In the past couple of years, sports sandals have grown up, evolving from cousin of the flip-flop to globetrotting year-round shoe.

The Chaco Z/2 Colorado is the classic, with its arch support sole and adjustable strap loop around the toe for extra stability. It’s plain and sleek, and comes in lots of colours, ideal for the esthetically minded. $90 from Summit Hut

The Merrell Convertible III is well practical: with its removable back strap, it turns into a slide-in shoe in no time. It is a bit chunky, for those who don’t mind wearing huge extra-terrestrial looking things on their feet 45 from Trekmate

The Bite Enerstrap is another strong but sleek-looking sandal. Distinctive feature we liked: the toeguard at the front of the shoe. For men and women, $69.95 from Onlineshoes

The Keen Newport is a real hybrid, half sandal and half outdoor shoe, with its toe cap and quick lace system. $90 from Altrec.com

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