Best men’s summer shoes 2024: Sandals, trainers, loafers and more

These leather woven mules from Next are some of the best sandals around at the moment, and they’re a fraction of the price of some other popular styles.

With high quality deep brown leather, these sandals completely cradle the feet due to the tight weave so they feel supportive when walking, plus they didn’t get our feet dirty or sunburnt. We tried this pair on two city breaks and they held up very well without rubbing or discomfort.

Even though they have an interesting texture and style, they’re still simple and we’ve worn them with everything: shorts, jeans and smart trousers.

These are our “it” trainer of the summer. Chunky 2000s inspired dad trainers with a lot going on but a great silhouette on the foot and super comfy for moving around. Founded in 1898, Saucony is an American brand that is - in our opinion - very underrated.

These trainers were immediately comfortable and have been our go-to for walking in the city and popping to the shops. The chunky style feels contemporary, and we’ve loved pairing them with smart trousers for the office or jeans for the weekend. These trainers come in a variety of colours but we love the new silver and brown combo.

Coming in a variety of standout colours with a great silhouette on the feet, the palermo trainers are having their moment in the sun this summer.

With a slimline look comparable to an Adidas samba or Onitsuka Tiger mexico 66, these simple shoes add a delightful pop to our summer wardrobe. They’re made from a suede and leather upper with a rubber sole for endless summer adventures.

We tried the yellow colour with green accents and found the shoes to be comfortable even on long walks and fun to style for the warmer weather.

The first penny loafers were reportedly made by George Henry Bass with slots in the front of the shoes to hold pennies for emergency phone calls. Since the 1930s G.H. Bass has sold the iconic loafers that have transcended many style subcultures.

Our tester tried the venetian loafers which are a super simple pair that immediately felt worn-in because of the soft leather. The soft leather also adds a summery touch as rigid leather is more reminiscent of colder weather.

Less is definitely more with these loafers as there are no bells, whistles or adornments. Pair with white socks, shorts and a vintage crewneck jumper in the summer for a preppy look, or pair with a suit for a summer wedding.

Mules and clogs have been having their moment for a while with the popularity of the Birkenstock boston clogs. Grenson has its own clogs for men, the dale, which our tester has been pairing with a range of outfits and occasions. He wore them casually with jeans and even to a more formal event during a hot summer day with trousers and a shirt. We suggest wearing these with socks.

The footbed is a soft suede texture which feels great. Take note if you have wide feet that the footbed may become uncomfortable after prolonged wear. Our tester went for the dark brown but there are black and tan colourways and also a brown shearling lined pair available.

We find Vans’ to be some of the most comfortable shoes for summertime. Originally a skate shoe and a familiar choice for emos and rockers, these shoes can actually pair with lots of styles. The anaheim factory pack is named after the original factory in Anaheim, California and pays homage to the original design with some updated features.

These are available in some great classic colours, but our tester loves the checkerboard print to add as a point of interest to an otherwise paired-back outfit. If the Olsen Twins can wear Vans, then so can we!

Get the preppy, Tyler the Creator look with these mary janes from Solovair. Treated like a loafer, these are a surprisingly wearable style when paired with white socks and shorts or black trousers for the office. No longer the reserve of school children, mary janes are having a serious moment for all genders.

They are comfortable to stomp around in all day and have an elasticated strap so you don’t have to undo the buckle at all to easily slip them on. They are available in black too with matte, hi-shine and patent leather options.

The first thing that our tester noticed when trying on the Russell & Bromley mirage sandals was the comfortable footbed made of cushioned leather. There is a crocodile effect on the upper of the sandal with a stitching detail. The shape is attractive and the amount of leather on the top is great to feel secure around the foot.

The mirage sandals are available in black or a deep brown that our tester chose and are made in Italy. If you don’t want to go for a standard pair of slides, this is the perfect way to get an elevated Italian feeling to your summer footwear.

The Adidas sambas are still cool even though they are seemingly ubiquitous on social media and walking around the city. The classic design dates way back to 1949, making this a modern classic. They are available in numerous colourways but opt for the white or black pair if you want to stay minimal with your look.

Our tester found them to be comfortable, light for summer and they matched almost every outfit. Whether dressing down smart trousers to the office or pairing with some blue denim or shorts, the sambas will be your go to shoe for summer and beyond.

These one strap sandals have been a staple for our tester for years because they are not the typical Birkenstock shape and they hide a lot of the foot while still working to keep cool during the summer months. The suede comes in a variety of colours but our tester has the taupe colour which seems to be the most popular. These are great to pair with shorts so feet don’t feel too exposed and are comfortable enough and provide enough footbed support to walk around all day whether on holiday or running errands. Plus, they look great when worn with formal trousers for dinner or drinks on a summer evening too.

A summer shoe roundup isn’t complete without a pair of espadrilles but the issue is our reviewer normally doesn’t like them. These changed our reviewer’s mind completely about the allure of espadrilles. The veluso style from Frescobol Carioca are suede with a collapsible contrast heel that makes these easy to slip on and go.

The collapsible heel makes them feel more casual and “thrown on”, which our reviewer appreciates with his style. These are great to run down to the beach with when on holiday or wandering around the city in the park and to the pub.

You either love them or hate them but our reviewer is obsessed! He wears the clasic clogs to the shops, to the beach, around the garden, on holiday and anywhere else you can think of. He even wears them with smart trousers for an unexpected ensemble. Wear with or without socks depending on your mood and be unafraid.

The classic clog comes in a range of colours - we love the colour bone - and the charms are a must for those looking to personalise and have some fun with their summer footwear. They’re called Jibbitz and you can even get little mushrooms that grow out of your feet.

The chunky big brother to the Birkenstock arizonas, the josef sandals from Dr Martens have a thick, durable rubber sole that’s typical to the brand’s footwear. The straps on the savannah tan colourway are made of a lovely textured leather with worn-in style buckles.

Although Dr Martens usually have a bad reputation for being tough on the feet for the first few wears, we found these comfortable from day one. They added an extra inch to our tester’s height and are on the heavy side. One downside for people with bigger feet is that they look quite long (our tester is UK size 11).

Clogs are definitely the men’s shoe of the summer: they’re easy to slip on and make a change from loafers and trainers. The holger clogs from Olive, a British brand based in Cheltenham, have a great silhouette. The chunky sole is bang on trend and the square toe adds a quirky touch. The back is soft so can be worn slip on or with the back up.

These are a great alternative to a smart brogue and would not look out of place with a suit on. Alternatively our tester paired with white socks, shorts and a linen shirt for a summertime look. They are comfortable to walk around in and great to slip on with the backs down for a casual vibe.