21 Breathable Summer Shoes If Sweaty Feet Are Your Worst Nightmare

Dec 02, 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Like the pair of flats one reviewer calls their "holy grail" because they never get gross, even after walking miles in the humid summer heat.

BuzzFeed Staff

Unless otherwise specified, all sizes in this post are listed in women's.

Promising review: "I put these bad gals to the test on a trip to Universal Studios with my sons. Ordered them the day before, and wore them to airport right out of the box. They do not retain heat (breathable) and keep your tootsies at a comfortable temp, which is critical in the Florida heat. They’re cute, lightweight (easy to travel with), slip on and off the with ease, and incredibly supportive for long days wandering to and fro. My advice, if anything, is they’re Adidas 'true to size,' and Adidas can run larger, in my experience. I ordered a 6.5 (I’m a 7 in Nike) and I wouldn't want to go any larger. Highly recommend the light gray, versatile and looks cute with pretty much anything." —TrishDishes

Get it from Amazon for $33.20+ (available in sizes 5–11 and two colors).

This shoe fits about a 1/2 size big, so if you're between sizes, size down.

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "I absolutely love these shoes. They are so so comfortable and I love that they go with my boho/beachy aesthetic. I was skeptical at first because they seemed too narrow and small, but don’t worry, they loosen up quickly and fit perfectly. I wore these all summer to my job at a bakery where I am constantly on my feet for long hours and they’re just so comfortable. They have a very breathable material as well." —Sean

Get them from Amazon for $21.78+ (available in sizes 5–11 and eight colors).

Its shoelaces are even made from recycled plastic bottles! Designed with lightweight eucalyptus fibers made to keep you cool in warmer weather, these runners can be tossed in the wash and set out to air dry without losing their shape.

Promising review: "I love these shoes! They are perfect for the summer months because they breathe and are great for walking. They look cute with dresses too so I have been wearing them everywhere!" —Margaret L.

Get them from Allbirds for $105 (available in sizes 5–11 and 17 styles).

The shoes are quick-dry, machine-washable, anti-slip, flexible, and have a cushioned sole.

Promising review: "These are so comfortable. They don't make my feet hot but keep them cozy. The construction is great and the color (I got orange) is beautiful!!!!" —OneGirlsOpinion

Get them from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in women's sizes 5–13 and men's sizes 3.5–11, and five colors).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Several of my BuzzFeed Shopping colleagues *swear* by their Birks — you can read their thoughts here (#1) and here (#3).

Promising review: "Been buying the Birkenstock Arizona for the last decade, and I’ll never buy anything else. Walked many miles in a day all over Europe, and I never got a single blister. I’ll wear a pair almost every day throughout a summer, and I need to replace my pair every 3–4 years." —Julie Bosworth

Get them from Amazon for $89.95+ (available in women's sizes 4–19.5 and men's sizes 2–17.5, including narrow sizes, and in dozens of styles — not all styles available in all sizes).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "I've had these for almost a month now. They're my everyday sandal. I have plantar fasciitis and I was dreading summer because I love my flat flip-flops but with this plantar issue, the pain just makes it unbearable to wear them anymore. Very happy with this purchase. They give me enough support all day, my feet don't hurt and they're cute with almost any outfit, shorts, skirt, pants. Great purchase for the best price. Love that they're leather footing so my feet don't sweat." —sea_sea

Get them from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in sizes 6–13, including wide sizes, and 20 styles).

Promising review: "Love these shoes!! They're durable, comfortable, breathable. I work outside and on my feet all day. My feet are supported and super padded, but yet breathable. No sweaty, wet socks!!" —Mindy

Get them from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in sizes 5.5–10.5 and 22 colors).

You can wear these water-friendly shoes without socks on warmer days!

I have these in the adorable chameleon pink shade, and though I don't frequent beaches or water parks too often, I wear them around NYC all the time on rainy days. I love that I can skip socks and wear these comfortably while out and about — they allow for a really nice breeze on your feet and dry quickly!

Promising reviews: "I love my two pairs of Native shoes! Using them instead of boots when it rains and it's perfect." —Pascale B.

"I own four pairs of these shoes and I wear them ALL year round! Super comfy and great quality! My first white pair is five years old and you'd never know. Easy to clean and they look brand new! Will buy another pair for sure!" —Carrie R.

Get them from Amazon or Native Shoes for $55 (available in women's sizes 5–15 and men's sizes 3–13, and up to 18 colors).

FYI, these are best suited for narrow to medium-sized feet.

Promising review: "I read many opinion posts about the 'most comfortable sandals for walking' and read tons of reviews for sandals costing $100–$150. Then I bought these for $34. They did take me about 10 minutes to get on the first time, but I wear them everywhere now! I like the back strap because it's easier to walk in. They are very breathable and don't rub anywhere. I already ordered a different version without a back strap for shorter/casual walking." —Amazon Customer

Get them from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in sizes 5–11 and 22 colors).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

BuzzFeed Shopping editor Chelsea Stuart says, "If 2023 me told pre-2019 me that I would ever wear Crocs, I'd laugh in her face. That said, these may just be my favorite sandals ever. I am a big platform person so that's what initially sold me but better yet, they're just so freaking comfortable. They have a slight bounce and the straps do. not. rub. so I can wear them for hours on end. Since they're plastic, they can also get wet without issue and they dry off super fast. If you're on the fence because you're a Never Croc-er™ just give 'em a try. (You can always return them on Amazon if you're not sold!)."

Promising review: "I was hesitant to buy these because most sandals that are made of rubber will have your foot slip-sliding around with even a bit of sweat (remember those '80s jelly shoes?!) Well, these are NOTHING like that. They are very comfortable and fit my wide foot well. I worried they might squeak or the back strap may be flopping about. Nope. None of that. These are perfect travel shoes because they can be worn with everything! Try them!" —Monique

Get them from Amazon for $41.24+ (available in sizes 4–11 and 17 styles).

It's recommended to go half a size up if you have narrow feet and a full size up for wider feet in this particular style! I can back this up — I have a pair of Rothy's flats and though I usually wear an 8, I went with an 8.5 and they fit perfectly. Though I haven't had the chance to wear them a *ton* (because I WFH most days), I have commuted in them several times with no issues. They're super comfy and feel so lightweight and stretchy! I have them in the neutral Ecru color, but they come in a ton of gorgeous colors — if I were going into the office regularly, I'd be tempted to grab them in several shades. Psst — check out my colleagues' full Rothy's flats review for more deets!

Promising review: "Fit like a glove, no rubbing or tightness around the back of the ankle like other flats. Definitely order a half size up. Also breathable! The fabric allows your foot to breathe unlike traditional flats. A must have wardrobe staple!" —Jennifer W.

Get them from Rothy's for $129 (available in sizes 5–13 and in 20 colors/patterns). Rothy's flats come in a bunch of different styles, and you can check them out here!

Vivaia is a small shoe brand founded in 2020 with the mission to create stylish and high-quality footwear. Many of the brand's shoes are made from recycled water bottles, and they've implemented a production process that actively works to reduce waste.

BuzzFeed Shopping writer Emma Lord says, "You probably recognize the brand name from a bajillion Instagram posts that are like 'I DANCED THE NIGHT AWAY IN THESE HEELS!!' for the heeled version of these, but damn if they aren't right. These didn't cut into the back of my heel at all, and felt comfy enough that I walked as easily as I would in my usual sneakers, if not easier since these are SO so lightweight. I took these on a recent trip to London where I was walking 20,000+ steps a day, and can confirm they hold up in rain (boy howdy did we get a lot of it). Plus anytime muck got on them it was easy to scrub it off with soap and water. I'm so excited to have finally found a pair of flats comfortable enough to trek in that I am truly sitting on my HANDS trying not to buy them in every color."

Promising review: "As a teacher, I really need to find a pair of comfy shoes as I spend most of my day on my feet. Their shoes look great and the reviews are good, so I decided to give them a try and they don't let me down. Just as advertised, the sole is very soft and the upper material is quite breathable. My feet don't get sweaty as bad as in other shoes." —James W.

Get it from Vivaia for $79+ (available in sizes 5–11 and in 30 styles).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "The holy grail of flats. The stretchy material keeps your feet from getting sweaty. I've walked 10,000–15,000 steps outside in humid Midwest summer heat in these, and they don't get icky. Learned today from other reviews that they are apparently washable? I've never felt the need to wash mine. That memory foam insole somehow doesn't get gross either; it's cushy yet doesn't seem to absorb sweat." —Cat D. and Co.

Get them from Amazon for $33.95+ (available in sizes 5–11, including wide sizes, and in five colors).

Promising review: "Holy grail sneaker. I've been wearing them for almost a year and they're still in good shape. I have a backup pair ready to go, and I'm ordering a third pair today. That's how much I love them and I never want to be without. They can be worn casual but also look professional enough to wear to work. They are light as a cloud and I forget I'm wearing them. Most shoes rub against my heel (I have Haglund's) but these don't bother me at all. This style is easily worn with pants, leggings and skirts, not an easy feat. I wear them to work and they even got me through three days of Comic-Con without any blisters. PLEASE never stop making these shoes. They are, by far, the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever had. Better than Skechers by a mile, plus they are cute and modern looking with the almond/pointed toe." —Leota

Get them from Amazon for $44.75+ (available in sizes 4–12 and 12 colors).

According to Amazon reviewers, these tend to run large so consider sizing down!

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "Okay, I absolutely ADORE these shoes. I wore them for two and a half weeks in Florida and walked around in theme parks wearing them ALL DAY. Never got a single blister, was very comfortable, and my feet were able to breathe. Super easy to put on, I wear them practically everywhere. I got the celestial moon and stars pattern and have had a number of friends jokingly threaten to steal my shoes because they are so stylin'. I have no regret about bragging about these shoes, one of the best investments I've made." —Annastina Sims

Get them from Amazon for $39.76+ (available in sizes 5–13 and 19 styles). You can find a version available in men's sizes here.

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "These are the best! I needed shoes for our two-week trip to Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia where we'd be doing a ton of walking every day. I read about these being super comfortable and already broken in and they did not disappoint — even flip-flops give me blisters at the start of the season but these never caused me any issues. Since we were traveling in September when temperatures were in the 80–90 degrees F and rainy season, I needed something that was breathable but also dried quickly if we got caught in a rain shower (i.e., sneakers weren't going to work). I wore these every single day with no issues, no blisters. They were comfortable and stylish (unlike most outdoor sandals you see). They were very versatile — since suitcase space is prime real estate when traveling, I only packed these and had no problem wearing them with shorts when hiking during the day, and pairing them with a nice dress when going to dinner at night." —Amazon Customer

Get them from Amazon for $26.52+ (available in sizes 6–11 and 15 colors)

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "Lightweight, breathable, and supportive. I love these shoes! They were snug at first as is expected with this brand. After wearing them for an hour they stretched comfortably around my strange duck feet and the insole began to conform while offering amazing support for such a simple slip on. Did I mention I love them?" –Janette Wilkins

Get them from Amazon for $54.46+ (available in sizes 5–14, including wide sizes, and many colors and designs).

Promising reviews: "I wear these every day. They are extremely comfortable, breathable, and easy to clean up after yard work. Due to the design on the toe box, I had to go down half a size. I will be ordering different styles in the future." —Kim

"I hate heavy shoes with any type of support. I just heard about barefoot shoes from TikTok and saw these. If I could go barefoot every day I would, and these are super lightweight and flexible. My first pair and love them!" —Eric Johnson

Get them from Amazon for $118.52+ (available in sizes 5.5–11.5, including wide sizes, and eight colors).

Many reviewers recommend sizing up!

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising reviews: "I purchased these for our trip to India. I wanted something as stylish as possible that was comfortable, supportive, and had a suede type insole (my feet sweat and this is a must for a sandal I need to haul ass in). These definitely checked all the boxes!!" —Sean Patterson

"I wear these literally EVERY DAY — those shoes you slip on to dash out the door. If I could live in flip-flops, I would, and these Reefs are the best. Durable, with a slight arch support. I've tried to walk a day in those super flat, super minimal flip-flops, and cannot do it. Reefs have a good cushion, and will last an entire summer or more (depending on how much you wear them, of course). These are my daily, reliable shoe in the summer." —Graciebird

Get them from Amazon for $23.72+ (available in sizes 5–12 and eight colors).

Prime members: You can try before you buy!

Promising review: "I have been struggling to find a sneaker that provides enough support and shock absorption for the high intensity workouts I do. This one really fits the bill. They are so soft, breathable, and comfortable, and I’m really getting more height in my squat jumps, jacks, skaters, etc. because these are so supportive. My feet used to hurt from jumping in my Nikes and Pumas, but there is no pain when jumping and running in this shoe. It is also great for my strength training and treadmill workouts. I will probably get another pair. The price is high but it is so worth it. The laces are really nice too, some kind of stretchy spongy material that stays tied no matter what." —MicheleH

Get them from Amazon for $68.25+ (available in sizes 5–13, including narrow and wide sizes, and in 24 colors). You can find a version available in men's sizes here.

Birdies is a woman-founded company that originally created a comfortable and stylish slipper that could be worn at home while hosting parties. But they quickly realized the shoes were too good to *just* be worn inside and created a do-it-all flat, combining the support of a sneaker with the softness of a slipper.

Promising review: "Extremely well made and so comfortable! I typically don’t wear slides because of comfort and these exceeded my expectations plus they are so cute!" —Laura P.

Get them from Birdies for $145 (available in sizes 5–11).

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.