Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 Review
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
A basic women's flip-flop with a yoga mat footbed and thin straps, the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 falls short in both our comfort and stability metrics. Its straps chafe easily and it does not offer the support of a molded footbed. Although it earned higher marks in style, we just found this piece hard to love.
Performance Comparison
Stability & Support
One of the thinnest, least stable pieces in our review, this flip-flop does not offer any arch support. Although the foot sinks into the yoga mat footbed while you're wearing it giving a slight illusion of support, it fell very short in this metric. Additionally, it is not designed to mold to the foot like the Teva Women's Mush II for added stability.
Comfort
Some of our testers fell in love with the yoga mat footbed material, while others thought it was kind of hokey. This squishy material does give in when you step into the shoe, but once you sink in through the yoga mat, you hit a slightly harder surface that doesn't offer much shock absorption. Moreover, the thin straps on this flip-flop were quite uncomfortable. While other companies lined their straps with smooth materials that feel good against the skin, Sanuk lined the Yoga Spree's textile straps with rough webbing. These rub very uncomfortably against the foot and between the toes, especially when wet. In general, we preferred products with wider straps, since these tend to dig in and rub less. If you're super serious about wide straps, check out the Reef Women's Fanning, our Top Pick Award Winner.
Water Resistance
Even though the edges of the yoga mat footbed are sealed, this flip-flop still absorbed a lot of water. Although the straps dried a little more quickly, the footbed took more than five hours to dry completely.
Traction
With its thin sole, the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 offers very little in the way of traction. When comparing this model to the Sanuk Yoga Mat flip-flop, which is slightly thicker, we noticed that the latter has deeper tread that catches just a little bit easier on slick terrain. Thanks to the yoga mat material, the footbed traction was also very poor. You'd have to work really hard to hold downward facing dog on a mat this slick.
Style & Fit
Although the thin metallic straps caused discomfort, we did really like the way this piece looked. This was one of the most attractive flip-flops we tested, thanks primarily to its slim profile. This shoe runs quite narrow, which gives makes it seem less clunky and more feminine. Our main tester is a size 9.5 and we tested a size 10. She found that the length was just about right, but that the straps were a little loose. If you are a half size, we recommend sizing down to secure a better fit in the straps. Interestingly, Sanuk's size 10 Yoga Mat sandal was about 3/16 of an inch shorter than the Yoga Spree size 10.
Best Application
Given its uncomfortable straps and lack of support, we only recommend the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 for short around town errands. Since the straps rub even worse when wet, we definitely don't recommend it for beach or rainy day wear. This sandal will look great, though, during casual afternoon barbecues!
Value
At $32, the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 is only worth the money if your foot happens to be just the right size to keep the straps from rubbing. If you're sold on the yoga mat technology, consider the Sanuk Yoga Mat Sandals instead, since they are significantly more comfortable and offer slightly better traction for less money.
Conclusion
Overall, we're sad to say that the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 just didn't impress us. Although it earned high marks in style, it lacks in comfort, stability, and water resistance.