Sanuk Yoga Mat Review

The Yoga Mat is made of, you guessed it, yoga mat material. This simple, comfortable flip is super lightweight so throwing it in your pack for a backpacking trip, a long bike ride, or a roller skate around the city is a no-brainer.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

If there is one word we would use to describe the Yoga Mat it is comfortable. The spongy texture of the footbed receives your foot like your pillow receives a heavy head at the end of a long workday.

This true-to-size flip is soft and cushiony right out of the box and its flexibility and wide straps allow for a versatile fit, easily fitting both wide and narrow feet. The synthetic leather straps are not only wide but are puffy and lined with a silky feeling material to ensure that even the most sensitive feet do not blister. On top of the all-around pillowy sensation, these flip flops are extremely lightweight, which makes wearing them all the more comfortable.

While the Yoga Mat is an extremely comfortable shoe, it is not without its faults. This flip flop has a slightly harder outsole to ensure that nothing penetrates the shoe, however, they are so lightweight and so soft that their comfort lessens when you walk on particularly rough terrain. This is a casual shoe, meant for casual use, so wearing them while walking on particularly sharp rocks, or through rough shrubbery may render them less pillowy and more pokey. It is best to wear the Yoga Mat around the neighborhood, at the beach, or in other less invasive territories. Both for your comfort and for their longevity.

Support

For a shoe with virtually zero footbed contour, these flip flops are surprisingly supportive, falling right about in the middle of our test suite.

The general fit is snug but not too snug, which positively affects their stability. Because the footbed is so soft it forms to your foot with every step, allowing for a small amount of arch support. However, it is worth noting that this support is minimal. Still, the thick straps attach to the footbed right around the middle of the arch which holds the shoe close to the foot, ensuring that it's not flopping around with every step.

As mentioned, this simple shoe does not have any contour. This means that there isn't much to help hold the shoe in place or support the natural shape of your foot. When compared to some of the more technical shoes in our review, with full contouring and arch support, the Yoga Mat simply cannot measure up. If you have a particularly high arch, these may not be the right fit for you, but if you have flat feet then these soft pillowy flips will likely be right up your alley.

Traction

This is an interesting category for the Yoga Mat. The outsole is textured with adorable smiley faces, which offer traction as well as a cute footprint. The internal footbed, even without any contouring, also offers decent traction. Because the sponge-like material is a similar texture to memory foam, the foot sinks into place and doesn't move. Even when the footbed is wet, the foot stays put. We were very surprised by this as most shoes that lack contour also lack footbed traction.

While the outsole does offer some traction, it simply cannot measure up to some of the other items in our test suite. The smiley faces, while a very nice aesthetic touch, are not very deep and their edges are slightly rounded, so they can't grip loose terrain as well as sharp edges can. These casual shoes are not going to be the right choice for a long hike, but they are a great option to throw in your pack and slip into after the hike.

Versatility

The Yoga Mat is a very versatile shoe for casual outings, but as soon as things get technical these flips are sure to flop.

These are very comfortable, even for long periods; however, walking miles on jagged terrain is not the best idea. If you're looking for a shoe to throw in your gym bag, an easy slip-on to leave by the door, a gardening shoe, beach shoe, or flip to keep in your backpacking pack, this lightweight pair is sure to get the job done. But much beyond that is outside the wheelhouse of this pillowy flip.

The lack of adjustability, support, and outsole traction renders these flip flops useless on most technical terrain. This doesn't make us like them any less though. The Yoga Mat is a great shoe for all things casual, but its overall versatility suffers because of its limitations.

Style

While the Yoga Mat is a simple flip flop, it is far from average. Each colorway has a synthetic leather strap with a silky checkered lining. Some of the color options have a contrast midsole, but not all of them. Generally speaking, this is a nice-looking shoe. It is much more put-together looking than your standard plastic flip and can be worn with any casual outfit. The faux leather straps help give it a leg up in this department.

Value

These are a simple flip flop at a very fair price. They are not the least expensive option out there but they are definitley on the lower end of the spectrum. Slipping your feet into this semi-versatile, super comfortable shoe will have you ooh-ing and aah-ing without buyer's remorse.

Conclusion