Back to School Bash - Sanuk Footwear Review and Giveaway

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I cannot tell you how excited I was when the wonderful people over at Sanuk footwear agreed to join in on the Back to School Bash. I love the comfortable and casual style of their shoes and for some Florida boys like my kids, the Sanuk motto of "they're not shoes they're sandals" fits perfectly. A revolutionary mix of a sandal and a shoe, Sanuks have the look of a traditional shoe or loafer and the ease of use and comfortable nature of a sandal. The perfect mix for fussy boys and girls returning to school after a long relaxing summer.

{In Their Words}

"Hi, we’re Sanük. We’ve been around since July, 1997 when Jeff Kelley started making sandals out of inner tubes and indoor-outdoor carpet. 1998 marked our first full year of operations. While we’ve progressed into semi-proper footwear company (uh-oh), Jeff’s spirit of innovation still serves as the backbone of our little brand. Today, we strive to make products that are as much about funk as they are about function. We’ve found our sandals are happiest when they tread the road less traveled – so we design ‘em accordingly.
Because “Sanük” is the Thai word for FUN, our name is also our mantra."

{My Take}

Sanuk was kind enough to not only provide me with one pair of shoes to review, but they provided each of my boys with a different style of either their sidewalk surfer shoes for their back-to-school wardrobe. The children's selection of sidewalk surfers which are a type of loafer shoe, come in a standard (slims) version and a vagabond (original) version. The standards or slims are a little dressier and more like a boat shoe design, while the vagabonds are more like a loafer that is rough around the edges. Both styles are slip on shoes and are super comfortable and easy for kids of all ages to slip on and off.

In the picture above of the shoes on the table, in order from left to right, we received the "Standard Kids" in brown, the "Scurvy Kids" in blue, the "Rascal" in gray and the "Army Brat." All of my boys loved the shoes except for my oldest who made a comment about them being too tight. I am sure he was just being a tween however, because him and my second oldest wear the same size and Jordan had no issue wearing the shoes comfortably.

My youngest begs to wear his almost every day, but I am trying to save them for when school starts. I personally prefer the standards or slims the best, but the vagabonds are cute as well. The only pair that I am absolutely not in love with are the "Rascal" shoes in gray. They fit well, but I just don't care for the look as much as the others.

The boys all commented on how comfortable the shoes were and my 8 year-old said the soles of the vagabond styles are "really squishy and feel good." In fact, he has usurped his older brothers pair as well and has declared that he now has two pairs of shoes for school so I guess that is settled. The shoes can be work with or without socks, but even without sucks, there is no rubbing or blisters to be found. The vagabond styles do have a strong scent from the material of the soles when you first get them, but it passes in time.

Overall, I love these shoes and so do the boys. They are simple in and out shoes and there is no fuss. My kids hate wearing shoes most of the time and these are easy to talk them into, especially since sandals and open toed shoes can't be work at school.

{Buy It}

You can buy a wide range of Sanuk footwear for your child's back-to-school wardrobe on Sanuk.com. There are many styles to choose from and there are color choices for both girls and boys. Sanuk also carries a line of shoes for both men and women as well as sandals for the whole family.

{Win It}

The great people over at Sanuk have generously offered to give one winner a pair of kids' Sanuk shoes of their choice! This is a value of over $40!

This giveaway will end on August 16, 2010 at 8pm EST and one winner will be chosen via random.org at that time. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Open to US residents 18+ only.

Mandatory Entry

In order to enter this giveaway, you must visit the Sanuk website and comment here about which pair of shoes you would choose for your child if you won!

No other entries will be counted unless the above mandatory entry is completed.

* I received four pairs of Sanuk shoes for the purpose of this review, but was not compensated in any other way. The thoughts, opinions and words expressed here are entirely my own and were not influenced by anyone else.

Kathleen

Kathleen is a homeschooling mom of four boys with a serious case of the Wanderlust bug. Her love of travel extends to her children, and has resulted in the family visiting 48 states to date, and traveling nearly a third of the year. She is the owner of LifeWith4Boys.com where you will find information on Family Travel, recipes, reviews, lifestyle and more.