REASONS TO BUY
Super comfy
Simple
True to size
Lightweight
Made from yoga mat material
REASONS TO AVOID
No footbed contouring
Minimal outsole traction and support
Sanuk Yoga Mat Review
This simple flip flop is impossibly comfortable with wide, supportive straps and a squishy, pillow-like footbed made out of real yoga mat material
These casual flips are just plain fun.
Credit: Matthew Blake
RELATED: The Best Flip Flops for Women
Our Verdict
Everyone needs a simple slip-on. From household chores to beach vacations, having an uncomplicated flip flop to slip into makes life easier. The Sanuk Yoga Mat is the perfect option for these scenarios. This true-to-size shoe, with its yoga mat footbed and wide straps, is comfortable right out of the box. The simple, lightweight design makes it a great option for throwing in your pack when you're on the run and the synthetic leather straps lined with satiny jersey prints make these affordable flips the perfect accessory. While not the most durable, if you just need something cheap and plush, this is a great choice. Our review of the top flip flops for women shows how it stacks up versus competing products.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Sanuk Yoga Mat | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Most Comfortable and Affordable Flip Flop | Best Bang For Your Buck Flip Flop | |||
| Price | $35 List $34.90 at Amazon | $30 List $28.99 at Amazon | $32.30 at Amazon | $30 List $24.01 at Amazon | $34 List $34.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While it may lack contour, the yoga mat footbed makes for a pleasantly comfortable experience and the wide straps are just the icing on the cake | A cheap but stylish option that provides great comfort for your feet | A fun and stylish sandal that will mold to your feet over time and won't break the bank | If super simple and lightweight is your jam, this flip is a classic that comes in a ton of fun colors | This flip is lightweight and has a comfortable footbed that molds to your feet over time |
| Rating Categories | Sanuk Yoga Mat | Cushionaire Luna Co... | Teva Olowahu | Havaianas Slim | Teva Mush II |
| Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Support (20%) | |||||
| Traction (20%) | |||||
| Versatility (15%) | |||||
| Style (15%) | |||||
| Specifications | Sanuk Yoga Mat | Cushionaire Luna Co... | Teva Olowahu | Havaianas Slim | Teva Mush II |
| Footbed Material | EVA | cork | Mush topsole (a trademarked type of EVA) | Rubber | Mush topsole (a trademarked type of EVA) |
| Sole Material | Rubber | EVA | Lightweight EVA-foam | Rubber | Lightweight EVA-foam |
| Strap Material | 95% synthetic/5% polyester | soft vegan | Fleece-filled polyester webbing | Synthetic | Quick-dry webbing made from recycled plastic |
| Measured Weight (per pair) | 5.0 oz | 17.8 oz | 6.4 oz | 5.2 oz | 4.7 oz |
| Available Sizes | 5 - 11 US | 5 - 12 US | 5 - 12 US | 6 - 12 US | 5 - 12 US |
| Animal Products | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Percentage of Length as Toe Box | 14.6% | 9.7% | 16.2% | 14.3% | 17.6% |
| Measured Length | 10.25" (size 8) | 10.3" (size 7.5) | 10.75" (size 9) | 10.5" (size 9/10) | 10.25" (size 8) |
| Length of Toe Area | 1.5" | 1.0" | 1.8" | 1.5" | 1.8" |
| Unique Features | Made from real yoga mats | Fully cushioned genuine leather insole | Unique strap pattern | Signature rice pattern sole | Made from recycled materials |
Our Analysis and Test Results
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
The Sanuk Yoga Mat is an easy casual choice at an affordable price.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
The foam footbed is lightweight and hugs your feet like memory foam.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
The soft, thin soles are not great on super aggressive terrain.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
The straps are soft, wide and strategically placed to offer some extra support.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
The Sanuk is supportive for a simple flip flop, but it simply cannot measure up to those in our test suite with contouring.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Traction
This is an interesting category for the Yoga Mat. The outsole is textured with adorable smiley faces, which offer a little 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.
These comfy, lightweight flips are great for travel.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
While they are great on casual terrain, these flips fail to offer support and traction in more demanding landscapes.
Credit: Matthew Blake
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.
Should You Buy the Sanuk Yoga Mat?
The Sanuk Yoga Mat is a casual flip flop with a pillowy twist. This simple and affordable option is great for all things casual. With its cute faux leather strap and detailed lining, it completes any outfit with intention and the general light weight makes it easy to travel with. Even with the lack of footbed contouring, the foot stays put and the comfortable yoga mat material paired with the soft wide straps offer a very comfortable experience. Overall these simple flip flops are the perfect option for relaxed wear.
These comfy flips look great with any casual outfit.
Credit: Matthew Blake
What Other Flip Flops Should You Consider?
Slipping your feet into this semi-versatile, super comfortable shoe will have you ooh-ing and aah-ing without buyer's remorse. But if you're looking for something with more traction and style, we recommend the Birkenstock Gizeh. If you need more arch support than the Sanuk's flat footbed offers, check out the Olukai Ohana.
—Hayley Thomas
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