Convert Your Flip-Flops to Sports Sandals

As a college student in super-sunny California, it isn't surprising that flip-flops are my personal footwear of choice. I have nothing against sports sandals, crocs, shoes, your favorite shoe-like apparatus, etc. but thong-shaped flip-flops are ever so convenient and they give me the classy flip-flop tan which I can casually drop into conversation when talking to all of my friends who are at school where there is a mysterious thing called "winter."

Unfortunately, flip-flops don't stay on your feet that well--a problem when you try to run from, say, the police, or you encounter rapidly moving water. On the end-of-summer Instructables rafting trip--How to Raft, noahw?--they made a big fuss about having heeled sports sandals or tennis shoes and not flip flops that would flop off of your feet and float away.

But who wants to go buy or borrow sandals or shoes when you've got flip-flops and duct tape at your disposal?

While some of you may be doubters at this point, I guarantee that this was successful. Find your duct tape and read on!

Step 1: Supplies

For this project, you'll need:

*A pair of waterproof flip-flops
*Duct tape
*Scissors
*Your feet

Step 2: Strip(s)

Erring on the side of too long, cut a strip of duct tape to form the heel strap of your sandals.

Subtract about two inches from the length of the first strip and cut a second one.

Lay the sticky sides together, leaving a bit of stickiness showing on either end of the longer piece.

Step 3: Time for Feet

Put on one of your flip-flops as if you were wearing it normally. Take your strip of tape and attach the sticky ends to the upper part of the flip-flop--the part that extends over your foot. You want the tape to fit snugly around your feet.

For my "slide" style flops, this was easy; for thong flops, this may be slightly more difficult. However, if the straps on your flops are small enough, you can wrap the excess sticky parts around the straps to create a stronger attachment.

Step 4: Send in the Reinforcements

To prepare your sandals for the wear and tear of even the most abnormal of lives, you need to reinforce the heel strap. For my slide flops, I wrapped duct tape around the arch of the shoe a couple of times and pressed firmly.

Note: For a certain period of time after you remove the tape, there will be some duct tape residue--referred to in the scientific community as gunk--on the bottoms of your flops. This is inevitable, much like death and taxes.

Step 5: Go Nuts

This is pretty self-explanatory, though the level of nuttiness is certainly up to you.

Step 6: Re-Conversion

Now that you've had the adventure of a lifetime, you can hop back on the flip-flop train by simply removing the tape. Duct tape is a little feisty, so you may need some tools. Power tools not recommended, though.

You're sure to receive many compliments on your ingenuity and fashion-sense if you bust these out on your next adventure. And there you have it, folks--the best footwear duct tape can buy.