One of the key aspects to look at when you’re buying new footwear is comfort. Comfort encompasses everything from how your feet feel in a design, how they move, how long you are able to stand, walk, run or do any other type of activity in it, and whether or not your feet feel tired at the end of the day.

It is also a somewhat broad topic, as what makes a design comfortable for each individual is different. We all have feet of different shapes and sizes, and it stands to reason that what you find comfy, your friend might not. This is a natural occurrence, and it is one of the main reasons we encourage you to try on a design before you make a purchase, as you can rely on positive reviews only so much.

However, there are features in a design which could help you gauge whether or not it will be comfortable for you even without trying them on. Let’s go over them one by one.

• Technologies
  Special comfort systems are ever-present in the footwear industry. Brands are constantly competing, trying to outdo each other in terms of innovation and uniqueness, and as a result, we get a vast number of different technologies which aim to keep us comfortable as we go about our days. A fine example of this is the Adidas Climachill Rocket sneaker from our list, which comes with the Adidas Boost technology.
  It is important to emphasize, however, that a design with this kind of high-tech construction isn’t in any way superior to the one without it. Remember: comfort is highly subjective, and just because a sneaker or a heel or a boot comes with a list of strangely named features that do this or provide that, does not mean that it will be the most comfortable design you have ever worn.
  (That being said, comfort technologies are certainly a nice bonus, if you find that they work for you.)
• Materials
  While we will talk more about materials which dry fast, here we will mention them in terms of comfort. What the upper, the midsole, and the outsole are made of - and the way the design is constructed - largely determines how the shoe moves and how it rubs against your skin. Whether or not it causes chafing, hot spots or blisters - all of which are quite unpleasant in the long run.
  Look for soft, malleable materials, such as genuine leather and suede, canvas, velvet, wool, fleece, anything that molds to your foot and feels like a second skin, rather than a cardboard box. Synthetic materials, such as faux leather and faux suede can sometimes feel stiff and unyielding, so pay attention to that while you shop.
• Footbed
  If there are no comfort technologies in a design, then a molded, or contoured footbed, is a great alternative. Footbeds like these have special indentations and hills in their surface which correspond to the contours of your foot - making it incredibly easy and comfortable to walk in them. Contoured footbeds provide support for every part of your foot, and help you stay on your feet for longer.
  The downside here is that sometimes the shape of the footbed doesn’t fit the shape of your foot sole. Such designs can be awkward to wear and can even cause pain when covering long distances. If you feel like the form of the footbed is in any way uncomfortable, it’s best to leave that design aside.
• Flexibility
  The best option is the one which promotes the natural movements of your foot while providing you with enough support so you can have a healthy gait. When looking at a shoe, make sure that it has some ‘give’ to it, but that it isn’t flimsy at the same time. Walk around in it, feel how the upper fits to your foot, how the outsole moves - whether or not you feel restricted or unsteady in any way. Find a good balance between flexible and supportive, avoiding too loose or too rigid options in the process.

As we mentioned in our introduction, we tried to steer clear of the standard shoe design. Instead, we focused on styles which can be worn day in and day out, as a lifestyle - or sports - sneakers, cute flats, and sandals for both urban and beach environments.

The two most important distinctions here are open toe designs and closed toe designs.

Open toe ones are sandals such as the Keen Kona, the Teva Hurricate XLT2 and the Columbia Tilly Jane. These provide maximum breathability, as it stands to reason, and allow your toes to wiggle free in the sunshine. Exposed feet in hot or humid climates have a reduced chance of developing bad odors, as well as any itchiness or infections that may result from the build-up of bacteria.

However, the other side of the coin is that these styles are not the best if you are exploring uncharted areas, as there might be some hazards lurking about in the form of glass shards, rocks, or even sharp shell pieces. If you are planning on hiking in an area you’ve never been to before, maybe it’s better to opt for a closed toe design.

Closed toe options are abundant in this guide. They come in form of sporty sneakers which might even improve your running performance (see: Adidas Climachill Rocket), more elegant, lifestyle sneakers such as the Olukai Nohea Moku or the Sperry Maritime H2O, and even sweet flats, such as the Sea Star Beachcomber.

These don’t offer as much breathability as open toe designs - though they are all made out of breathable materials, as we will establish in the next section. However, they do protect your toes and heels from scratches, stabs and other types of smaller injuries, if you find yourself on unfamiliar ground.

Style, as it often happens, is mostly about your personal taste and aesthetic. Think about what you own, what you intend to wear, and how this new design might fit into your wardrobe. After that, consider the purpose of this new footwear. Where you’re going to wear it, what you will be doing in it and similar.

Decide whether or not your priority is breathability or protection, and whether you wish to look cute and feminine (Sea Star Beachcomber), cool and athletic (Adidas Climachill Rocket, Aleader), laid back and relaxed (Keen Kona, Columbia Tilly Jane), or maybe stylish and elegant (Sperry Maritime H2O, Olukai Nohea Moku). When you land on a style which you like the most, don’t hesitate to go for it!

What makes a quick dry design just that? What materials are you supposed to be looking for, to know exactly if the sneaker or sandal or even boot you’re buying is going to dry out fast?

The answer, unfortunately, varies. As you have seen from our guide, there is a number of different materials used in each of the items listed, which gives them the properties that fit our topic here. One thing is for sure, however: all of them are synthetic.

In most cases you read about, the uppers of the designs are made out of mesh materials. Mesh is fast drying because it is a porous material - meaning that it contains pores, or holes in its construction - making it light, thin and exceptionally breathable. When the air is allowed to properly circulate through the material, it not only keeps your feet cool and sweat-free, but it also dries out the material in a matter of minutes. This is why you will find mesh uppers, or mesh inserts in most of the options in this guide - the Columbia Drainmaker III, the Skechers Go Walk Cool, the Aleader, just to name a few.

Another way to approach this is to have a design made out of neoprene, such as the Sea Star Beachcomber espadrille. Neoprene is what wetsuits are made of, and contrary to popular belief, it is not waterproof. It doesn’t keep the liquid out, but rather it traps a thin layer of it inside, creating an insulator of sorts. Neoprene dries as fast as mesh, and it also has a protective role; if it’s a thicker form of neoprene, your feet will be safe from any the punctures or lacerations, regardless of what terrain you’re exploring.

Other options for a fast drying material are a special type of polyester, as we’ve seen in the Keen Kona and the Teva Hurricane XLT2, and synthetic leather which is treated to have this feature, as in the Columbia Tilly Jane.

Regardless of what type of material the design has, you can rest assured that your feet won’t feel wet or cold for long. All of the designs we listed in this guide stay damp - or wet - for a maximum of 15 minutes, after which you are back to feeling cozy and dry as if there was no splashing involved.

What we love about good footwear is that it can be worn anywhere we want - to the store, to the park, to a lunch date with friends, perhaps even on a boat, or at the beach. Having versatile options is amazing because we don’t have to bother changing our footwear, and if we also have versatile outfits, then once we get dressed in the morning, we’re ready for whatever the day throws at us!

This is why we also looked at how versatile our designs are. Classic styles are only meant for the beach or the pool because they are not fashionable enough for everyday wear.

However, in our list, we have several items which can go well in almost any casual situation. Take the Sea Star Beachcomber for example - an espadrille flat that you can wear with jeans, shorts, and even a fun, colorful sundress. Similar can be said for a slip-on such as the Skechers Go Walk Cool - this is a sneaker which goes well with any outfit, and which you can wear on any occasion.

Less versatile are sandals, like the Columbia Tilly Jane and the Teva Hurricane XLT2, because open toes in these styles a for only the most relaxed of events. In places where you have to look decent, such as the office, the school, or an official meeting of some kind, open toes are a big no-no. A good alternative, however, is dressy sneakers, with silhouettes such as the Olukai Nohea Moku has, or the Sperry Maritime H2O.

As in the case of style, the level of versatility you need from your footwear entirely depends on where you intend to wear it. If you’re going on a summer vacation - something laid-back and open-toed is better. If you want a good pair of shoes to get you from your workplace to a party by the lake with your friends, choose something more refined, but still breathable and water-friendly.

Finally, we arrive at one of the most important questions. What is the durability of these designs? After all, they are exposed to wet conditions quite often, perhaps even on a daily basis. How well can they possibly hold up?

Well, turns out - they can hold up quite well!

The essence of these designs is that they don’t lose shape, get stretched out, or otherwise break down even if they do get soaked every once in a while. They are built to withstand stream fording, puddle splashing, jogging next to the waves, and even downright swimming in the ocean.

Now, that being said, you shouldn’t expect these items to last forever. They are built out of synthetic materials, which are not as high quality, or as durable as some natural ones, such as genuine leather and suede. While neoprene is quite long lasting, mesh and polyester can only hold up so long until they start showing signs of wear and tear.

However, whatever choice you land on, you can be sure that it will last you for at least a couple of seasons. It does depend on how hard you are on your footwear in general - if you’re engaging in high-impact activities, for example, you’re more likely to need a new pair of sneakers sooner than expected. But if you wear this design moderately, and don’t run into any rough terrain or unexpected debris on the way, you should be able to enjoy it for a solid amount of time to come.