Customer Reviews Old Friend Islander Unisex

I bought these sandals to use as house slippers as I was recently diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and was hoping they would help a little. My experience so far with these sandals has been similar to the other reviewers which is to say positive. They have proven to be quite comfortable, however you do need to allow some time for your feet to get used to them. When I first got them, I could only ware them for 10 minutes at a time before my feet became tender from the little prongs. But over time I was able to keep them on longer and longer. Now, several months in I can ware them for a few hours without issue. I like these sandals very much, I stand cooking in my kitchen that has hardwood floors for hours without any foot fatigue and that is what I really need from them more than anything.

My Islander Sandals are great! At 1st it felt odd to have the inside surface with all the bumps on the sole of my feet, but as you suggested, it does take an adjustment period and then you find yourself craving the time when you can slip them back on your feet again. I'm so happy I chose this style sandal. Zappos has topped the scales and can be proud of it's reputation for a shoe that in not only healthy, but a comfortable footwear too!

Great shoes. Took me about 3-4 days of wearing them to get used to the nobbies, but now they're almost the only shoe I wear. Arch support is minimal compared to athletic flip-flops, but more than standard-variety types. I prefer lower arch supports, so these are great.

These sandals are so comfortable I don\'t want to take them off when I go to sleep. Also they seem to have reduced swelling that has remained from an old injury. I didn\'t find that I needed any time to get used to the insole texture.

I have been wearing massage sandals for many years. I started with the Masseur sandal until their quality hit rock bottom and then I switched to the Old Friend brand 5 years ago. I recently ordered my 3rd pair. My 1st pair lasted more than 2 seasons and the nubs WORE down...they didn't break off! That pair was well made and I got my money's worth which made me very happy! Then, my next pair barely lasted a season. The nubs broke off (as opposed to wearing down) and then the thong piece (between the toe) came out of the sole after about 6 months. I had to toss them after very little wear. Obviously, there was a noticeable difference in the quality! My most recent pair fell apart in less than 2 months! The nubs started falling off immediately, but what really upset me was that the thong piece came out of the sole making them unwearable. (They really need to improve securing that piece to the sole better!) I went online to replace them only to discover that they have changed the Islander style to look like a pair of flip-flops with only the single thong strap. The old style had a velcro strap in addition to the thong strap which helped to keep the sandal securely in place (which was important, particularly since the thong piece is defective). I'm sure it's cheaper to make it without the second strap.Zappos has great customer service and said they would replace or refund my broken sandals. I was hesitant to replace them, but since I do love wearing some type of massage sandal, I decided to give Old Friend a 4th chance. Rather than ordering the thong flip-flop style which, from my experience, falls apart, I decided to order the very unattractive Beachcomber style with the hope that maybe it will last longer (no thong). However, I'm sure I will be finding nubs all over the house again. I am very disappointed that Old Friend's quality has really gone downhill. My 1st pair got 5 stars for quality, but I'm sorry to say my last pair only gets 1 star. I guess I will once again be on a quest for a better made massage sandal.

Let Old Friend massaging sandals be your friend too! Old Friend massage sandals save my feet at the end of the day. They refresh and relax my tired feet. I am a teacher and am on my feet all day long. When I go home and slip into my Old Friend sandals my feet are invigorated and I am refreshed all over. You should try them too!

Great, comfortable shoe for problem feet/knees! This is my second pair of these wonderful and invigorating shoes! I also ordered the regular sandal that has the removable back strap this time. Love them both and get lots of compliments! I can wear very few shoes without the support of expensive orthotics due to feet/knee problems. It is rare that I can find a sandal because my orthotics only fit in tie up shoes. If the nubs on these shoes don't feel comfortable at first, it probably means that you really need them to stimulate certain acupressure points in your feet! Try wearing them for 10 minutes one day, 20 min. the next, etc., or some similar regimen that you come up with. I guarantee, your feet will adjust, and your whole body will thank you for it! I personally did not have to break mine in gradually, but I have read reviews from people who thought they were uncomfortable. I wear mine all day, including as slippers as I can't go barefoot or wear regular slippers. I don't know how or why the acupressure thing works, but it does!

I am really enjoying these sandals now that they are broken in. People are not kidding when they say you have to build up to wearing these shoes. I over did it the third time out and the soles of my feet were tender for several days. After that I made sure to take it easy and now it's all good. They are so comfortable and I look forward to my daily foot "massage." I wish the strap was a little more feminine but it sure doesn't stop me from wearing them!

My old friends are therapeutic relief at the end of a long day. My feet always hurt, but after a few minutes wearing these energizing sandals they feel almost normal again!

Feel good all over! This is my 3rd pair of the Islanders and I love them! I can't wait to put them on at the end of the day and you can't get me out of them on the weekend. These are a much better design and a more quality product than the Masseur sandal, which I wore for years. The adjustable upper strap keeps the sandal from slipping, so they don't look or feel like flip flops. They might take some getting used to for the novice, but once you've made the adjustment, you'll never want to take them off! They make you feel good all over!

Sooo Comfortable - They take a day or two of wearing for 10 minutes at a time to get used to but the effort is well worth it! It's like getting a massage every time you put them on. I Love them. I have had them about a month now and they have contoured to my feet perfectly! Anytime I don't have to be in other shoes, my feet are in these! I prefer them to being barefoot!

My favorite around-the-house sandal - Very cute and the massage nubs feel so good at the end of the day. As the weather gets hotter, it's nice to feel the air circulate under my feet, and I can wash the sandals since they're made of synthetic materials. Note on sizing: I usually wear a 7.5 shoe and 7.0 sandals. Based on a previous review, I ordered this sandal in size 8.0, and it was the right choice. The placement of the toe thong is such that my heel falls in exactly the right place in the back of the footbed, with only a little bit of extra footbed than I need in front of the toes (not so much that they look bad: about a quarter inch too long in the front). Note on comfort: Give these about a week; don't wear more than about an hour at a time at first. The skin on the bottom of my feet got very tender and red after the first 2 or 3 wearings. But no blisters or calluses! Just takes a bit of time to get used to, but worth it. I love them and wear them on casual errands as well.

Very Happy! Always loved flip-flops, but with a heel spur, could not use them any more. These solved the problem! Good support and no heel pain. Takes about a week to get used to, but after that, fantastic!

Great, but not for the tenderfoot - I got this massage sandal because I've had several similar ones in the past thirty years. I have studied shiatsu and acupuncture and know that all the energy meridians converge in the foot, so a good massage sandal can stimulate the meridians and improve over-all health. Also, since the sole is elevated by the nubs, air circulates keeping your feet dry and cool. If worn in water, the water drains away. These sandals were a perfect fit and are well-constructed. The massage nibs are properly molded to apply evenly-distributed pressure to all parts of the sole. Having worn such sandals in the past, I knew what to expect. First timers be warned: these sandals need getting used to. They will be painful at first until your soles adapt. Just wear them a little at a time until your feet toughen up. Eventually you'll be able to wear them all day and you will love them. I was impressed by Zappos’ delivery and service (this was my second Zappos’ purchase). I placed this order on a Monday just before 1PM and received the sandals the next day. Overnight delivery at no charge! Truly amazing.

The nodules are difficult to get use to. I think once they are properly broken in I’ll love these shoes.

This shoe does not even come close to the right size - I ordered a full size ABOVE normal and it was still too small. I look forward to having the right size though. I've had a similar sandal in the past & loved it.

Ol' Friend - Old Friend's Islander is a great sandal. I love the massage action as I walk. Great for airports, too.

Shoe Review - My feet love the Masseur massage so I would buy them even if I do not love the look or fit. Would look better if the massage rubber was black instead of skin solar. Also upper straps bucket a bit on the sides. I ordered down a size. Only order a size up (if you are a half size) if you want a one inch border of shoe around your foot. Shoes are unisex so I think they run large for women.

Not quite right - I love the feel of the nubs (although they're painful initially) but the upper lining chafes dreadfully around the stitching.

Jury still out on this one - Right now I'm not impressed with these sandals. I'm hoping as time goes on the massage nodules will soften. If they do soften (as I'm expecting) these will probably be my favorite sandals.

Takes a few times wearing them to get comfortable with "nubs". After that they are pretty comfortable, but they started to fall apart within a week of light wearing. "Nubs" wore down, sole separated from sides, completely trashed after about one month of light wearing!

AWESOME! If you have a difficult time finding shoes that are comfortable because you have painful pressure points on the bottom of your feet...search no more. Yes, when you first wear them, they will irritate you, and the bottom of your feet will feel sore. I wore them the entire afternoon after they arrived, the next morning my feet tried to rebel, but I forced the issue, and I have been a supremely happy camper ever since. I just ordered another pair in a different color!

What a sandal! This sandal is terrific. I have plantar fasciitis & the sandal helps me to walk, it hurts good! I have lost several of the nubbies on the heel section of my right sandal and I've only had the sandal a month, I still love the sandal!