Vionic Women's Adult Relax

OK- It's kind of gross to see my slippers on line- but I really wanted to share 1 year's worth of wear & tear on these Relax slippers since I was very leery of spending $70 for something I hadn't ever tried. Being 70, I've broken the same right ankle 3 times now, broken 2 toes in that same foot, have plantar fasciitis & heel spurs if I don't wear arches, have high arches that have fallen over the years, and bunions on both feet with a last that doesnt seem to fit in many shoes. Basically I have a lot of feet issues. The pictures enclosed are exactly after 1 year of wearing them all day & night, about 6.5 days a week. I used to never wear an arch indoors but now I won't go without an orthotic footbed. I've tried other slippers with arches or tried slipping an arch into a slipper, but these have been by far the most comfortable, supportive, economically reasonable, & convenient ones I've even tried along with making a huge difference in my life. Once I realized I needed an arch, I wore crocks for years but they tended to break down too quickly and really didnt offer as much support as I needed. These slippers ( APMA approved) have been my 'go-to' ones for 1 full year now and all others have gone to the garbage. I just bought a second pair. I work from home & I have these on all day, every day. I mostly walk with these on carpet, & linoleum in the kitchen, but do go out on concrete to the mail box in spring & summer. They were on sale & I wanted a diff color, plus it was also probably time even though aside from looks they didnt feel like they needed to be replaced. They didnt truly break down or were extremely raggy like many other slippers I've owned where I felt I had to buy new ones all the time. The dark spots inside of them reflect the terry cloth material that has flattened, and I guess where my wet feet after getting out of the shower changed the looks without me realizing it. If you were to scrape that area, the lighter color of the terry would come back. I slip them on after I get out of the shower in the morning & wear them all day long till I go to bed at night. After wearing no socks for 6 months during the summer time in them, even though it's gross for me to even do it to even be able to tell you about it, they don't smell at all which is shocking to me so there must be somethign that makes it so they don't smell with use. The terrycloth material on the foot bed itself did flatten in what I felt was a relatively short time frame but really no more so than any other slipper I supose and it certainly didnt effect the construction, support, usage or comfortability. Material does that. Some might find their feet sweat a little but I didn't find it anoying enough to take them off. It was only on some hot summer days over 90 that I felt I could probably use a different type of slipper but not enough to take them off & go without an arch. They are still extremely comfortable & supportive after 1 year!!! The picture shows wear & tear (outside & in), as well as bottom sole, after 6 months of wearing them with socks & 6 months of wearing them without socks ( 1 full year). Apart from color, the sole looks like they are almost brand new. I'm also 200 pounds so that's a lot of war & tear :) I'd be crippled if I didnt wear them though, & I also love slipping my feet into them every morning or when I come home after being out, because they are so comfortable and supportive. What's beautiful about the Relax style that I mentioned is that you can wear them with or without socks by just adjusting the straps a tiny, tiny bit of if one bunion is bigger than the other :) In the summer time the heat didn't seem to bother my bare feet sweating & in the winter time when I added socks they still didn't bother me with excessive heat build up like other slippers with closed toes do. My feet didn't really sweat either way. What's more important to me though, than heat or no heat... is the arch. At first I thought the foot bed was rock hard & too uncomfortable but I gave them a week & hung in there wearing them a few hours each day like they said. Even after a few weeks they still seemed a little hard but really were what I needed and didnt realize it. My second pair didnt feel so badly for me or as hard to break in. I found not only were they exactly what I was suposedly to be wearing, that my arches weren't used to, but that I didn't stub my toes around the place, could actually wear them outside to get the mail in, and fell in love with them. I like a slipper that allows me to kick them off easily & put them back on easily if I want to put my feet on the couch in case they are dirty on the bottem. These do. I was afraid of an open back for fear of slipping off it, but I havent had that issue with these since the heel has a slight cup to it to help with the arch. In a flip flop I always wear a size smaller than I do with shoes, but they recommended going down a size if you are a half size. I'm a perfect 10.5 on a foot scale or 42.5 EU. so I ordered a 10 ( 42 EU) . The size is absolutley perfect for me. I find shoes & slippers fit wel if you know your European size better than your American size since most are made with those measurements. I have dropped food on them & spilled on them in the kitchen & as you can see, wihtout working hard at clean them, they have wiped clean very easily. I highly recommend these & will be trying out other styles of theirs for sure. ( Best thing I could have gotten myself last year & this year :)

UPDATE: I bought this pair 11/2022 and they were very comfortable very supportive softest heel cup of all the vionic I had found. Now fast forward to 2/2023 (only three months) only 3 months and it seems like the bed of the slipper that you walk on has broken down and not much support anymore. I was going to re-order a pair but when I originally purchased them they were only $39 and now they're $60+. Also the crisscross straps eventually did start to rub on my pinky toes as it is just barely under the strap. It doesn't quite come all the way out of the strap. I also have gotten the Ortho Foot brand clog type slipper in gray but I think they mixed up their sizing numbers as the eight was too small and my toenails were touching the front of the slipper so I returned and got a nine. It says nine women's/7 men's wide which is why I think they may have reversed the numbers because it definitely does not feel like a nine shoe. So if you try the ortho foot brand I would size up one size. The nine fits very comfortably. Does not have a high arch support but it does still feel sturdy and your foot, does not slip side to side as the material covering your foot goes up your foot 2 inches short of your heel bone. Not a hard foot bed but not soft either. The "fur" is not hot or slippery it's just nice and soft. They do have a decent sole that is flexible yet sturdy enough to go to the mailbox or even go shopping and if you have pants on you wouldn't know it was a slipper it just would look like a rounded shoe. Original review 11/2022: I have severe plantar fasciitis and this is the only Vionic slipper I can wear. The other two, I know one is the Gemma but can't remember the other name, have much higher arch support and an extremely hard heel cup. This slipper has medium arch support but a softer heel cup. It's not soft like ooffos but it's definitely not a rock hard heel cup like the Gemma feels to me. I like that you can also adjust the tightness with the Velcro as some days feet might be more swollen than others. The crossing straps hold the slipper in place and it does not allow your foot to slide around or slide off of your foot. For some strange reason vionic "fur" does not last long at all. It's soft to the touch on your foot but it wears out very quickly. It's not going to stop me from wearing the slippers as I don't really care if they look beaten up but just keep that in mind when purchasing. The sole is flexible enough to be able to walk where they're not heavy but sturdy enough to be able to wear outside to get the mail or could even wear to go shopping if you're going to be on your feet for an extended period of time.

I began wearing Vionic slippers about 10 years ago after I had been suffering from pretty severe plantar fasciitis. One of the "golden rules" if you have this condition is to never walk around the house barefooted. It was also extremely painful to take that "first step" out of bed every morning onto my relaxed feet. I cannot emphasize enough how much Vionic slippers helped during that time. Stepping into these instead of the bare floor provided immediate relief. And my feet continued to remain pain-free as long as I wore these slippers. Before purchasing these slippers, there are a few important things to be aware of. First, these should be considered orthotic slippers. Orthotics are designed to provide SUPPORT, not soft, cushiony comfort. So if you've never tried orthotic footwear before, they may feel firmer then what you might expect. Having said that, the firm support DOES provide comfort in the sense that they alleviate arch pain. Memory foams and other "squishy" materials are not as effective and lack support. Also, in my experience Vionic slippers tend to run VERY large. At least two full sizes larger. This was true 10 years ago and it's still true today. Depending on the shoe brand, I am typically a size 11.5 or 12. But for Vionic slippers I am a size 10. So my advice before ordering is to get a pair that is 2 sizes smaller than your regular shoe size. I know some people wash their Vionic slippers, but it's definitely NOT recommended. They're intended to be spot-cleaned only as machine washing or soaking can potentially damage them. And these are not cheap slippers. Over the years I have learned that the best way to preserve these slippers is to always wear them with socks. Even if your feet are clean, sweat and moisture will eventually compromise the top layer. I have found that the best way to clean them is with a delicate laundry-safe cleaning foam or a tiny amount of clear, gentle laundry detergent mixed with warm water and pat it on the fabric. Then I use a shoe cleaning brush to GENTLY scrub out any dirt or residue. Then I use a damp paper towel to soak up the detergent and finish by using a dry paper towel to absorb as much moisture as possible. You can also use a dry shoe cleaning brush to gently fluff the fibers should they flatten during the cleaning process.

This is my second pair of these, the first I bought at a Vionic store, about the same price. I have a few pairs of Vionic shoes, some flats and one pair of their “walking” sneakers. These slippers are pretty nice, and now that I have a new pair to compare to the pair I’ve had for a while, I can say something about the wear. Generally, I have mine on for 3-5 hours a day. I only wear them indoors. When I compared the new pair to the older, the main difference is that the footbed in the older pair no longer has that soft cushioned feeling. They aren’t hard as a rock, and are still comfortable, but don’t feel quite as good…and this happens quickly, after maybe a day or two of wear. All your weight pressing down thru your feet compresses the foam footbed, and it does not bounce back. The insole becomes harder. The slippers are still ok, they still offer good support, they just aren’t as luxuriously “cushy” as they feel when they are brand new. And that is kind of a drag. So, removing one star for that. It would be awesome if the insoles stayed the way the feel in a brand new pair, even if it were just for a few months. I still think they are worth it if you can find them at the sale price. They feel great after a long day at work. The fleecy fabric also compresses a little, but I haven’t had any problems with it wearing off like others have mentioned. They definitely help with foot pain. They look cute on, and come in a lot of fun colors. I would definitely buy them again, unless I found something better. As for sizing, I think they run just a teeny bit small. I’m a 7.5 in most shoes and boots. The size 7 fits perfect. So, if you are a half size, I would think going down to the last full size would probably be fine.

These slippers are definitely the most comfortable I've ever owned. I have all kinds of foot problems (posterior tibial tendonitis or "fallen arches", heel spurs and a Taylor's bunion or bunionette as they are sometimes called, on my left foot) from working on concrete floors my whole life. I was told by my podiatrist to always wear good shoes, even in the house, to support my arches. I wanted something I could slip on easily, but that also had great arch support and these fit the bill perfectly. I am a definite size 9 1/2 in all shoes---size 9's are too small and size 10's are too big. Because these slippers only come in full sizes, I went back and forth in my mind whether to get a size 9 or 10, and I ended up getting a pair of each to try. The picture I am posting with this review is the size 10 that I ended up keeping. I chose the 10 because I also have sensory neuropathy in my toes/feet from lumbar spine issues and I like how they are a little bit long so that I don't hit my toes and injure them. I do the same thing with open toe sandals. The size 9 also bothered my Taylor's bunion after wearing them a while where it happened to hit it, even when I tried to adjust the flaps that cross over the top of the foot. My orthopedic surgeon told me to give the bunion enough room so that the sides of shoes aren't pressing too tightly against it, but, with my foot not too snugly in the flaps, my feet would kind of slide forward and my toes were just too close to the end of the slippers for comfort in the size 9's. I agree with other reviewers that Vionic needs to work on placement of the velcro so that it doesn't irritate the top of your foot, and I considered only giving 4 stars because of this issue, but they are otherwise so darn comfortable I had to go with 5 stars. You can adjust the velcro straps so they don't irritate, but they might not be in the perfect place of where you want them. This did work for me, however, and i also trimmed up the edge of the velcro a bit, too. In a couple weeks I will be having knee surgery for torn cartilage on my medial chondile of my femur (I know, I'm a mess!) and when I put these slippers on I felt an immediate comfort in my knee, like it put it in alignment or something. That might be helpful for those of you with knee issues. Oh, and by the way, I gave the size 9's to my mother in law and they worked great for her as she is about a half size smaller than me. Hope this helps fellow size 9 1/2 gals out there! Update: October 7, 2019...still have these, and they're still going strong! I now have a pair of the clog-type covered-toe ones as well and love them for winter or if my toes are just cold...size 10 also. Update: September 6, 2020... Just got a notification from Amazon that my review helped 100 people! That's great! Can't believe I bought these over 3 years ago! Where does the time go?!? They are still in great shape and I'm still wearing them! I wear the open toe ones in the summer and the closed toe ones in the winter. Love these slippers!!!

The arch supports are very pronounced compared to my old ones with no arch supports. It took a few days to get used to them. Now super comfortable and I’m sure they’re supporting my feet! I like the Velcro that can be adjusted to width of foot. They are soft & seem well made. Happy with my purchase. UPDATE: After wearing these every day for a week, I have reduced my pain medication and feel like a new person. Honestly, I can’t believe it. I have no arch problems per se. I do have severe arthritis in left foot, both knees, right hip and spine. The pain was debilitating and I’ve been to specialists for X-rays, CT SCANS, MRI and injections. Foot specialist discussed surgery that would make me non-weight bearing on left foot for 3-6 months. I can’t wait to tell them a 70 dollar pair of slippers has decreased my pain significantly & has turned my life around. I believe the reason these slippers helped so much is that when you have pain, your weight distribution and posture gets out of whack because your body is trying to avoid the pain. You probably don’t even realize it. I think these prominent arch supports forced my spine, posture & how weight bears on my feet into correct position. My issues may not apply to everyone but I hope this helps some of you! Now I gotta find sandals and shoes that are built exactly like these slippers.

I purchased four different orthopedic shoes and kept two of them. I returned these shoes. I wanted strong arch support and a comfortable cushioned feel on the inside and an outside appearance that is somewhat stylish (i.e. trying to avoid the ugly-old-lady-shoe-look). Here’s how they rated in order from best to worst in my opinion. 1) The best, 5 stars, for Orthofeet Coral Women's Comfort Orthopedic Arthritis Diabetic Orthotic Sneakers Turquoise Synthetic 8.5 W US . From the moment I got them I could wear these all day every day my feet never hurt. Great arch support, flexible and super comfortable. They are what I wear 80% of the time. I’d wear them 100% of the time except that my only complaint is that they aren’t as nice looking as my second favorite, the Vionic Kona. 2) Second favorite, also 5 stars, Vionic Kona Womens Orthotic Athletic Shoe Black/Fuchsia - 8 Medium . I kept these too. Compared to the Orthofeet they have less arch support and less cushion, but they are still quite comfortable. These are better looking than Orthofeet shoe and they weigh less. These shoes are so light it’s like air on your feet. So, if I want to look nicer and I’m not walking all day, I wear these. If I’m going to be going to the gym or doing 15,000 steps in a day, I wear my Orthofeet. 3) Returned, 3 stars, this one, the Vionic Women's Dash Slip-On Sneaker Grey Mint 8 M . Compared to the other two above, this shoe was not as comfortable to me, had less support in the arch and overall cushion and they looked like ugly old lady shoes to me. In the picture, they looked nice, but when I put them on I just didn’t like them. It may be the Velcro instead of laces that make them appear ugly to me. 4) Returned, 3 stars, Vionic Womens Relax Slippers in Tan Size 8 . I returned these. There was an area that wasn’t flat and rubbed my foot. I could tell if I wore them a long time that was going to hurt. Also, they were too heavy. It felt like I had weights on my feet. The only thing I liked about them was the soft feel of the fuzzy covering. I have a bunion on one foot and have problems with plantar fasciitis and back pain off and on. In the past, I wore Asics or Reebok athletic shoes. After wearing my new Vionic and Orthofeet shoes for a month, I do believe that orthopedic shoes are better.

OK if you have issues with your feet, try these shoes. They may not be for everyone, but I'm glad I tried them. Let me tell you at first I did not think I would keep them, I am heavy set, severe arthritis, sometimes swollen ankles, flat footed, with inflamation, previously a broken ankle, (which is slightly bigger than the other) retired 65 year old woman and tend to drag my feet. The shoe is not really heavy but the rubber on the bottom is hard, but I imagine it would have to be to give a good arch support. So if you want a squishy squashy bendable house shoe don't get this. So at first I felt like herman monster, shoe seemed bulky, my foot wasn't used to the good arch support, but I kept wearing them thru out the day, forcing me to stop dragging my feet, well after half a day of using them my feet just settled into them! I really started to like them. Now people have complained about the cloth wearing out quickly, well most house shoes do, and yes these are pricy, but it has a good support and I dont really see myself wearing the cloth down to the bone anytime soon, I don't wear them outside except on the porch, even if I have to replace them every year, its fine by me because of the foot support and with good foot support my feet, legs and back feel better, I for one will continue to buy these, unless I find the exact same cheaper. :) also I fidgeted with the velcro but got it wear I want it and just slip the shoe on and off, I don't know bout the other colors but the cheetah is beautiful. Very happy now with these house shoes, Now I want to Try the sandals.