Ahnu Cruz Vegan: Nearly perfect travel shoes

We are firm believers in always having along a pair of packable, lightweight, durable, comfortable shoes for flying, traveling, lounging or as an alternative shoe. Of course, there is no such thing as perfect travel shoes that will be all things and all will love. Nonetheless, the Ahnu Cruz Vegan slip-on is now my fave travel shoe when I want to give my other one or two pairs a rest – the ones I wear running, scrambling, trekking, urban wandering, or for a casual evening out.

Ahnu Cruz is a casual, supportive travel shoe

I’ve been testing the Ahnu Cruz Vegan ($100) for a number of months now, and it’s quickly found a regular place in my “pack for every trip” travel footwear repertoire. The canvas textile upper (mine is in black which I find a most versatile traveling shoe color) is durable and offers a casual appearance without looking sloppy. Think canvas clog. With the right pants and in black, it can even pretend to be a little dressier if needed. The EVA footbed is supportive enough and yet cushioned sufficiently that spending all day in the shoes while dodging suitcases in airport halls and pounding cobblestone to the night’s lodging doesn’t leave my dogs whimpering.

With its flexible fabric upper, a relatively flat and thin sole, and 8.5 ounces per shoe for a size 10 men’s, the Ahnu Cruz Vegan is light and compact enough to slip into the corner of a carryon or suitcase without a second thought.

A microfiber lining treated with an antimicrobial agent works to keep the shoes comfy when wearing them barefoot and not smelling like a barn after extended use.

A snugger fit with the Ahnu Cruz Vegan

While I loved the easy on and easy off aspect of the Ahnu Cruz, especially when navigating security lines and on long flights (no way you want just socks for the increasingly dirty airplane bathrooms) the shoe has a snugger fit that might not be for everyone. The Cruz uses elastic on either side of the shoe to secure the heel and ensure the shoe does not go flopping off your heel. If you have a low volume foot (low arches, low instep, narrower) the elastic might push your foot forward into the front of the shoe so your toes bang. I experienced this with thinner socks, and solved it by simply wearing slightly thicker ones, but that might not work for others.

One advantage of the fabric design is that you can also wear the Ahnu fabric clogs like a true clog by folding it down and slipping your foot in on top of it.

Despite a few nit-picks, bottom line is, I’ve not found a better travel shoe that is casual, comfortable, compact and lightweight. Or one that even has folks who see them on my feet saying, “Those are cool, who makes ‘em?” And for that reason, the Ahnu Cruz Vegan, the “nearly perfect travel shoes” has earned a HITT Seal of Approval for travel product excellence.