Sanuk

The r/BuyItForLife community is largely enthusiastic about Sanuk, particularly praising the brand's comfort — often described as walking on yoga mats or pillows — and its surprisingly long lifespan for a casual sandal or slip-on. Most commenters report 3–10+ years of regular wear, with several noting decade-plus ownership. The main caveat is that Sanuk tends to rank behind Rainbow and Olukai for raw durability, and a few users note the soles wear down faster than competitors under heavy use.

Sanuk earns a strong recommendation for comfort and respectable multi-year durability in casual use, but falls short of true BIFL status due to sole wear under heavy use and no resole options.

Sanuk's standout qualities are exceptional comfort thanks to yoga-mat-style soles and impressive longevity for casual footwear, with many users reporting years of daily wear without breakdown.

• Yoga mat sole material provides pillow-like, all-day comfort
• Many users report 5–10+ years of regular use
• Machine washable designs make hygiene easy
• Versatile styles work as slippers, casual shoes, and beach footwear
• Lightweight and wide-fitting for relaxed everyday wear
• Foam does not flatten significantly over years of use

The most consistent criticism is that Sanuk soles wear down relatively quickly under heavy or rough use, placing the brand behind Rainbow and Olukai in durability rankings. A couple of isolated quality control concerns were also raised.

• Soles wear out faster than Rainbow or Olukai under heavy use
• Not suitable for tough terrain or high-mileage walking
• At least one report of glue failing on shoes stored long-term
• No wide size options; can burst seams on wider feet
• Some uncertainty about whether current quality matches older pairs

One long-time user noted that Sanuk is their favorite sandal for comfort but acknowledged they break down faster than Rainbow or Olukai — a trade-off many seem willing to accept.

A commenter who has worn over a dozen pairs of Sidewalk Surfers across 15+ years said that despite appearances, Sanuk is not fast fashion, and it has been their near-exclusive footwear outside of sport-specific activities.

Someone living in Hawaii reported wearing a pair daily for two years before needing replacements, even completing a 10-mile hike in them after their boots gave out, with no foot problems.

A DIY-minded user extended the life of their Sanuks significantly by gluing Vibram material to the worn soles with contact cement, tripling their lifespan and adding all-terrain capability.