Reviews You Can Rely On

Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 Review

gearlab tested logo
Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 Review
Credit: Sanuk
Price:  $32 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Sanuk
By Amanda Fenn ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 16, 2014
44
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Stability - 25% 3.0
  • Comfort - 25% 4.0
  • Water Resistance - 20% 5.0
  • Traction - 15% 2.0
  • Style - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

Sanuk Discontinued The Yoga Spree 2 Summer 2016
REASONS TO BUY
Cushy footbed
Attractive slim profile
REASONS TO AVOID
Very uncomfortable straps
While we initially thought we'd love the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 women's flip-flop with its squishy footbed and attractive styling, we soon discovered that its thin, webbing-lined straps are very prone to chafing. Like the Sanuk Yoga Mat - Women's, the Yoga Spree 2 features a footbed made of yoga mat material, which is initially comfortable, but doesn't provide much support for all-day wear. Along with the Keen Florence Flip, the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 is one of the most attractive products in our review, so if you are looking for flip-flop that you can pair with a skirt or other more feminine outfit, this may be the shoe for you. On the other hand, beware of the thin straps that have a tendency to rub viciously on the top of the foot. For a model with comfortable straps and a cushiony footbed try the Crocs Capri IV.

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



sanuk yoga spree 2 - the sanuk yoga spree 2 is a cute flip-flop with a yoga mat footbed...
The Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 is a cute flip-flop with a yoga mat footbed. Unfortunately, it was quite uncomfortable and provided almost no support or stability.
Credit: Rebecca Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - when buying a flip-flop, this is the opposite of what to look for...
When buying a flip-flop, this is the opposite of what to look for. If you can bend the sole in half with minimal effort, it won't provide much, if any, stability.
Credit: Amanda Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - here, you can see the rough webbing lining under the yoga spree 2's...
Here, you can see the rough webbing lining under the Yoga Spree 2's thin straps. These rubbed viciously.
Credit: Amanda Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - sanuk's yoga mat material absorbs water and retains it for a long...
Sanuk's yoga mat material absorbs water and retains it for a long time. On the left you can see the water foaming out just after starting our water resistance tests. The sole continues to foam more than five hours later in the photo on the right.
Credit: Amanda Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - sanuk yoga spree 2 on the left, sanuk yoga mat on the right. the...
Sanuk Yoga Spree 2 on the left, Sanuk Yoga Mat on the right. The Yoga Mat has deeper treads that offer a little more traction. Overall, the Spree 2 doesn't provide much traction.
Credit: Amanda Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - wading on the georgia beach in the yoga spree 2. although we loved...
Wading on the Georgia beach in the Yoga Spree 2. Although we loved the look of this sandal, it fell short of all other expectations.
Credit: Rebecca Fenn

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!

sanuk yoga spree 2 - the attractive yoga spree 2 buried in the georgia sand.
The attractive Yoga Spree 2 buried in the Georgia sand.
Credit: Amanda Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - wading at the beach in the sanuk yoga spree 2.
Wading at the beach in the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2.
Credit: Rebecca Fenn

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.

sanuk yoga spree 2 - enjoying the beach barefooted...not only because the sand feels...
Enjoying the beach barefooted...not only because the sand feels amazing, but also because the Yoga Spree 2 was rubbing the top of Amanda's foot.
Credit: Rebecca Fenn

Amanda Fenn