A few years ago, I had pain on the top right side of my foot that wouldn’t go away, so I went to a podiatrist. When he said no problem, he suggested I get a pair Oofos recovery slides and I recommended that I not only wear them instead of my shoes as much as possible but also wear them around the house instead of going barefoot.
“All these people who work from home don’t realize that your feet need more support than you think, especially as you get older,” she told me. “It was a big problem at the time [part of the] an epidemic where everyone is at home all the time.”
Wearing Oofos helped cure my foot pain within a few weeks, and since then I’ve become a sort of know-it-all for recovery slides, many of which are made of high-tech foam and other cushioning materials. Obviously, they are designed for recreational and serious athletes before and after activities, whether that is running, soccer, basketball, tennis or any sport that causes fatigue in the feet. However, they are also recommended to help get rid of plantar fasciitis.
What are the best recovery slides?
While I’m still a fan of the Oofos slides, I’m partial to the slides from OK Recovery which i got last year. People have different shaped feet, however, and different preferences for how firm or soft they like their recovery slides, so my preference may not be yours. And, admittedly, I haven’t tried every recovery slide out there — dozens, if not hundreds, of models exist, and some are very similar to each other as copycats flood the market.
I also found that while some slides fit true to size, many fit larger than their display size and require you to scale down, while others are smaller, perhaps requiring you to scale up. (I’ve noted that in each selection, whether it’s true to size or not.) Unless otherwise noted, all models in this list are unisexoffering both men’s and women’s slide sizes. I will add more options as I come across new top restoration slides.
Best recovery slides of 2026
Not to be confused with Hoka (which also makes a great pair of recovery slides on this list), Oka slides tend to be more cushiony and comfortable. Available in many colors, the Oka slides are slightly stronger than my Oofos Oohha slides and are better with water. They have 35 millimeters of “thermal foam,” 12 cooling vents and a “top width that moves without squeezing.”
The company also touts a “stable heel cup that locks your foot in place.”
But it’s important to note that most people have to order a size down to get the best fit. I’m usually a size 10, but the slide fits me perfectly in a men’s 9/women’s 11. They had good arch support, too. Read my full review.
Oofos are one of the most popular brands of recovery slides — I appreciate the way they protect my feet. (They are softer than other slides.)
Its Oohha model is made with the company’s patented footbed and Oofoam technology, which it claims absorbs 37% more impact than traditional shoe foam. Closed cell foam is machine washable and “designed to reduce odor.”
I wore these Oofos for a few months and was able to relieve the foot pain on the top of my right foot that I was experiencing. They hold up well, even with a lot of outdoor use. My only gripe is that they are slippery when water gets on them, so they don’t do well in the rain or in shallow water. (My feet slip on the slides.)
They run a little big, so I sized down from my regular 10 to a men’s 9/women’s 11. Slides are available in multiple colors.
Vktry has made a name for itself with its performance insoles, made of carbon fiber. But recently, it has branched out into recovery footwear with a set of recovery clogs and recovery slides, both of which retail for $99.
These slides feel a little stiffer than the Oka and Oofos, and have a deeper arch and heel cup. Both the clogs and slides have a layer of cushiony foam over Vktry’s signature carbon fiber plate. While you can wipe them down with soap and water to clean them, you shouldn’t completely submerge them in water, so that’s a slight downside.
They run true to size, so start with whatever size you normally wear.
Many people swear by Hoka’s running shoes, and I liked its Ora Recovery Slide 3, even though my kids didn’t like the color I chose. (The company offers many color options, but I already had a few dark-colored slides, so I decided to go with a light color.)
The Ora Slide 3 is slightly stiffer than the Oka and Oofos and has good traction on its soles, which look a lot like the wheels of a running shoe. They also have less arch support and run wider and larger accordingly.
I went down to a women’s 9/11, and it was a good fit, but I still had room to spare.
Fleks makes several styles of recovery slides, sandals and clogs. One of its slides explaining the qualities is that they are all made from 85% recycled materials, including active foam waste (which is all that foam waste from factories that make sports shoes).
Designed with Blumaka’s non-slip technology, the company says its shoes are “designed to reduce fatigue and support muscle recovery,” with each style offering “comfortable comfort and foot-cradling ergonomics to reduce stress on your feet, legs and body.” Their grip area is a good combination, and they had the right amount of arch support and depth in their heel cup. They do well with water.
Note that they run true to size and have a medium width.
Roll Recovery, which makes attractive rollers for muscle recovery, has recently moved into the recovery shoe market. I tried its new SuperPlush Solace, which the company bills as “the most premium, luxurious recovery shoe ever created.”
A pair costs a little over $110. However, the slides have natural suede as part of the construction (with an adjustable Velcro strap that I appreciated), and the Cradle-Design footbed with the patented Roll Recovery, held my feet well. Available in several different color options, these slides are green but sturdier than Oofos’ Oohha slides and not as thick.
I decided to size these down, and actually, they are a little big. Note that SuperPlus Solace does not appear to be unisex, but Roll Recovery has separate product pages on its website for male and female versions.
