Updated August 2026: I originally bought the OluKai Kāholo shoes before a trip to Hawaii in May of 2023 and they quickly became one of my favorite casual shoes. After several years of wearing them for travel, long walking days, and everyday use, I’ve updated this review with how they’ve held up and whether I’d still recommend them today. If you’re like me, you haven’t heard much about Olukai Kāholo shoes.
I originally discovered OluKai while researching shoes for a trip to Hawaii, and the Kāholo quickly became one of those purchases that turned out better than I expected.
What drew me in was the combination of a lightweight, breathable shoe with enough structure to handle long days on my feet. What kept me wearing them was the comfort. Additionally, they’re great plane shoes and easy to travel with.
Since buying them, I’ve worn the Kāholo for travel, everyday casual use, and some very long walking days in warm weather. After years of ownership, they remain one of the more comfortable casual shoes I own.
Here’s everything we purchased for our recent trip to Hawaii
OluKai is a Hawaii-inspired footwear company that says it designs its shoes around comfort, durability, and an active coastal lifestyle.
Last year, I spent more than a month in Hawaii and these were the only shoes I wore that weren’t sandals. They lived up to that billing without exception.
The Kāholo is one of its athletic-style shoes, built with breathable mesh and designed to move easily between casual wear and more active use. I wore them to the office every day and they fit right in.
What I like Most About the OluKai Kāholo
This Certified B Corp has worked to build a shoe around functionality, versatility and comfort.
I’ve never had a shoe that I can wear without socks that feel so soft and more like an extension of my foot than a shoe.
The breathable mesh allows airflow to continue through the shoe and fits around your foot like a glove. It’s soft and flexible which allows you to easily slip your foot in.
The sturdy sole allows you to do just about anything in them from a casual day out, to hiking the rocks oceanside, to a full outdoor workout.
While the mesh is flexible and lightweight, it does provide enough support in both the sole and the ankle to allow you to do pretty much anything you want.
Comfort is still the biggest reason I recommend the Kāholo.
I’ve worn them without socks comfortably, which is something I can’t say about many casual athletic shoes.
Another feature I still appreciate is OluKai’s fold-down heel design. You can wear the Kāholo like a normal shoe or collapse the heel and use it almost like a slip-on. I don’t use that feature every day, but it’s especially convenient if I need to step outside for just a few moments and just want to slip them on.
Investment vs. Impulse Purchase
At $150 a pair, the Olukai Kāholo shoes are a bit more than other lifestyle-type shoes like my Nike Air Max SC’s.
With its own unique style and a more laid back summer vibe, the Kāholo shoes bring an entire different look to any outfit without compromising on function. Which for me made the purchase worth it.
They are perfect for a boat day with friends, where you may get a little wet and go straight to happy hour.
I purchased the Moonlit Ocean color way, a deep blue color, which pairs easily with most anything I have in the closet. Though the white, black and Vapor colors are all complimentary.
Though I didn’t choose this option, you can split any Olukai purchase into four equal payments through their partnership with Afterpay.
These shoes are well built and have held up through all my wear and tear so far. Again, they are some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned.
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The Quality of Olukai
With 97 nearly perfect reviews on their website, it’s clear these Kāholo shoes are well liked.
I’m pretty sure that you’ll like them too.
I had never even heard of Olukai until researching shoes for a trip to Hawaii earlier this year, the research paid off. I actually bought a pair of the Lae’ahi slip on shoes as well.
Ask my wife, I’m a pretty frugal guy. But as I get older, I find myself looking for and paying for items that are higher quality and will be incredibly comfortable.
These Olukai Kāholo shoes fit the bill perfectly and I’d be willing to bet I’ll be back to buy more shoes.
I’m looking at you Lae‘ahi Lī ‘Ili and Pūnini.
This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are my own. I may receive compensation from advertisements when you click on links to those products on this page.
