The Recessionista Reviews Sanuk Shoes and Sandals

Pictured: The comfy Sanuk Yoga Mat Sandals (the chubby mat is on the left) (photo: M. Hall)

Back in the Spring, Sanuk invited me to a special event in Los Angeles to show off their new shoes and sandals.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, since I didn’t know much about their products.  Little did I know that the Sanuk shoes and sandals were specially designed to allow the foot to stretch with the natural motion of the foot.  The shoes, and sandals too, are created without “rigid shanks or stretch boards” (found in most mass manufactured shoes) to allow free movement.  Many of the shoes are also eco-friendly, some designed with sustainable materials (RASTA), Mossy Oak fabric and Hemp fabric.  Since the event I’ve been test-driving two pairs of the shoes, the Yoga Sport Mat sandals/flip flops with the Chubby ribbed foot bed (see the picture above) and the Rasta Brisbane shoe in green.  I’ve been wearing the Yoga Mat to the gym, around the house and even out to run errands.  They are very comfortable, with the cushion like bed under the foot.  Having recently undergone foot surgery and enduring an occasionally very swollen foot, I’ve really been enjoying the Yoga Mat Flip Flops.  I even took them to my podiatrist to see what he thought of them.  He thought they were good for giving the foot a nice stretch, but didn’t recommend them for long-term, constant wear like running around the mall or walking on hard concrete surfaces.  Most foot doctors or podiatrists don’t recommend any type of Flip Flop for long term wear, because they don’t offer the support that a shoe does.  My feet agree with that assessment, but for short term wear (a few hours at a time), I love them.  They really provide more solid comfort and freedom of movement than a regular Flip Flop.  If you read the reviews of the Yoga Mat Flip Flops on Zappos, you’ll see most users agree with my thoughts on the comfort of the Flip Flops and felt the comfort justifes the $30.00 price tag.

Pictured: The Sanuk Rasta Brisbane shoe, priced at $60.00.

The second show I’ve been trying out is the Sanuk Rasta Brisbane. The Brisbane shoes are made of natural fibers and fabric, making them more earth friendly than the pleather shoes you see at discounters. The inside of the shoe has an insole layer (see above) to absorb shock from walking. They are not Jimmy Choos to be sure, and it takes time to stretch the fabric to get them on and off easily, since natural fabric is always a bit more stiff than a synthetic.  However, I like the feel of the insole on my foot.  There is no arch support in the shoes, but you can add the Dr. Scholl’s inserts if you want more support. These shoes provide considerably more support than the Yoga Mat sandals, although they don’t have the cushy feel of the plump chubby mat.  Bottom line,  if you’re looking for sustainable alternatives in your footwear, do give Sanuk a look. The shoes come in styles for men, women and kids. Look for them on sanuk.com, Nordstroms and Zappos.  Have any of you tried Sanuk yet?