Even though today jandals are associated with Hawaii and tropical fashion, they have allegedly originated in Japan, and their name is short for ‘Japanese sandals’. Colloquially, they are known today as Jesus sandals, too. Either way, this type of footwear is very popular in multiple countries and regions around the globe, though you may encounter it named differently depending on who you ask.
Their popularity is easy to understand considering how comfortable and practical jandals are, especially for people who spend a lot of time on the beach, catching some sun or having snacks. If you’re as much of a summer sports enthusiast as the rest of us in the Globo Surf community, you probably almost move to the beach once the warm season hits. You will need a good pair of jandals in this case, and this guide will help you choose the best jandals shoes you can wear.
OUR TOP PICK
Kali Footwear Women’s Jesus
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Small price for a decent value and quality
- Good colors, 5 color options
- Good sizing labels, correspond to US sizes pretty well
- Some of the higher sizes also fit men
- Comfortable wear
EDITORS CHOICE
Pali Hawaii Women’s Adult
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- The classic Hawaiian Jesus sandals model, will never go out of style
- Supreme comfort and support for your soles
- You can choose a different color from multiple other options
- Also suitable for people with wide feet (no-slip technology)
- Very affordable
BEST VALUE
J-Slips Hawaiian Jesus
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- High customer ratings
- A lot of sizes available, suitable for kids, women and men
- The straps are a bit narrower than with other jandals, making feet look skinner
- EVO rubber material, extra comfortable
- The sizes listed on the order form are real US sizes
Pali Hawaii Jesus Buckle
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Great quality and comfort
- Threaded rubber outsole and cushioned sole
- 2 Beautiful colors: rich brown or luminous white
- High rate of adjustability because of the buckle straps
- Suitable for both men and women, with multiple size options
Hawaii AJW Rubber Slide-on
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Durable soles and comfortable rubber upper
- Soft and flexible feel
- Comfortable fit for both men and women
- Only 1 color option, dark brown
Hawaii Moses Unisex Rubber Slide-on Jesus
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Extra comfort from the cushion air pocket in the sole
- Very durable soles and straps
- Extra flexible soles for even more comfort
- Unisex, a good fit for everyone if you first check the sizing guide
- Two colors: a deep brown and (almost) black
Pali Hawaii Rugged Men’s Jesus
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Super comfortable upper and inner
- Made of quality rubber material
- Waterproof and skin-resistant
- Platforms about 1 inch high
- Top rated jandals, very popular with buyers
- Two colors: brown and black
Imperial Sandals Hawaii Brown and Black Jesus
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Designed for indoor and outdoor use
- Will last your kid for a long time
- Soft and comfortable synthetic rubber
- They come with manufacture warranty for quality and durability
How To Choose The Best Jandals – Buying Guide
There are a lot of options on the market, so it might be hard to know which of the top-rated jandals to choose, especially if you’re new to the concept. Here is everything you need to know about choosing the best jandals shoes.
Size
As you might have noticed from the top above, jandals shoes are not the most accurate when it comes to sizes. While annoying if you’re not careful when ordering, this is actually a good thing, because it showcases the authenticity of the jandals. Since they are made locally by Hawaiian brands, it’s normal that the sizes should differ from the ones normally used in the US.
Still, you will notice that most models feature jandal reviews that can inform you on how you need to modify your size when ordering, in order to ensure a good fit. Our top of the best jandals on the market also highlighted this information for each model presented, so you should be fine.
Fit
Since Jesus sandals are designed to be a great fit for everyone during the warm season, most models will not pose any problems in the fitting department. Only if you know you have extremely unusual feet (either too narrow or too wide) should you take extra precautions.
For most models, such indicators are taken into account and stated in the product description. If you still need to be sure the jandals you order will be a good fit, then you should look for Jesus sandals with buckles. The buckles will allow you to adjust for a better fit.
Brand
Like in any other niche, not all brands are equal. Some Jesus sandals brands are more popular than others, and for good reason. Pali Hawaii is the brand of top-rated jandals on the market, and the name that pops most into everyone’s mind when they think of the best Jesus sandals money can buy.
This, of course, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give other brands a chance as well. There are plenty of other quality buys, as you can see from our top above. Especially when looking for a particular feature or a more affordable price tag, alternate brands are worth taking into account.
Comfort
Comfort is the main reasons Jesus sandals exist. If comfort is what you need, then you probably won’t wear anything else all summer once your feet touch a pair of jandals shoes. After all, they haven’t become so popular for nothing.
You can rest assured that all of the best jandals in our top fare great in terms of comfort. If you still need extra reassurance, you can try selecting a model that boasts of extra features like cushions, air pockets, super-soft straps and so on.
You might also like: What is the Difference: Dive Boots, Water Shoes & Aqua Socks
Traction
Just like comfort, easy traction is something that the best jandals excel in. They become this popular precisely because it’s so easy to walk in them. Still, if you plan to use your jandals in more active way (like for running or warming up before a surfing session), here are a few things you should look for.
A pair of Jesus sandals with buckles will allow you to strap the jandals to your feet more securely, so you can do almost anything in them without fear of the footwear slipping away. Also, if you go for a model with flexible soles, it will also add bonus point to the jandals’ traction.
Style
When it comes to style, it’s all a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer natural and traditional colors (brown and black), while other prefer the eclectic or unusual (white, blue, red etc.). Just go for anything you like, all the selected designs in our top of the best jandals look great on anyone.
If you feel that traditional Jesus sandals look too bulky (a common concern among women), go for a model that features skinner straps. It will solve the problem, while still delivering you amazing comfort.
FAQs
Q: What are Jandals?
Initially, the term jandals came to the US as a borrowed word from the slang term used in New Zealand for flip-flops. While the name caught on, it doesn’t refer to flip-flops anymore, which are a type of footwear distinctively different from today’s jandals, because they feature a thong between the big toe and the rest of the toes.
But the Hawaiian Jesus sandals we know and wear today are definitely not flip-flops, and they are the ones who claim the name of jandals now. Their exact etymology isn’t well-known; some people say it comes from Japanese sandals, some say it comes from Jesus sandals. Either way, they are surely one of the most comfortable footwear options for summertime and the beach.
Q: What to Wear with Jandals?
You can wear almost anything with jandals, it’s part of their universal appeal! Sure, you won’t be able to wear suits with a pair of jandals unless you want to appear really eccentric, but any actual summertime clothing will go very well with your Jesus sandals.
This includes shorts, Bermuda pants, large Hawaiian shirt, T-shirts and surf gear or wetsuits. For women, the range of clothing that goes well with jandals extends to casual skirts and sundresses, too. When you find the best jandals for your feet, you can rest assured that the rest of your summer wardrobe will be a good fit with your new footwear right away.
Q: Who Invented Jandals?
Jandals are widely considered to be invented by Morris Yock, a New Zealand businessman who was inspired by the zorii footwear he saw in Japan. Hence the name of Japanese sandals, shortened to jandals. But this is only accurate if we are referring to the flip-flop type of jandals.
For Hawaiian jandals, they were a local favorite design long before they started being produced commercially. The islanders weaved the iconic Jesus sandals from rubber and, occasionally, leather, creating the comfortable and practical models we have come to know and love today. Pali Hawaii is the brand that made them popular abroad, and which is still associated with the best jandals you can buy.
Q: What Colors Do Jandals Come In?
Jandals come in a variety of colors, all depending on the tastes and preferences of the wearer. The natural leather colors are most popular, with various shades of tan brown available with most jandals producers. Black jandals are a close second in popularity, also considered to be one of the classic color choices for this type of footwear.
But besides brown shades and black, jandals fans can also opt for a classy white which will bring out your tan, or for even more colorful options like blue, green or red. Especially popular with the ladies, the colored jandals are a summertime fave, and you can get them from several brands featured in our top.
Globo Surf Overview
It may be hard to decide on just a pair from the list of best jandals available, but once you get at least one, your feet will be in summertime heaven. The only thing standing between you and amazing comfort all summer long is choosing a pair. This is where we come in; we hope this buying guide for the best jandals helped you know what to look for and what you need. Happy summer!