A year ago, I would never have been caught dead in Birkenstocks. Then I spent a few months traveling Asia and found that in the hot weather, all I wanted to wear were sandals but I needed more support than what I could get from a typical flip-flop, and I didn’t need to be as cute and dressed up as a wedge sandal would’ve made me. But I still, of course, wanted to be cute—I am not a backpacker and I still want to look good when traveling.

I found a few variations on the Birkenstock that worked for me, though—and I’ll admit, I’m not much of a fan of the traditional, double-strapped sandal. I love the single strap Birks because they remind me of the Dr. Scholl’s sandals that were popular in the ‘70s and that I used to love as a vintage accessory, but these are much more comfy since they don’t have the wooden sole.

These are a fun take on the sandal because they provide a minimal amount of coverage—which is nice in hotter climates— while sill providing support. We’re not saying this is high fashion, but in a hot environment where you’re walking all the time, you’ll be glad you have them!