Spring and warmer weather are coming! That means it’s almost sandal season! Head to any crag and you’ll see that a good chunk of the climbers there are wearing Sanuks. Not sure what it is about the brand that make their shoes the approach shoe of choice for dirtbags.
My boyfriend swears by his Sidewalk Surfers; his shoes needed to be duct-taped together for me to convince him to buy new ones. Sanuk sent over a pair of their X-hale sandals for me to see what the hype was all about.
The X-hale are part of Sanuk’s Yoga Mat™ line, made out of the same materials as yoga mats for ultimate, squishy comfort. The shoes have arch cookies for soft, lightweight arch support. The slide upper is constructed out of a lightweight, 2-way stretch knit.
The Sanuk X-hale were extremely comfortable and convenient road trip and lounging shoes. They are super cute for hanging out, and looking attractive when airing out my feet. However, they weren’t too good for anything else.
I couldn’t really use them as approach sandals due to lack of good support and my own clumsiness. It felt like my feet would not completely stay in them. The shoes never fit straight on. Instead, they’d slide and my feet would be in them at a slight angle.
It was tough picking between wearing my Sanuk X-hale and wearing my Chacos on summer trips. The X-hale were super comfortable and easy to slip on and off in a cramped car. Chacos were so much more functional, despite being heavier and a little more difficult to slip on without using my hands.
If you’re in the market for cute, comfy summery sandals, the Sanuk X-hale might be it. They retail for $38. Buy through Amazon.
