Sanuk Vagabond Review: Sidewalk Surfers for Comfort Seeking Travelers

The men’s Vagabond Sidewalk Surfers are one of Sanuk’s best selling shoes – and for good reason. Wearing a pair of Vagabonds feels a bit like wearing house slippers plus more cushion and presentability.

The Vagabonds have a very simple build. There’s the sole, EVA foam footbed, then the canvas upper. Everything unnecessary has been stripped away and you’re left with a lightweight shoe/sandal hybrid with a rustic, carefree look.

I’m reviewing the ‘brown’ Sanuk Vagabonds in size 9. Here are some of my thoughts on the shoes:

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Easy for going through airport security
• Lightweight (0.7 lbs according to David’sBeenHere luggage scale)
• Versatile

The main aspect which wearers of the Sanuk Vagabonds rave about – myself included – is their comfort. If you want to look and feel laid back, throw on a pair of Vagabonds. The shoes are equipped with a cushy footbed, soft upper and are closed toed but not restraining.

While you can wear the Vagabonds like a normal shoe with your heel secured in place, you can also fold down the back heel material to convert the shoes into sandals which can be slipped on an off. This is great if you’re on the beach or want to be able to easily remove your shoes.

Since these sidewalk surfers are a merge between sandals and shoes, they’re versatile and appropriate for casual wear, going to the beach, hanging out with friends, traveling and more. These shoes would be a breeze to wear while going through airport security.

A pair of Vagabonds weighs only 0.7 lbs, so they won’t weigh you down. 0.7 lbs is a just couple of ounces heavier more than a pair of flip flops. You can easily pack these sidewalk surfers (the canvas upper is pretty much collapsible), making them compact and easy to store in your luggage or backpack.

As for the aesthetics of these shoes, it’s either love or hate. The design of these sidewalk surfers is unique – if not weird. They have carefree and fun look plus a tinge of hobo backpacker. Appearance is for you to decide, but I think the Vagabonds look pretty groovy.

Durability-wise, I haven’t been testing these sidewalk surfers for very long, but I’ll update the review if anything comes up. From my first impression, the shoes feel solid and durable.

Fit:

The Sanuk Vagabonds fit true to size. I’m a size 9 in Nike, Timberland, Keen and also Sanuk. These shoes aren’t too narrow or too wide with just enough room in the toe box for your toes splay.

Cons:

• Not much arch support
• Sweaty feet

Since these sidewalk surfers are closed toed, they aren’t as airy as other sandals like the KEEN Uneeks or flip flops. At the same time, the Vagabonds aren’t really normal ‘shoes’, so I prefer not to wear socks with them (they look kind of weird with socks). Not much ventilation + no socks = the perfect recipe for sweaty feet.

At the sides of the Vagabonds are some ventilation holes, however they don’t make a major difference in cooling my feet down. Maybe I could wear a pair of no show socks with the Vagabonds.

Another issue I’ve come across when wearing the Vagabonds is the lack of arch support. I’ve been spoiled by the KEEN Uneeks which have incredible arch support, so it’s a big change to go from a sole that’s anatomically molded to one that’s completely flat. The lack of arch support isn’t to say the Sanuk Vagabonds aren’t comfortable – they’re just not something I’d want to walk several miles in.

When on the beach, sand can get into the Vagabonds and it is a bit more difficult to get sand out compared to that for a pair of flip flops.

The Verdict:

There’s more than enough of that skin-tight technical performance wear out there. Sometimes you just want to chill out and wear something comfortable, and that’s exactly when you should slip on the Sanuk Vagabonds.

These shoes are well suited for anyone, especially travelers, hence the name ‘Vagabond’. I could imagine myself wearing the Vagabonds while strolling along a remote beach somewhere in Thailand.

The Sanuk Vagabonds cost retail $55, but you can find them for around $40 on Amazon.com. The price for these shoes is pretty reasonable – they’re comfortable, durable and versatile.

Where to Get These Shoes:

• Get these shoes on Sanuk.com
• Also on Amazon.com

What do you think about the Sanuk Vagabonds? Leave your comment below.

The Sanuk Vagabonds were provided for this review. As always, this Sanuk Vagabond review contains only my honest views and opinions. Some links found in this review are affiliate links, meaning that we get commission if you decide to make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. This helps to fund the site. 🙂