| Animal Products? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Olowahu is a fun, plush flip flop that's easy to pair with summer attire. Attractive whether you're wearing it with shorts or a dress, the plush footbed will mold to your feet over time.
Performance Comparison
Super cute and comfortable, the Olowahu is an easy flip to fall in love with, especially for the price.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Comfort
The Olowahu is one of the sandals in our test group that we put on and didn't want to take off. The plush foam footbed is cozy, and as it molds to your foot, it becomes more personalized and comfortable. We did have some issues with the straps, though, which is why we can't award a higher score in this category. The textured fabric can chafe a bit, particularly when wet.
The strap configuration also makes this sandal a bit tricky to put on — it usually required us reaching down to adjust and pull them into place, an issue that lessens with time as the footbed compresses and breaks in. However, the other problem that cropped up was that, for some, the pinkie toe would slip out the side due to the high placement of one of the side straps. Because of these oddities, we recommend trying the Olowahu on in person if possible.
While we generally found the Olowahu to be quite comfortable, for some foot shapes the pinkie toe would pop out the side due to the strap placement.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Support
With a lightweight foam footbed, it's no surprise that the Olowahu falls a little short in this category. The footbed is indeed quite thick, so it's better than many cheap bargain bin foam flips, but not by a ton. And one of the major issues with foot-molding footbeds is that if you have any abnormalities in your stance, like pronation or supination, they will get molded into the footbed instead of the footbed helping to correct the issue.
These things aside, the extra straps on this flip do add a bit of stability that would otherwise be lacking. But overall, if excellent support is a priority for your footwear, we recommend looking into a sandal with a well-executed contoured footbed.
The Olowahu is a fun and comfortable flip flop, but it won't provide you with very much support or stability.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Traction
Considering the Olowahu is super cheap and made from lightweight foam, it performed better in this metric than we anticipated. Decent, but certainly not the best. Things went pretty well on steep hills (we only slipped once), but overall we couldn't fully trust our feet on slick terrain. You'll be fine in the city on all manner of concrete, stairs, and dirt park paths, but this isn't the smartest choice as an approach shoe or river companion.
The Olowahu, while not a super sticky shoe in the traction department, is just fine for the city and decent for simple jaunts out in nature.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Versatility
When it comes to versatility, this sandal is just average. It's stylish, light, and comfortable once broken in, but its uses don't extend to anything very technical or rugged. The entire footbed is made out of lightweight foam — thick enough to last if taken care of, but no match for anyone who is super hard on their summer footwear. If you want something for hiking, biking, or water sports, this isn't the one to choose. There are even aspects to consider if you just want to spend the day lounging at the beach — if the Olowahu gets wet, you can expect the footbed to dry relatively quickly, but the fleece-lined polyester straps will stay damp for a long time and impede overall stability.
The Gizeh and Olowahu are both stylish comfortable sandals, but the Gizeh is a much more durable shoe and it can be repaired if and when it gets damaged.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Style
Here is where the Olowahu gets to shine. Everyone we polled loved this sandal, and for the price tag, how can you go wrong? It's super cute and stylish and has some of the most fun and unique straps of all the models we tested. Easy to dress up or down, Teva offers this model in quite a few fun colors and patterns. If you want to stay stylish without having to suck your wallet dry, this is a fantastic choice.
Shorts or a dress, happy hour or late night, the Olowahu is chic enough to do it all.
Credit: Penney Garrett
Value
This sandal is a great value. While it isn't the most durable or stable shoe, it's chic, affordable, comfortable, and well-constructed enough to last you for a while, depending on what shenanigans you like to get up to during flip flop weather.
Conclusion
The Teva Olowahu is a lightweight and super affordable flip flop that is a winner for style and comfort. While the foam footbed and complicated straps aren't the best for heavy hiking or regular poolside soakings, there is no doubt that this is a great shoe for the price. The footbed will mold to your feet over time, making it even more comfortable and personalized. If you want something attractive and plush but don't want the stress of throwing down tons of money, you've found it.
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Penney Garrett
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