The Reef Slap 3 is one of the best womens flip flops for plantar fasciitis due to its arch support component. It’s made of materials including leather and nubuck for the straps and a molded rubber outsole that provides sufficient traction. The footbed is made of a contoured EVA foam, which is a bit more resilient than some other footbed materials.
Despite its rubber materials, this sandal is pretty lightweight overall. It also comes in several color options for convenience of choice, and has multiple sizing options to fit any number of foot types.
Arch Support
The Reef Slap 3 has built-in anatomical arch support which is capable of molding to the arch of your foot. As you can see, the design is such that would be good for those that are moderate pronators, with medium arches. It’s also considered a decent sandal for flat feet as the arch isn’t too high or rigid, which also helps but may be too much for those with sensitivities to stiff, high arches.
The flip flop’s contoured molded EVA footbed adds to its overall support. On top of that, it has a textured pattern to ensure that your feet are firmly secured and shouldn’t slip, even in wet conditions. And it also features a bit of a heel-to-toe offset, which many claim will help reduce stress on landing and distributes the load a bit more across the entire foot.
Coming down from the arch, you’ll notice a wider toe area which should accommodate those whose feet aren’t so tiny and narrow. And the straps are a mix of leather and nubuck, which is sturdy and look good. They’re also comfortable as they rest against your feet and provide sufficient support to maintain a good, firm grip around the arch area. It’s soft enough that it shouldn’t cause any skin irritation or chafing.
Heel Support
The Slap 3 has a somewhat forgiving heel pad that provides support and protection for your heel from impact brought about by heel strikes. The heel area is wide enough to accommodate those with a wide heel and deep enough to cup your heel and keep it stable and firmly planted – especially considering the textured footbed material that holds your foot more stable than a slick surface.
Overall, it’s a thick and semi-rigid footbed. You’ll sit up a bit higher than some other flip flops and get some benefit from the heel-to-toe drop.
Outsole
Slap 3’s outsole is made of a durable rubber material that offers decent traction on various surfaces, including slippery ones. It has modest lugs alongside a spine and heel decent to round-out the grip. And with a hard rubber and sophisticated design, you will likely be able to handle this flip flop in certain terrains that you wouldn’t normally be able to handle with slick-bottom sandals. But keep in mind that the lug depth is a bit shallow, so it’s not meant for going anywhere and everywhere… though it should hold it’s own based on how it looks and feels.
It is a water-friendly flip flop unlike most other competing products, so you won’t have to worry about whether or not you get them wet. They should dry off nicely and retain their look and functionality for the most part. But it is a bit stiffer than others, due to the rubber material, so it’s not quite as flexible.
Overall Feel
When trying on these Reefs, you’ll first be impressed by the arch support that you don’t always find in other sandals. It’s definitely noticeable, but not as pronounced and rigid as something you’ see in the Vionic Tide II Post, for example. And when walking, you’ll notice that the foot feels somewhat comfortable with a slight cushion, but nothing too much. It’s pretty stable. And the texture feels good, as well.
As far as the sizing, the strap may be a bit tight for some depending on your foot shape. You may want to order up a size since they only offer full size options. We tried on a half size larger and the fit was optimal in the heel area but still felt a bit snug in the strap. It did, however, secure the foot on the arch support better. But overall the sizing was snug and secure.
Overall, the quality of construction feels good, has a decent amount of arch support for those with neutral arches. It also may benefit over-pronators that prefer a moderate arch contour to something more rigid. It’s not high, but it’s more than your standard flip flop.
Use
Due to its water-friendly design, the Slap 3 works great as a summer sandal since it can easily take water abuse without causing slippage or damage to the material. It also looks great with most summer garments.
And despite having a beach look, it can also be used for around the home and of course out and about. The durable rubber outsole actually makes this a bit more versatile than some other flip flops that are weak, flimsy or have no traction at all.
16 Best Sandals For Plantar Fasciitis 
Online User Reviews Overall Experience
- Really comfortable and secure
One of the most common reviews that users have to say about the Reef Slap 3 is that it offers an excellent level of comfort and support. Due to that, a lot of users appreciated the fact that they no longer have to deal with issues that are usually exacerbated by wearing flip flops, while also having a comfy footbed.
- Good flip flop for heel pain
One of the main advantages of the Slap 3 is that many like it for being able to provide them relief for plantar fasciitis. According to many of them, they have been able to find a solution that other footwear hasn’t provided. The arch support is really appreciated by these consumers and they like being able to walk and stand for longer periods of time in these arch support sandals.
- No break-in period for most
The Slap 3 is one of the best flip flops with arch support. But normally that means a high arch and potentially uncomfortable breaking-in period… where you have to wear them slowly to get used to them. While some users do find the need to break them in, it’s not nearly as common as you see in other flip flop reviews. The arch is a bit more subdued in these Reefs.
Pros:
- Durable rubber outsole that should last for awhile
- Better traction than most other flip flops
- Water friendly construction
- Good heel-to-toe offset
- Medium arch support contour
- Comfortable straps
- No break-in period for most users
Cons:
- May run small – half sizes might need to order up
- Color and design options are limited
- Footed texture may not be as comfortable as other flip flops
- Arch support not as high as others