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I Tried 3 "Comfort" Slides for My Plantar Fasciitis. Only One Actually Got Rid of It.
Everyone told me Birkenstocks would fix my plantar fasciitis. They didn't. Here's what actually worked instead.
I want to preface this by saying I'm not someone who writes reviews. But after over a year of plantar fasciitis that made those first steps out of bed feel like stepping on glass, I feel like I owe it to anyone else searching "best slides for plantar fasciitis" at 11pm to share what I found.
My podiatrist's advice was the usual stuff: stretch, ice, and stop walking around barefoot or in flat, unsupportive shoes — even at home. She said I needed something with real arch support and a heel cup that actually holds the heel in place. So I did what everyone does. I bought the slide everyone recommends for recovery. Then I bought the sandal everyone swears by for plantar fasciitis. Neither one fixed it. Here's exactly what I tried, in order.
THE LINEUP
OOFOS OOAHH SLIDE
The "recovery slide" every plantar fasciitis forum recommends. Proprietary foam, no real arch structure. I wore these around the house for 5 weeks.
BIRKENSTOCK ARIZONA
The classic cork sandal everyone swears fixed their plantar fasciitis. Deep footbed, but a brutal break-in period. I gave these 6 weeks, buckled through the blisters.
FULTON COMFORT SLIDE
Cork base with a contoured arch, deep heel cup, and a compressive strap — soft from the first wear, no break-in required. I noticed a difference within days.
Here's what nobody tells you about OOFOS: that famous squishy foam feels incredible for the first ten minutes and then does almost nothing for plantar fasciitis specifically. There's no real arch structure underneath it, so your heel just sinks in with nothing holding it in place. My first steps in the morning were exactly as painful in week five as they were in week one.
Birkenstock was the opposite problem. The cork footbed does have real structure — a proper arch and a deep heel cup, which is why it gets recommended so often — but it's rock hard out of the box. Everyone talks about the "break-in period" like it's a rite of passage. What they don't mention is the blisters across your toes and the ache in your arch while your foot fights the footbed for two to three weeks straight. For someone already dealing with heel pain every morning, that break-in made things worse before it made them better.
Fulton was the first pair that didn't ask me to choose between structure and comfort. The cork base gives you the same real arch support and deep heel cup as the Birkenstock, but it's finished with a plush top layer that's soft from day one — no limping through a break-in period to get there. It also has a compressive strap across the top of the foot that neither of the other two have, which kept my foot from sliding forward and re-aggravating my heel with every step. My first-thing-in-the-morning heel pain was noticeably better within the first week, and by week three it was gone.
"I kept the Birkenstocks in the closet 'just in case' for a month. I never went back to them."
By week four, I'd stopped bracing myself before my feet hit the floor in the morning. That hadn't happened in over a year.
I'm not saying OOFOS or Birkenstock are bad — I know plenty of people who love each one for other things. But for actually getting rid of plantar fasciitis pain, without a painful break-in or a foam that gives out by afternoon, Fulton was the only one that worked.
If you're still trying to figure out which slide is actually going to help, I'd skip what I skipped and start here.
The Verdict
OOFOS OOahh Slide
No real arch structure. Morning heel pain unchanged after 5 weeks.
Birkenstock Arizona
Real support, but a brutal 2-3 week break-in with blisters to match.
Fulton Comfort Slide
Same structure as Birkenstock, soft from day one. Plantar fasciitis pain gone by week 3.
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Why Fulton Worked Better For Me
After wearing all three, I think the difference came down to three things:
1. Real Support, Not Just Softness
OOFOS is soft but structureless — your heel gets no guidance. Fulton has the same contoured arch and deep heel cup as a Birkenstock, so your heel is actually held in a healthier position, not just cushioned.
2. Comfortable From Day 1
Birkenstock's cork footbed only gets comfortable after it's molded through weeks of wear. Fulton's footbed is finished to be soft immediately, so you get the support without paying for it in blisters and extra heel pain first.
3. The Compressive Strap
Neither OOFOS nor Birkenstock have this. It keeps your foot from sliding forward inside the slide, which meant less re-aggravation of the exact spot on my heel that hurt most.