The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

sunsetter

interseting, flip flops have always been so comfortable, and i would imagine that posture and the way you walk naturally has something to do with it aswell. barefoot is the most comfortable for me

Bung

Well, my Thai Grandma is 94 as she has been wearing them all her life with no problems. Typical namby pamby doctor/scientist study "oh I've discovered it's no good for you" rubbish These kinds of people are bad for you.

tcp

Exactly. I'm nowhere near 94 but I've been wearing them almost daily since I was a teenager and have no problems. Perhaps the people who experience difficulty don't really know how to wear and use them. You know, the ones who walk through a puddle and end up with mud splattered up and down the back of their legs.

Bung

Have a look around the 3rd world and have a look at what is on their feet. Flip flops. the Africans make sandals out of car tyres which the travel in for miles everyday. I climbed Mt. Kenya in a pair (with socks on, bloody cold). Look at where the live and what they sit on.

Now look at the hapless Farang. Shoes on all their lives, comfy sofas to sit on, an abundance of take away processed food, little manual labour to do. It's not rocket science is it?

__________________
Fahn Cahn's

Loombucket

As the unofficial holder of the title of "wiffiest feet in the world", I reluctantly made the change to flip-flops, the first time I came here. Getting a good fit was difficult, but not impossible. Learing to walk in them took a little patience and, yes, they do still hurt my feet. I have found that the trick is to slip them off every chance I get and alternate the bit between your toes type with a decent 'girls' type.

Wallalai

MBT :: HOME could be interesting. Never tried though.

Bung

As an Aussie, it is hard for me to see what the problem about wearing flip flops is. I'm sorry.

Gerbil

wellies for me.

Must be my recessive welsh genes.

EmperorTud

Never wear 'em.

My mate makes a killing out of sending them containers of second hand shoes so I'm not sure what your point is.

jandajoy

Only you would be proud of a mate like that.

EmperorTud

^ stalker.

jandajoy

Not working too well is it?

Jet Gorgon

Ya, but they're ugly. Sorry.

I had 50 or so pairs of shoes before I moved to Thailand. Bought a pair of red flippies when I arrive that lasted me for a year. I got some sweet, sexy, low-heeled sandals in Singapore, but tough to wear them on the beach and most uneven Thai roads. Plus, if you get the ubiquitous blue and white flips, it doesn't matter if someone takes one of yours by mistake. Just find one among the throng at the door that kinda fits.
And BG, shame on you for wearing shoes in the house! I don't even do that in Canada. I chastised one old git for wearing shoes in my house in Thailand, but his feet were dirtier than his shoes so I told him to put them back on. Some people.

Wallalai

For me it's only a piece of foam (plastic). Okay to wandering a bit in the garden, but far from healthy for your legs and back. Without mentioning it's very dangerous when it's raining, sliding before you can even realize.

chinthee

Really, you should all look at the Scholl fitness line. These are flip flops with intelligent design, and conform to the foot and act like a shoe in aligning the foot as well.

Flip flops are not all created equally.

Mr Earl

You're right.

But they're very comfortable and last for years. I'm on my second pair in 10+years.

Bung

I'm not sure what your point is. Those containers loads end up in the city and town markets and get bought by city or townspeople who have jobs that require them to wear shoes.

My point is a much larger percentage can only afford flip flops and walk miles every day in them and you don't see them lining up at the chiropractors.

Jet Gorgon

^ Ya. I do like a bit of a heel as I have high arches. But flippies were OK, and you never have to worry about someone stealing them. Even if they do, the market has more for what, about Bt30 now? I did wonder if your feet got the monkey spread from them. Mine are still OK after about ten years of them, plus wearing them when I was a wee kid.

November Rain

I'm with Jettie. Flip flops or high heels for me (and my high heels are all mule style, as well!). Flip flops for day, heels for night.
Makes no difference comparing flip-flops to trainers - I'd never wear a pair of trainers whether I wore flip flops or not. Sweaty, hot, horrible things.

As for spread, I genuinely haven't noticed either. When I go back to UK, I can fit back into my closed in shoes & boots, same as ever.

__________________
It is far easier to fight for principles than to live up to them.

Tao

Trainers are more comfortable than flip flops, until your feet start to get hot. Flip flops definitely change the way you walk, i can see the point of the OP.