For the suggested uses, ripo-crocs are way better. I wear them in the winter through to swimming off rocky beaches in the summer. Certainly flip flops are cooler looking, probably even in the middle of the crocs craze. You don't see many movie stars in crocs. But flip flops are largely useless, and so far, at almost any price they all seem to fall apart in short order. I also know of several people including one of my daughters, who have been seriously injured (required two surgeries) wearing flip flops, but I guess something bad can happen from anything.