Reef Men's Reef X-S-1 Thong Sandal

I love Reef sandals. I hate to admit it but my sister is the one who informed me on the Reef brand and how comfortable they could be. All my life I've been in a warmer climate so wearing sandals is just part of who I am. I started with Nike slip-ons, then moved on to Oakley Smoke's (wish they hadn't altered their design/construction...darn you Oakley) and finally fell into Reefs. I've owned about four to six pairs (my shoe memory is not too great) of Reefs and most of them being part of the Fanning line. The Fanning line is great and all but the color selection is admittedly a little bit lackluster if you want a nice looking pair of colorful, yet comfortable sandals.The X-S-1 is a line I've read about before but was skeptical about because I don't like buying shoes if I haven't tried them on before. Seeing as I have never found the X-S-1s in store I was kind of stuck on whether I wanted to give them the ol' college try based on trusting the brand or whether I wanted to just wait. Well.....I went with the ol' college try and decided to trust my funds, and feet, to Reef. Like an old friend, Reef was there for me again and I am not disappointed with this line at all.First off, the color...man do these pop. They look bright in the picture and they are indeed a great shade of blue, kind of reminds me of Carolina blue so any Tar Heel beach bums should look into these right away. The comfort is, well, it's Reef. Some of my friends and acquaintances question why I would spend any more than $20 on a pair of sandals, which is funny, since they're asking me while wearing $100+ sneakers. The thing about sandals, and most quality things, is you get what you pay for. If you want comfortable sandals then you should be willing to shell out the same amount of cash you'd use to get comfortable regular shoes. These X-S-1s are comfortable, stylish and I have even tried jogging short distances in them cuz heck, Godzilla could come up at any second and I want to be prepared. The support is great in the hell and all the way through. I haven't tested out the holes in the footbed meant for water draining....nor have I had the chance to test these at the beach yet since I currently live in the Houston area (boo) but I have walked for hours while wearing them and felt great the whole time. As the title states, another quality Reef product.

This is a terrific all-around flop that you can wear comfortably all day long. It also looks extremely sharp, even sexy, on the foot. It fits a bit small, but I was prepared for this: I normally wear size 12, and the size 13 that I ordered fits perfectly, with plenty of room at the toes and my heel fitting precisely within the sculpted heel cup. I have two minor criticisms. The first is that, like all Reef flops, the sole is just too thin under the toes. This means that it's relatively easy to catch on the sidewalk, trip, and stub your toes. The second criticism is that--though these are pricier than the Reef Slap II ($65 versus $40)--the Slap II is a bit more comfortable. (The price differential is acceptable because the X-S-1 looks so damned SHARP!) Buy this and enjoy it, but be aware of what you're getting. I really don't know why they can't provide a sole thicker than one-quarter inch under the toes, though.

Great Reef Sandals. I ordered these because of the great reviews. I've always had Reef Fanning sandals and ordered these in addition to the Fannings. I bought them to take on a cruise since they dry faster. I made the mistake of not breaking them in before the cruise. They're a bit stiff at first and I ended up getting a pretty bad blister on my toe. After they're broken in, they're quite comfortable. While this is strictly my opinion, I find the Fanning Sandals to be more comfortable. The Fannings seem to have more cushion like a great pair of running shoes. These X-S-1's are comfortable too, but not as comfortable as the Fannings. I also find the Fannings much more comfortable when I'm wearing them for a long time (4+ hours) since they lack the additional cushion the Fannings offer. Although they're great sandals, I still like the Fannings better. With that being said, I'm still glad I bought them.

I love this sandal! It looks great, feels great, fits like a glove. However, it may be a little snug/tight/small depending on what you are using it for. I have a true size 10.5 inch foot sole (I measured). I ordered a size 11 sandal. The outer sole measures a true 11.5 inches, which should be enough room. The inner soles is almost an exact 11.5 inches. If you like the sandal to fit perfectly with less than 0.25 inch in front and back, and your feet snug against the straps, then it will fit perfect. However, if you like a little extra length in front, or in back, or sides to side, then you won't like the fit. Note, I'm worried about possible chafing from long walks or hikes, but for simply the beach or pool, I'm fine with a snug fit. Make sure you know what your need will be and measure before you buy. I wish Reef had 1/2 sizes, because I would probably trade these in for an 11.5 for a little extra room, but I can't go up to 12 or down to 10. I'll keep the 11 because I love the sandal and "technically" it is a good fit. If you normally buy a 10.5, but not a full 11, then you should be fine, but snug.

This is the third pair and the last pair. We purchased this March 25 and it's not possible that the shoe failed -- simply gave way at the juncture of the sole and the upper. Frayed quickly and failed soon after. We replaced one and the replacement performed similarly. They are just too darn expensive not to last longer. My husband only wears them about a week each month, so that makes it an even shorter time that they could be used. Highly disappointed. Reefs used to wear out all over, after a couple of years; but our experience within the last year indicates they "don't make 'em like they used to".