Hari Mari Shoes provided product for our team in order to provide you with this review. All opinions are 100% my own!
Pop Quiz: Snow boots are to Northerners as __________ are to Southerners.
Need a hint? Just as snow boots are the staple to any Northerner during the winter, these are the staple to many moms’ feet during the hot summer months in Texas.
Sandals…thongs…flip flops, whatever you choose to call them, have been around for a LONG time. According to Wikipedia, these types of sandals have dated back to 4,000 BC. Depending on the country you lived in, they were created with papyrus leaves, rawhid, and some even made out of wood!
These shoes have literally been in the making for thousands of years, so it makes me beg the question, why have shoe manufacturers not been able to create a flip flop that’s not only comfortable between the toes but can hold up to long, tiring distances (you know, like a walk with toddlers through the Dallas Arboretum)?
As a native Southerner who has spent summer after summer enduring the Texas heat, flip flops have become a consistent part of my wardrobe. When temperatures reach 100+ degrees, no one wants to pull off sweaty socks at the end of the day. It’s easier — especially as a mom — to slide on your favorite pair and head out the door.
During my 30+ years of summers, I’ve spent many hours searching for, wearing, and tossing away flip flops. I’m tried high end brands and medium price points. From sportier looks to trendier fashions. Sandals with air in the heels and those made 100% of hard plastic.
I remember how excited I was when my favorite clothing store launched their wall of $5 flip flops — every color, size, and pattern for the taking! Jack pot. My search was over! Only to discover there was a reason they were only $5.
Within a few hours of walking, my heel and arch ached and the color would sometimes rub off onto my feet giving it a dirty hue. Great for those who are on a budget, but before plopping those onto my feet each morning I’d have to think through my day and ask, “Are my feet going to hate me later?”
A month ago, leading up into summer my team and I were asked to experience Hari Mari Shoes. They were launching a Dallas store location and wanted moms to experience their brand and provide honest opinions. So, being the flip flop experts that we are, all 5 of us agreed to give them a try…and the moment these landed on our feet, we knew there was something different about these shoes.
They were fashionable and comfortable for typical daytime routines; trips to the grocery store and quick walks to the park.
Okay, so they passed my first impressions, but if these shoes were to really impress me, they’d have to pass the ultimate test: Long distances. Long days. Tired kids.
I packed my Hari Mari’s in my suitcase and headed off for 6 days at DisneyWorld. Would you believe me if I told you that was the best packing decision I made?
During our six day stay in Florida, we hit 4 Disney parks and my Hari Mari’s became my go-to shoes over my sneakers! And here’s why:
- Hari Mari’s are built with a Memory Foam Toe™ – a soft memory foam encased in nylon to help grip toes and reduce that irritating abrasion.
- They use only premium materials that stand up to wear and tear.
- Each flip flop has soft squeeze mid-soles, firm arch supports, and thinly slit insoles to help your foot breath (reducing moisture) and improve foot grip.
- The outsoles contain 100% carbon-free rubber, so they’re non-marking and helps grip wet surfaces. No worrying about slipping around on wet cement and they are “boat safe.”
- A toe spring and beveled outsole around the edges also reduces ripping and helps across a variety of terrains.
Remember how many pairs of flip flops I told you I’ve gone through? That’s a lot of plastic and Hari Mari wanted to do something about that. In an effort to be more environmentally responsible, Hari Mari Flip Flops are constructed from high-grade rubber and foam so they can be repurposed after serving your feet. Their textiles are sustainably-grown and renewable materials are used where possible (including hemp fibers and harvest rubber).
But we all know recycling can be a little more effort, so to help motivate you to do the right thing after your flip flops have said “goodbye”, Hari Mari lets you send in your used flip flops (ANY BRAND) and will provide you with 15% off your next pair of new Hari Mari’s.
And when you purchase that new pair, Hari Mari donates 1% of sales on every flip flop to support kids battling cancer. (You can watch the video that will make you weep here: https://vimeo.com/56992741)
Hari Mari has convinced this Texas Mama that these are my new go-to sandals for summer and after. (And for under $50, I’ll even splurge and buy my jealous husband a pair for Father’s Day.)
Hari Mari’s are available at a variety of locations across Dallas/Fort Worth including Nordstrom, Saint Bernard, Trunk Club, Whole Earth Provision Co., and Stag. You can also view and shop their complete catalog online!
