I have bought several pairs of 'toe-post' style flip-flops in the past and find that the post between my toes can really cause some discomfort, particularly when I am wearing the flip-flops on a hot day or am lucky enough to be away somewhere warm. I have tried buying both cheaper and more expensive types of toe-post flip-flops as I initially thought that the cheap material of lower-priced flip-flops was the problem, but after spending the best part of £30 on one particular pair and finding this common problem was still an issue, I have long ago discarded the notion that 'dearer is best' and tend to find that it's more down to pot luck than the price of the shoes!

With this in mind, I was pleased when I noticed a rather 'cheap and cheerful' range of sandals and flip-flops in my local Asda supermarket a few months ago. As the summer months were fast approaching, I wanted to pick up some flip-flops and sandals for replacing my worn-out pair and for general wear during the spring and summer. I found just what I had been looking for in the George Basic Flip Flops.

There were only two colours available in the Basic Flip Flops at the time of purchase, which were the pastel pink shade (as shown in the Dooyoo picture above) or a pale blue 'Aqua' shade. I am not particularly keen on pink-coloured clothing, so I opted for the Aqua shade instead, although I would have preferred black! Anyway, as the 'flippers' were priced at only £2 per pair, I was extremely pleased with my purchase and thought they offered excellent value for money. It may be worth noting that as @ the time of writing (July 2012), I believe the Aqua coloured flip-flops have been reduced to only £1, which I think is an excellent bargain.

The shoes are fairly simplistic in their design, I must admit. Comprising of a rather thin sole, there is a 'thong-style' strap across the top of the flip-flops that meets in the middle to form the 'toe post' and it is this that keeps the flip-flop from slipping off your foot. As I said, the sole of the shoes are fairly thin, but I do find this is the case with most other flip-flops that I own.

The George Basic Flip-Flops are available in a choice of three sizes which are small, medium and large. I am a regular size 6 and so opted for the medium-sized pair. I do find that this size fits me, but it could never be described as being a sort of 'roomy' fit and they do feel fairly snug on my feet. I did try the Large size on in store before I made my mind up and found that this was far too loose on my foot to be worn properly - so the medium size is the one I opted for instead.

I have worn the Basic Flip-Flops off and on for a couple of months now and I have found that they do fare quite well in terms of being comfortable. I have to be honest and admit that I never find 'toe-post' sandals or flip-flops are the most comfortable for my own tastes, and I would never expect to do a fair amount of walking in shoes of this style as a result. For shorter periods of time however, I find this type of shoe suits my requirements perfectly, thanks to the easy 'slip-on' style and design. The George Flip-Flops have not caused any major aggravation or painful 'rubbing' between the toes which is a significant fault of other pairs I have bought in the past. I think this is down to the material of the toe-posts being slightly softer than other pairs that I own, which can feel quite hard between the delicate tootsies..!

The sole of the George Basic Flip-Flops is quite soft and is described as being "Other Materials" which doesn't give too much away! Whilst not overly sponge-like in its texture so as to offer very little in the way of support, neither is it hard or 'chunky' feeling so the shoes feel extremely light to wear. I find too that the outer sole of the flip-flops offers a little protection on slippy surfaces, and I have never encountered any problem in this regard.

The light-weight design and feel of the flip-flops makes them an ideal travelling accessory in my opinion, as they are extremely portable and easy to transport. I found this was ideal on a recent family day trip to the seaside, as the shoes were easily stored in my handbag, ready for the beach! I have also taken my flip-flops abroad on holiday, where they took up very little space - and weight - in our luggage, which is absolutely ideal for me as we were travelling with a budget airline at the time and had rather strict limitations on our luggage allowances.

It is true to say that my pair of George Basic Flip-Flops are still going strong, despite being worn on and off for the past few months. Yes, they have suffered a little from wear and tear, with a little light 'fraying' being evident on one of the soles and one of the 'heel' areas on the flip-flops' sole looking slightly worn. For the £2 I paid for the shoes however, I am more than happy with their quality and longevity and would whole-heartedly recommend them for a cheap-and-cheerful footwear solution - particularly for beach type holidays and breaks. In actual fact, I intend to take full advantage of the flip-flops being currently available at their discounted price of only £1 and invest in a couple of pairs for upcoming holidays and trips!

As @ the time of writing (July 2012), the George Basic Aqua Flip-Flops are available online at www.asda.com or in store in larger branches of the George clothing department within Asda supermarkets, for the fantastic value sum of only one pound.