Sanuk Beer Cozy 2 Review

The Sanuk flop fell in toward the bottom of the pack. With decent scores in comfort, style, and versatility, it's a flip flop worth checking out, especially if you're into the soft and plush style. Where the Beer Cozy 2 falters a bit are in the durability and traction metrics, as this flop feels thin and is not super supportive.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

This Sanuk flop is super comfortable straight out of the box, with no break in period necessary. We found the footbed to be soft, comfy, and squishy and our feet sunk deep into the yoga mat footbed. For some of our testers, this was a bit much; those who prefer a firmer footbed likely won't enjoy this feel all that much. However, if you're the type of person looking for a super soft flop that doesn't require any break in period, you might just love them.

The toe post and thong are soft and super comfortable right away and did an excellent job of holding the sandal in place. We did notice that the footbed and sole are thin enough to feel sharp rocks through the flop while walking on trails. All in all, the Sanuk model earned a 5 out of 10 for comfort. If you're in the market for a more supportive, stiffer sandal, we'd recommend the Chaco Flip EcoTread.

Versatility

The Beer Cozy 2 does most things well but excels at few, earning it a score of 5 out of 10 for versatility. We found this flop was best suited for the urban environment and casual walks on well-maintained paths or beaches. Take it to the grocery store, coffee shop, or on a date, and it'll perform. Try carrying a backpack to the local crag, and you might regret not having a flop with a bit more support. They handled poorly in the water, and the yoga mat footbed held water that squished out while walking for a solid hour after getting them wet. The flops that scored the highest in the versatility category were the OluKai Ohana, Chaco Flip EcoTread, and the Reef Fanning.

Durability

This model struggled in the durability category for obvious reasons. We've said in the past that we're firm believers in the "You get what you paid for" mantra and it's no different for the Beer Cozy 2. These sandals are lightweight, and it's easy to tell that the materials they've been crafted with aren't the most durable. After wearing them around for a few months, it was clear that although the materials weren't necessarily falling apart, they were breaking down and getting beat out. The footbed stopped being so cushy, and the rubber sole seemed to wear fast than all of the others in our fleet.

Style

The Beer Cozy 2 is a decent looking flip flop and did ok in the style category, taking home a 6 out of 10. Nothing catches the eye about this sandal; it is neither super fresh nor super ugly. Let it take the middle of the road; for its price point, you shouldn't expect the flashiest flop on the market. They're decent enough to take on a date and will most likely fly under the radar in most social situations. If classiness is your thing, and a budget isn't an issue, check out the OluKai Hiapo - the fanciest flip flop in our review. Both the Hiapo and the Ohana from OluKai earned high style points.

Traction

Sanuk's "Happy U sponge rubber outsole" is enough tread to get around on sidewalks and sandy beaches, but not for much else. When testing, we looked for a tread pattern deep enough to grip on loose dirt but shallow enough to stick to bare rock. The consistency of the sole of the flop is important too; rubber is good but just how durable and sticky is that rubber? With the Sanuk, the answer is that the rubber isn't very sticky or durable, and these flops just don't have enough tread to get it done on steep or unstable slopes. If you just read that and asked yourself why anyone would be wearing flip flops on steep, unstable slopes, this model might work out for your needs. For those of you on the hunt for a flop that provides exceptional traction, consider the Reef Fanning or OluKai Ohana.

Best Applications

Although this flop didn't earn the best scores, we do think it's an ideal, middle of the road sandal that will fit the needs of many. Just because stability, traction, and durability are the metrics we used to rank each contender doesn't mean that everyone values those characteristics as highly. If you're not looking to spend a lot of money and just want a comfortable flip flop for everyday use, the Sanuk is worth trying on.

Value

At $36 (and often on sale), the Beer Cozy 2 is one of the cheapest sandals in the review. Will they last a decade and perform in all the extreme situations you might put them through? Probably not, but if you're an urban user that isn't trying to break the bank on a pair of flip flops (understandable) this may be your perfect flop. For a similar price point, take a peek at the Reef Phantoms, as they offer a similar feel. Winner of our Best Buy Award is the Chaco Flip Ecotread; while they do cost $65, they took home second place in our review, earning high scores across the board (as well as reports of them lasting an entire decade).

Conclusion