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I'm 30 and My Mom Is 58, and We Both Swear by Teva Sandals for Logging 25,000+ Steps During Summer Trips

I'm 30 and My Mom Is 58, and We Both Swear by Teva Sandals for Logging 25,000+ Steps During Summer Trips

As a New York City resident of 10-plus years and a frequent Disney World visitor (some might say a Disney adult, but that's neither here nor there), comfortable walking shoes are a major priority. I've tested out brands like Adidas, Brooks, Ryka, and more, and while I have favorite pairs from each of them, nothing quite compares to my beloved Teva sandals. In particular, the Teva Flatform Sandals are my go-to pair for warm weather, whether I'm trekking through the sweltering summer city streets or racking up 25,000+ steps across the Disney World parks. I've even got my mom hooked on Teva sandals, and we're often sporting our pairs together, whether on our annual trip to Disney or to the beach in our hometown.
I've been wearing Tevas for years, but the flatform style is easily my favorite; I love that this design keeps my feet elevated above the ground (crucial when walking through New York City), yet it offers a supremely comfortable base for all-day walking. $70 $52 at Amazon $75 at Zappos $75 at Teva.com
The first time I wore these Teva sandals was on a week-long Disney vacation. Like previous Tevas I've owned, these didn't require a break-in period, which was great because I wore them for a full 15,000-step day before running a 10K race the next morning. I certainly couldn't afford any blisters! From first wear, I found the platform base to be extremely supportive and comfortable. The EVA midsole is designed with a heel cup for stability, while there is plenty of arch support in the middle to save my flat feet during a long day of walking and standing in lines. And, their ultra-lightweight design makes these sandals easy to pack in my carry-on.
What I love about these sandals is that they offer an often much-needed break from restrictive sneakers on a walking-heavy vacation. Yet, unlike many other sandals, you aren't sacrificing support for comfort. I was so happy to wear these sandals after one of my most intense Disney days to date, which included 44,000 steps. My feet were unsurprisingly exhausted when I woke up the next day after being shoved into sneakers for roughly 20 miles—so I slipped on my Teva Flatforms instead. I racked up 25,000 steps with zero foot, leg, or back pain, despite the trials I put my body through the day before. $75 at Amazon $75 at Zappos $75 at Teva.com
Clearly, my Teva platform sandals are comfortable, but the perks don't stop there. These shoes double as waterproof sandals and are ready for everything from the beach to the waterpark. I wore them all day at Blizzard Beach, one of Disney's water parks, and was shocked at how quickly they dried, even after submerging them completely underwater on the lazy river and down a few waterslides. I thought for sure they would rub and give me blisters, but I was left in complete comfort all day.
But don't just take my word for it—my mom swears by her Teva sandals at the parks, too. Because she's a waitress who is on her feet for hours, my mom takes her footwear pretty seriously. Although her pair is thrifted and isn't sold in stores anymore (it's the Terra-Float 2 Knit Evolve Sandals), these sandals are the first thing she packs, right alongside her MagicBand and sunscreen. 'My Tevas are not only comfortable, but they make everything so easy,' she says. 'They provide excellent arch support, so my feet never get tired, and they're adjustable so I can make them a bit tighter if I'm on a crazy ride, or I can loosen them when I'm resting in the shade, having a snack on top of a Disney garbage can.' (If you know, you know.)
Because they're thrifted and a discontinued style, her shoes definitely had a life before her—so the fact that they're still holding up to tens of thousands of steps is a testament to Teva's durability. $70 at Amazon $75 at Zappos $75 at Teva.com
Clearly, my mom and I have nothing but fantastic things to say about our Teva shoes, whether you're headed to Disney or on a walking-heavy vacation (like the time we wore our Tevas during a 10-day Italian vacation!). For more supportive, comfortable sandals for women, read on for styles at Amazon, starting at $36.
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Passengers evacuated from plane onto Denver runway after landing gear issue sparked fire and left 1 injured
Passengers evacuated from plane onto Denver runway after landing gear issue sparked fire and left 1 injured

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Passengers evacuated from plane onto Denver runway after landing gear issue sparked fire and left 1 injured

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This Underrated Louisiana City Is The Beating Heart Of Cajun Culture
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Tourist Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Over A Seemingly Innocent Photo — And It Could Happen To You
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Seeing Vice President JD Vance as a bald, shiny orb can make you laugh ― but can it get you denied entry at a U.S. border? According to one tourist, yes. Norwegian tourist Mads Mikkelsen told Nordlys that he was denied entry at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on June 11 after authorities searched his phone and found a Vance meme on his phone camera roll, and then proceeded to question him about right-wing extremism and drug smuggling. Mikkelsen later told Nordlys that he did tell border officials he had tried marijuana in Germany and in New Mexico, but did not think this was relevant because they are both places where it is legal. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin refuted Mikkelsen's allegations about the meme being the reason for his heightened scrutiny. 'Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a JD Vance meme are FALSE,' she wrote on X. 'Mikkelsen was refused entry into the U.S. for his admitted drug use.' But regardless of Mikkelsen's story, can a political meme on your phone be the reason you get denied entry? Following President Donald Trump's executive order for 'enhanced vetting,' border agents have been using aggressive tactics on legal immigrants and tourists. We were made for this moment. HuffPost will aggressively, fairly and honestly cover the Trump administration. But we need your help. . 'It is absolutely possible that a meme, or an article, or a photograph can be used as the basis for the denial of entry,' said Petra Molnar, lawyer and author of 'The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.' 'Decisions at the border are highly discretionary, made all the more so by the recent push for border enforcement to scrutinize social media for so-called risky behavior,' she continued, citing the State Department's recent plans to screen people applying for visas to the U.S. for perceived 'hostility' toward America, and to ask them to make their social media accounts 'public' for review. 'In this current climate, what may appear as a silly joke can be used as the basis for detention, interrogation, and deportation,' Molnar said. Here's what you need to know when traveling feels riskier than ever. Border agents have wide discretion. U.S. citizens have more protections than tourists and visa holders. Yes, the U.S. government asserts the right to search your electronic devices when you cross U.S. borders, but if you are a U.S. citizen, you cannot be denied entry, no matter what absurd caricatures of Vance you keep on your phone. 'You're an American citizen. They cannot say, 'Oh, you're not coming into your own country.' That's against the law,' explained Sophia Cope, a senior staff attorney at Electronic Frontier Foundation. As a U.S. citizen, you can, however, face interrogations, travel delays or device confiscations for refusing to comply to device searches. 'It might be confiscated for several weeks or months,' Cope said to consider. Meanwhile, visitors and visa-holders have fewer rights than U.S. citizens when they travel to the U.S. and 'are particularly vulnerable to being denied entry, or at the very least may face an unpleasant interrogation with the possibility of having to hand over their devices indefinitely,' Molnar said. Cope said a border agent denying a tourist over a meme is 'ridiculous,' but the Norwegian visitor had no real recourse, because he's a not a U.S. citizen. 'Unfortunately, non-green card holders, non-citizens have almost no leverage to not comply with the request to grant access to their device,' she said. It helps to know what's in your power to refuse. In order to prepare for travel, know your rights about what border agents can and cannot do. Know that they are supposed to put your phone into airplane mode before they start to search it and are not supposed to be looking at cloud-based applications, although there have been reports of people saying their social media accounts were reviewed. 'Disable biometric identification like FaceID, limit automatic cloud access, set up disappearing messages and consider switching to applications like Signal,' Molnar suggested. You can also go one step further and 'consider getting a second phone or not bringing your laptop, or removing materials which could possibly solicit further scrutiny,' she noted. Know that you are not required to share your password to unlock your phone, but visa holders and visitors could be denied entry for their refusal. When asked, neither Customs and Border Protection nor the Department of Homeland Security answered HuffPost questions about Mikkelsen's claim that a border agent told him he would be imprisoned or fined for not sharing his phone passcode. When asked, DHS only redirected HuffPost to McLaughlin's public statement about Mikkelsen being denied entry over drug use. To be clear, Cope explained, there's no legal basis for Customs and Border Protection officials threatening a traveler with jail time and fines for refusing to share a passcode for a device search. 'It's basically, either you're denied entry or your phone gets confiscated,' she said. 'There's no crime there.' There are pros and cons to refusing a device search, and your personal risk is highly contingent on your immigration status. 'People have to balance the privacy invasion of a device search with, do they risk being denied entry? Or do they risk missing a flight or being detained?' Cope said. Ultimately, if you are nervous about what could happen when you travel to the U.S., you are right to feel this way. Consider that 'It seems like this administration is being very touchy about ... people who express opposition to the Trump administration in one way or another,' Cope said. 'And [this JD Vance meme] is the most benign kind of opposition.' 'People are rightly worried about the growing surveillance apparatus in the U.S., which now includes scrutiny over memes and social media content,' Molnar said. She noted that the right to privacy is not just about avoiding scrutiny over wrongdoing but about 'our fundamental right to personal autonomy and freedom from surveillance, rights which are increasingly coming under attack.' The one thing we know for sure: because of this story, Vance memes that make the vice president look childlike or absurd are going to be seen even more, and that's one action this administration does not have the power to control. Related... Does Border Patrol Have The Right To Go Through Your Phone? Here Are The Alarming Facts. The Surprising Reason These Wild JD Vance Memes Keep Spreading Why You Can (And Should) Opt Out Of TSA Facial Recognition Right Now

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