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Teva Olowahu Review

This lightweight, stylish, and affordable sandal is a great addition to any summer wardrobe
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teva olowahu flip flops women review
Teva Olowahu
Credit: Teva
Price:  $34 List
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Manufacturer:   Teva
By Penney Garrett ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 11, 2021
64
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#13 of 14
  • Comfort - 30% 8.0
  • Support - 20% 5.0
  • Traction - 20% 5.0
  • Versatility - 15% 5.0
  • Style - 15% 8.0

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.
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

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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A fun and stylish sandal that will mold to your feet over time and won't break the bankA great way to experience the amazing contouring of a classic Birkenstock without forking over a ton of moneyWhile it may lack contour, the yoga mat footbed makes for a pleasantly comfortable experience and the wide straps are just the icing on the cakeWith its thick, soft straps and squishy footbed, this flip flop is an easy one to slip on for any casual occasionIf super simple and lightweight is your jam, this flip is a classic that comes in a ton of fun colors
Rating Categories Teva Olowahu Birkenstock Gizeh E... Sanuk Yoga Mat Teva Voya Flip Havaianas Slim
Comfort (30%)
8.0
8.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
Support (20%)
5.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
4.0
Traction (20%)
5.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
Versatility (15%)
5.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Style (15%)
8.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Specs Teva Olowahu Birkenstock Gizeh E... Sanuk Yoga Mat Teva Voya Flip Havaianas Slim
Sole Material Lightweight EVA-foam EVA Rubber EVA Rubber
Footbed Material Mush topsole (a trademarked type of EVA) EVA EVA EVA Rubber
Strap Material Fleece-filled polyester webbing EVA 95% synthetic/5% polyester Polyester webbing Synthetic
Weight (per pair) 6.4 oz (size 9) 6.5 oz (size 40) 5.0 oz (size 8) 6 oz (size 8) 5.2 oz (size 9/10)
Available Sizes 5 - 12 US 35 - 46 EU 5 - 11 US 5 - 12 US 6 - 12 US
Animal Products Yes No No No No
Length 10.75" (size 9) 11" (size 40) 10.25" (size 8) 10.25" (size 8) 10.5" (size 9/10)
Length of Toe Box (just above toe post) 1.75" 1.375" 1.50" 1.75" 1.50"
Unique Features Unique strap pattern Adjustable straps Made from real yoga mats Unique strap pattern Signature rice pattern sole

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


teva olowahu flip flops women review - super cute and comfortable, the olowahu is an easy flip to fall in...
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.

teva olowahu flip flops women review - while we generally found the olowahu to be quite comfortable, for...
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.

teva olowahu flip flops women review - the olowahu is a fun and comfortable flip flop, but it won't provide...
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.

teva olowahu flip flops women review - the olowahu, while not a super sticky shoe in the traction...
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.

teva olowahu flip flops women review - the gizeh and olowahu are both stylish comfortable sandals, but the...
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.

teva olowahu flip flops women review - shorts or a dress, happy hour or late night, the olowahu is chic...
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.

Penney Garrett