I'll be fit before I flop (FitFlops)

Member Name: kingfisher111

Product:	FitFlops
Date:	07/06/09 (1061 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: smart casual footwear that will help you stay fit

Disadvantages: expensive

I'm pretty much always on a quest to keep fit and to keep in shape but it's not always easy with the demands of a young family. I even have my own treadmill at home as I have found it virtually impossible to get to the gym on a regular basis. There are some days though when I simply don't have the time to take a significant run which is why, when I first heard about fitflops, they appealed to me so much.

Fitflops are described by the makers as 'the flip flop with the gym built in!' They claim that while you are doing all the things that you would normally do, just by wearing fitflops, you will be giving yourself a workout that includes:

increase leg, calf and gluteal muscle activity,
improve your posture,
mimic the gait of walking barefoot walking but with more muscle load,
improve muscle tone,
strengthen the muscles in the feet, leg and muscles!

This sounded so tempting when I read all this that I decided that I really did need a pair! I did debate getting them for quite a while though as they don't come cheap. They are stocked in quite a few places including Boots, and prices seem to start at around £35! This would seem an extraordinary amount to pay for a pair of flip flops but you have to remember that these are not ordinary flip flops by any means.

I shopped around quite a bit but finally ordered my pair from Beauty Expert for £36. This was helped by the fact that I had a £5 loyalty voucher and also because I went through Topcashback I was able to get 10% cashback so they were not quite as expensive as they might have been. I bought the 'walkstar' flipflops which do seem to be the least expensive ones so you could pay a lot more. Not knowing how effective they would be, I did not want to be paying out any more than that!

One thing I would say is that although they seem quite pricy, these flipflops are quite smart so on summer days you feel that you can wear them with most things in place of sandals (which you might even pay a lot more for). I have even worn mine to work on days when I know that I can be a bit more casual.

My fitflops are black. You can get other colours but black is obviously the best to go with most things. They look reasonably smart with a rubber looking sole and a leather and fabric strap type thing to go between your big toe and the rest. Usually I find flip flops very uncomfortable to wear for long because they rub between my toes - but not these fitflops. They don't rub at all and I can wear them for absolutely ages with no problems at all. They also look like they might be heavy but they are not at all. I really cannot fault either the appearance or the comfort of these at all.

When you first get them, there is some advice to ease wearing them in gradually, which I did. It's also very important to make sure that you get the right size because the leather will not stretch. You do notice a slight pulling on your muscles at first which feels ever so slightly odd but you do very soon get used to the feel of them. I now wear them pretty much all the time when I am at home and they have taken the place of my trusted slippers - at least for the summer anyway.

It's hard to tell how much good they are doing in improving my muscle tone and posture etc, especially as I do a lot of exercise anyway. I do feel like they are doing me good though although my husband might say that I am just easily susceptible to the power of persuasion. However, in the little leaflet that came with my fitflops there are many testimonies from people saying how well they have worked for them. There is also in the leaflet a very scientific explanation of how it all works but I won't even attempt to explain that here. However you can read all about that at

www.fitflop.com

These fitflops are suitable for both men and women and come in a variety of styles. There are even slipper type fitflops which will be ideal for the winter too. I am very tempted to get a pair of these too as it will be more difficult to wear the fitflops on colder days.

My fitflops are easy to clean and look great. I would recommend them for that alone but with the added fitness potential I am really pleased that I bought them.

Summary: The flip lop with the gym built in!