Comfy Casual Beach Shoes from OKA b

When a shoe company's website is www.shoesthatloveyou.com, those puppies better be comfortable. When the little tag attached to said footwear also says, "Love at first step," they had better be really comfortable.

Fortunately, it's not just hype and spin with the line of beach-friendly shoes and sandals from OKA b (short for Okabashi). For the past week I've been wearing a pair of the Cambden ones for men. The female with me, who is genetically wired to have a shoe fetish, has been bopping around the beach house with a pair of Savannahs. The verdict? "They're fabulous," she says. They look good and feel good.

I say they're comfy and they go on and off quickly, so mission accomplished. Granted they don't have a beer bottle opener like my Reef ones, but hey, fashionable people frown upon such utilitarian genius. These go over the foot rather than requiring a toe wedgie though, so points for that. Like Japanese onsen shoes but more pliable. You can even put them on the top shelf of the dishwasher to get them clean!

The big differentiating features of the Oka b line are raised arch supports (actually a minus for flat-footed me), non-slip soles, and massage beads where your foot comes in contact with the shoe. They're also impregnated with things to keep them from smelling and clean-up takes no time--there's no fabric. True, they're a long way away from being "green," but they'll last you years, which in itself puts them above most of the glorified flip-flops out there. Plus they're made in the USA; when's the last time you saw that on a pair of shoes?

For the full selection see the shoes that love you website, or look for them at hip shoe stores. The Camden ones I've been wearing retail for $20. The Savannah ones for women retail for $30. Good beach shoes, good price.