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The EbbTide does feel more solid than many other sandals and the extra weight of the reinforced midsoles seemed like a worthy tradeoff for the extra comfort. The first time that I put the EbbTide sandals on I felt they were extremely comfortable and did a great isolating my foot in place when making fast movements on deck. While I personally found these flip slops very comfy that may not be the case for everyone as someone with a wider foot may feel that the molded insole is too narrow. Footwear is a very personal piece of kit so comfort really depends on your individual preferences, but suffice to say if the EbbTide fits they do provide more support than your average flip flop.

I was surprised how well the Sandals held up when navigating sharp lava rocks but remember sandals offer no ankle or toe protection so you need to tread carefully

There was little that the deck of my carpeted bass boat or our fiberglass Boston Whaler was going to do to the bottom of these sandals but rocky beaches and lava fields of Hawaii would pose a much greater challenge. Walking on these surfaces I was once again impressed by how much support these sandals provided compared to everyday flip flops, but make no mistake, unlike some other water shoes these sandals have limits and will do little to protect your ankle when navigating uneven terrain. I learned this the hard way when I stepped off a lava rock outcropping and the side of my foot scraped the razor sharp surface of an adjacent lava rock. Suffice to say I had to hobble back to the beach and apply two bandages and Neosporin.

The EbbTide soles didn't get torn up at all after constant contact with rocky surfaces

When it came to stability the EbbTide delivered a surprisingly good amount of grip on wet rocks and I could walk on anything that wasn’t covered in slimy vegetation with ease. For beach fishing I found the EbbTide easier to use than my Keen sandals which quickly filled up with small rocks or sand. Cleaning out the EbbTide was as quick and easy as kicking them off onto the beach.

These sandals were great fro fishing in warm water conditions

Durability: I was sure that after nine days on the Big Island the soles of the EbbTide would be absolutely destroyed by all the lava rock but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The side of the midsoles was chewed up a bit by contact and sheer abrasion but the rubber outsoles held up amazingly well. There were a few small marks but there were no cuts or breaks in the soles at all. The EbbTide took everything that the island could throw at it over the course of exploring the coastline, fishing and even hiking in Volcanoes National Park and was ready for another tour of duty.

Even on sandy beaches the soles pick up little to no debris

Price & Applications: Unlike other shoes the EbbTide also performs well in wet conditions and dries very quickly. They also performed better in rocky conditions than I expected, but as mentioned earlier there are limits and if you are hiking long distances or need extra stability on uneven surfaces a more robust shoe would be preferred, one that has additional straps for security and protection for your toes. The EbbTide packs flat and is a great second pair of shoes when travelling to fish. Retailing for $49.95 these sandals are definitely considered premium and should be compared to other sandals from Under Armor or even the EVAIR sandals from Shimano, which does offer more toe protection. The EbbTide sandals are basically refined versions of an original formula and if you enjoy fishing in sandals and are looking for a souped up version the EbbTide is worth the money. For those looking for a sandal with an even higher grade of materials the company recently introduced the Guide Flip which features a similar sole and midsole design but with waterproof full grain leather upper and footbed. The Guide Flip will retail for $79.95.