As I was hiking down the talus to the base of Mt. Conness, I was happy my toes were covered. Sanuks are no ordinary sandals. They combine slip-on comfort with toe coverage in a lightweight package.
Early snow below Lucky Streaks
My first pair of Sanuks was the “No Sweat”. I was looking for an easy slip-on and they fit the bill. I later branched out with the Donny and the Nomad. I rotated through these three pairs and they went climbing in many places. However, all of them lacked a few climbing-specific features that would really help out on technical approaches and multi-pitch routes.
The Base Camp, which I’ve been wearing since July 4th, took Sanuk’s slip on comfort and added some great new features. First off the sticky Evolv rubber is a big improvement over the standard Sanuk sole. I wore them on every trip this summer to Tuolumne Meadows and I was even able to climb 5.6 in them on Lembert Dome. (This was more of fun experiment and is not at all the intended purpose of the shoe.)
Flying down the descent from Fairview Dome
While the Base Camp does have a sticky rubber sole, the shoe only has a foam insole and no other significant structure. Your feet get more of a workout and I would avoid hikes longer than 30-45 minutes. This does limit usefulness to certain crags and time spent around the campsite. They are a step up from flip flops, in terms of protection, and do a good job keeping my feet clean (I wear socks with them). One bonus about the Base Camp is the odor resistant sole. I think these smell the least bad out of all my Sanuks. I’ve put the No Sweat’s and Donny through the washer a few times to help keep them clean.
A lovely day on Lembert Dome
The Base Camp is heavier than the average Sanuk but much lighter (7 ounces) than any pair of approach shoes I own or even the lightweight 5.10 Daescent (~ 10 ounces). This, coupled with the sticky rubber makes them an excellent shoe to bring on mult-pitches. This is made possible with a new clip in loop on the back of the shoe. The loop easily fits a carabiner and the shoes sit nicely against each other and don’t take up too much room on your harness.
My only complaint with the Base Camp is that the sole on the started de-laminating. I was able to fix it with some barge cement and I have yet to have this issue reappear in the following months.
Pros:
- Lightweight and low bulk
- Comfortable
- Cool Color!
Cons:
- Price is high
- Not enough support for long hikes.
Sizing:
I am usually an 8.5 and went up with my first pair of Sanuks to a size 9. This enabled easy on/off but I would slide around, especially without socks.
The rest of the Sanuks I own are in Size 8. The Donny is the best fit and the heel is a good height and is sturdy. The Nomad is quite floppy in the back, and the Base Camp sits somewhere in between. The heel cup is rigid enough but slightly shorter than I would like.
Full Disclosure: Sanuk provided these shoes to DreamInVertical in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed above are my own and reflect my experience with these shoes. Feel free to leave comments regarding your opinion of the Base Camp or any other Sanuks.
For more Sweet Gear reviews from Luke and Lizzy check out our Gear Reviews page.
When I looked at the Base Camp model in the store they looked good, but the inside had some insulation (fleece?) like material. Can’t remember exactly what it was. The guy at the store said they were quite warm to wear compared to the others. So, I went with the Donny. What do you think? Are they sweaty compared to the others?
I have not seen the Base Camp with any fleece insulation. Perhaps you are thinking of the Dawn Patrol or one of the “Chill” series. The only thing that might make it warmer is that the Base Camp has two layers of fabric to make up the body. Canvas on the outside and some type of synthetic liner (according to Sanuk). I don’t find that they are particularly sweaty but I tend to wear socks when I use them for an extended period.. The big thing that I like is the anti-stink coating that is on the sole. My Base Camp’s are much less smelly then my Donny’s.
These things are still going strong. It’s Tuolume season so they got some use this weekend. The rubber is great and the glue job has been very effective!