Find of the Month: Sanuk

Posted by Canadian Gift Guide on April 1, 2013 · 168 Comments

Call me crazy, but springtime is absolutely the number one time of year for me to invest in a new pair of shoes (or two, or three). Something about kicking off my salty, grimy ol’ boots and letting the crisp April air hit my feet just makes my heart (and my wardrobe) sing. This year I’ve discovered a whole new line of surf-inspired shoes from Sanuk.

The coolest thing about the brand is the story behind each pair. Founder Jeff Kelley envisioned a company that would use everyday innovations and comforts in a fresh way with the shoes he created – crafting the first few pairs right in his own backyard. The first-ever style he devised is known as the ‘Fur Real’ ($35), a men’s sandal with indoor / outdoor carpeting for a finish that’s both super cosy, and super all-weather practical (that’s actually the Fur Real II pictured above). They’ve since become an iconic part of a material line-up that includes wire mats and yoga mats alike. I love ’em because the shape works for guys of all ages, yet they magically emit some surfer coolness upon sliding them on.

Of course, innovation goes beyond the mere materials a shoe is made of – at Sanuk, it also comes down to function, as with the stylish Sidewalk Surfers kicks they carry (women’s start at $55, men’s at $60). It has the flexible sole of a sandal, but the classic slip-on upper keeps your foot in place – making it easier (and comfier) than ever to strut along the boardwalk. The Sidewalk Surfer has a crazy amount of iterations that vary in colour, shape, pattern, and even details like whether it has laces – but every last pair is ultra stylish while maintaing a chill vibe. Plus the price point makes them perfect for birthday bashes for your favourite betty or boy.

One particularly notable line within the Sanuk family is the Yoga sandal. If you’ve ever wiggled your toes on the plushness of your yoga mat, you’ll easily empathize with the brand’s desire to bring that comfort into your everyday. Each pair of sandals in the Yoga line is indeed made from the same cushy, smushy yoga mat you practice downward facing dog on, all capped off with a funky band in a print or colour that matches your personal style. Have I mentioned yet that nearly all of these shoes are actually vegetarian / vegan friendly? To borrow a yoga term, consider it good karma to don a pair of animal-friendly kicks.

As much as I flip for Sanuk’s line of crazy comfy sneakers and sandals, I’m also a realist – up here in Canada, we’ve gotta have slightly warmer footwear in rotation for a good portion of the year (including those chilly spring cold spells). Luckily if you’re hoping to keep your beachy persona going year-round, Sanuk also features a ‘Chill’ line of earthy shoes, boots, and slippers lined with snuggly fleece to keep you toasty warm till sunny season prevails. Prices start from $60 for the ladies, and $55 for the gents – the selection here’s pretty diverse so be sure to browse for yourself and pick out a slightly cooler weather pair or two to add to your Christmas wish list for next year.

It’s probably also worth noting at this point that Sanuk does feature a limited (mostly) unisex children’s line as well, so if your little tyke is eyeballing those Sidewalk Surfers or Yoga sandals, get ’em a pair for some cute matchy-matchiness.

As for where to buy these fab shoes? I recommend the Sanuk.ca website – it’s super fun to browse, and it’s the easiest way to guarantee your favourite style is in stock. There’s also tons of fab offers like free shipping and bonus giveaways when you shop online. If you’re really dead set on getting your hands (or feet) on these beauties in person, they’ve got a great retail locator to help you track down your nearest shop, or just try your local swim / surf / skate shop – Sanuk’s pretty prolific amongst that set.

Finally, let’s talk about the big, big, big promotion Sanuk’s got going on this year. Every month for the rest of 2013, you can actually win a year’s supply of Sanuk shoes. That’s right, 12 pairs, so your feet can bask in pure comfort for 365 days straight (and then some). And here’s what’s extra freaking cool about this April. This month TWO winners will be chosen to win a year’s supply of Sanuk shoes…and one of those winners will be a Canadian Gift Guide reader! Crazy super awesomely pumped? Then read on to find out how you could be slipping into some new shoes for an entire year:

1) Leave a comment by April 30th with links back & names of TWO of the pairs you’d pick if you were the lucky winner! I’m going to be a stickler on this one guys…if you don’t have the shoe names & links, your entry won’t be counted, so GET BROWSING.

2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around May 1st to select the winners, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.

3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible to participate in this promotion.

4) Bonus Entry #1: Check the Canadian Gift Guide every single day for the rest of the month – you’ll find bonus entry opportunities galore.

5) Bonus Entries #2-#4: As I mentioned, Sanuk is giving away two of these prizes. You can try your hand at winning through the Canadian Gift Guide, or you can enter in one of the three other ways through Sanuk directly. As an extra bonus, if you do any of these, I’ll pop your name into the Canadian Gift Guide draw an extra time too!

Option 1: Make a purchase on ShopSanuk.ca to automatically earn an entry. If you do this, leave a comment below telling me what pair you bought. Just be prepared – if you’re chosen as the winner on this bonus entry, I’ll be checking with Sanuk to make sure you actually bought from them!

Option 2: Like Sanuk Canada on Facebook and enter their monthly photo contest. As above, if you win on this bonus entry, I’ll be verifying you entered 🙂

Option 3: Tweet your photo from the Facebook photo contest using the hashtag #SanukComfort365 and @SanukCanada for a third entry. This one’s simple to verify for bonus entry purposes; just leave a link back to your Tweet in the comments below!