Vionic Sandals for a Supported Summer: Our Picks

Your arch support doesn't have to hibernate until winter. Four Vionic sandals we're loving this season, plus what to do if you wear a custom orthotic.

Ben Parnham Senior Copywriter at The Comfort Co and host of The Comfort Walk & Talk Podcast, managing a back injury since 2014 with the alignment and daily steps that comfort shoes make possible.

Every summer, the same thing happens. The sneakers get packed away, the sandals come out, and by the end of the first week your feet are wondering what they did wrong. Most flat sandals give you nothing under the arch, which is fine for a quick trip to the shops and not much fun for a full day out.

Vionic sandals fix that by building the support into the footbed. Every one sits on Vionic's podiatrist-designed Vio Motion support, with a contoured arch, a deep heel cup and cushioning underfoot, so you get an open sandal and proper support in the same pair. Our picks this season are the Reese Back Strap Sandal, the Essie Strappy Sandal, the Ramsey Sandal and the Sabrina Flatform Sandal.¹

Our Vionic sandal picks for summer

Every sandal in the Vionic range comes with Vionic's iconic, podiatrist-designed Vio Motion support. These four are our favourites for the season, but any Vionic sandal will tick the boxes. What changes from pair to pair is the strapping, and in a sandal the straps are what keep your foot sitting on the arch.

Weekend favourite

Reese Back Strap Sandal

A back strap behind the heel and hook-and-loop straps across the foot hold everything exactly where the arch is, which is why it's the one we reach for on long days out. APMA accepted, with a 3.8cm heel.

Shop the Reese

Most adjustable

Essie Strappy Sandal

Three hook-and-loop adjustment points mean you can loosen it off as your feet swell on a warm afternoon. The asymmetric straps and V-logo hardware dress it up, on a heel of about 3cm with an APMA Seal.

Shop the Essie

Everyday

Ramsey Sandal

New this season and absolutely FLYING out the door. A low-profile strappy sandal with adjustable closures and built-in arch support, the kind you'll end up wearing on repeat. Get in quick!

Shop the Ramsey

Going out

Sabrina Flatform Sandal

A little height with no heel to wobble on. Broad crossover straps hold your foot securely on an elevated flatform, and the adjustable back strap lets you fine-tune the fit as the day warms up.

Shop the Sabrina

Like the Reese but want leather? The Cypress Back Strap Sandal has two adjustable straps, a back strap and an APMA Seal.

Got wide feet?

Of our four picks above, only the Reese comes in a wide fit, a wide (D) according to its product page. If you wear a wide, these two are great options. It could be more important than you think. A new RMIT study suggests most Aussie women are wearing shoes that don't fit, and a sandal that's too narrow pushes your foot off the very support you're paying for.

Wide (D) fit

Laurel Strappy Sandal

A secure multi-strap design with hook-and-loop closures and a back zip, so it's easy on and easy off. The lightweight lugged sole handles long days on your feet.

Shop the Laurel

Wide fit

Mar Platform Sandal

The dressier wide-fit option, with a leather upper, an adjustable hook-and-loop ankle strap and a low platform of about 2cm. It also carries the APMA Seal.

Shop the Mar

Looking for more? Browse our full women's wide-fit range.

What if you wear a custom orthotic?

Vionic sandals have a fixed footbed, so there's nowhere to put a custom orthotic. The support is built into the sole instead, which is how they stay slim and strappy. For most people, that built-in support is plenty.

If your podiatrist has fitted you with a custom orthotic for a specific reason, Revere is the answer. Revere sandals have a lift-out footbed, a strip of velcro underneath that grips your orthotic so it won't slide around, and slightly raised footbed walls, so your device sits neatly out of sight. We cover the whole range in our guide to the best orthotic-friendly sandals in Australia.

Not sure which you need? A podiatrist can tell you, and the Australian Podiatry Association lists practitioners near you.⁴

Getting the fit right

Set your straps later in the day, when feet are at their biggest, and leave about a finger's width of room. A strap that feels just right at breakfast can pinch by 3pm on a 30-degree day.

Coming straight from flat thongs? The arch can feel noticeable for the first few days, and that's normal. Vionic's product pages suggest a few hours of wear a day to start, with full comfort usually within one to two weeks.² Our explainer on what orthotic-friendly footwear is covers why the shape matters.

What's inside a Vionic sandal

Vio Motion was developed in the Vionic Innovation Lab with specialists in lower-limb biomechanics,¹ and many Vionic styles carry the APMA Seal of Acceptance, which the American Podiatric Medical Association awards to footwear its committee has reviewed as promoting foot health.³ In a sandal, it works on four fronts:

• Stability. A deep heel cup holds your heel in place, which matters even more when there's no closed heel doing that job.
• Arch support. A contoured arch meets your foot from the first step.
• Cushioning. A shock-absorbing midsole softens tiles, decking and hot footpaths.
• Flexibility. A flexible forefoot bends with your foot as you push off.

Your questions, answered

Which Vionic sandals have the best arch support?

Every Vionic sandal is built on Vio Motion, with a contoured arch, a deep heel cup, cushioning and a flexible forefoot, so the best one is the style you'll love wearing. This summer our picks are the Reese Back Strap Sandal, the Essie Strappy Sandal, the Ramsey Sandal and the Sabrina Flatform Sandal.

Do Vionic sandals have removable insoles?

No. Vionic sandals have a fixed footbed with the arch support built into the sole. If you need to wear a custom orthotic, Revere sandals have a lift-out footbed designed for it.

Are Vionic sandals good for wide feet?

Yes, and there's a big wide-fit range to choose from. From our picks, the Reese Back Strap Sandal comes in a wide (D) width, and the Laurel Strappy Sandal and Mar Platform Sandal are also great wide-fit options.

What's the difference between an orthotic sandal and an orthotic-friendly sandal?

An orthotic sandal, like Vionic, has the support built into the footbed. An orthotic-friendly sandal, like Revere, has a removable footbed so you can fit your own orthotic.

Are Vionic sandals podiatrist-designed?

Yes. Vionic's Vio Motion footbed is podiatrist-designed, and many Vionic sandals, including the Reese, Essie and Cypress, carry the APMA Seal of Acceptance.

Still weighing it up? Our Comfort Concierges on live chat can help you pick the pair that suits your summer.