Travel Product Reviews
Do Allbirds Mizzles Make For a Go-To Travel Shoe?
As a semi-frequent traveler who looks to pack pretty light, I’m used to taking only one pair of shoes with me on any given trip. Thus, whatever shoes I’m taking with me need to not only be comfortable but also adapt to different situations — including the possibility of damp weather. That’s what attracted me to the Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles (as I mentioned in my travel product roundup).
When I originally penned this review, travel had come to a halt, leading me to simply test out the shoes around town (including through the snow). Well, with time having passed, I’ve now also been able to use my Allbirds for their intended purpose. So, without further ado, let’s dive into my thoughts on the Allbirds Mizzles, their potential as a traveler’s companion, and how they’ve held up with time.
Allbirds Mizzles
Allbirds Mizzles: Great for Traveling in Wet Weather
4.5
Price
$125 (Wool Runner Mizzle)
Materials
ZQ Merino wool with bio-based water repellent shield
There’s nothing worse than wet socks – which is why the Allbirds Mizzles can be a great shoe to have on your travels. The “Puddle Guard” water-repellant material helps protect your feet from wet weather. Plus, the Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles are comfy to wear in everyday situations as well.
However, before traveling, you may want to break your shoes in. And, for extra protection, you might want to consider the Runner-Up Mizzles hightops.
Pros
- Water resistant to keep your feet dry
- Comfortable to wear casually
- Savings can be found via sales or the ReRun section
Cons
- Over $100 retail
- Water can still enter from the ankle
- May require “breaking in” before travel
What’s a Mizzle?
What’s a Mizzle?
When you visit Allbirds’ site, you’ll come across a few different styles of shoes. On top of that, you may notice that there are both their famed Wool Runners alongside Wool Runner Mizzles — so what’s the difference? While the two shoes may look remarkably similar, Mizzles are made to be water-resistant. Instead of soaking through your shoe and dampening your socks (the worst!), Mizzles are treated with a special coating that causes water to bead and roll away instead.
Incidentally, when I first started looking at Allbirds, I was considering the regular Wool Runners as a light and comfy travel shoe. However, once I discovered the Mizzles option, I decided that made more sense as there have certainly been times I’ve had to deal with rainy days when traveling — and did I mention how much I hate having wet socks? Anyway, with the Runner Mizzles costing an extra $20 ($115 compared to $95), I figured it was worth the extra cost and placed my order.
Coupon codes, shipping, and more
Like any savvy online shopper, before completing my Allbirds order, I did a quick Google search looking for coupons or affiliate links. Instead what I found was a page on the Allbirds site explaining why they don’t offer any discounts. Hey, I guess that’s one way of knowing you’re getting the best price!
With that said, Allbirds has recently rolled out a few ways to save. First, the company just introduced a refer a friend program where the referred customer earns a $15 discount on their first purchase while the referrer scores a $15 credit. On that note, feel free to use my link if you want.
Elsewhere, Allbirds now also what they call their Rerun Marketplace. Here, you can find used shoes in a variety of styles, with customers able to pick from two different condition levels: “Excellent” and “Very Good.” My cursory research found that discounts for these pre-owned shoes could amount to as much as $45. What’s also kind of cool is that some past limited releases that have been “sold out” may be available here in select sizes and conditions.
Some more good news is that Allbirds offers standard shipping (5 to 7 business days) for free — although this offer now only applies to orders over $100. Alternatively, you can upgrade to 2-business day shipping for an extra $16 or 1-business day for $25. They also have a 30-day, no-questions-asked return policy that I thankfully didn’t need to make use of.
Also worth noting is that some Allbirds models do not have half sizes — including the Wool Runner Mizzle. Therefore, they recommend going up a size when in doubt. That’s what I did (going from 8.5 to 9) and definitely think that was the right call.
My Experience with Allbirds Mizzles So Far
My Experience with Allbirds Mizzles So Far
Ordering my Allbirds and breaking them in
Backing up to my ordering experience, one thing that I was slightly disappointed by was that there were fewer color options for the Mizzles when compared to the regular Runners. That remains true, although they have recently added many more options for Runner Mizzles. If I were buying today, I might go for the Aurora color (seen in the photo above), but I’m still satisfied with my Savannah Night selection.
Something else I didn’t mention when discussing my internal debate about upgrading to the Mizzles was the thickness of the shoe. See, for some reason, I have a bad habit of poking holes in the top of my shoes. Despite my best efforts, I guess my toes are just very sharp. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway, I read online that the Mizzles featured a thicker layer of fabric than the regular option, which would hopefully prevent a similar fate — after all, what’s the point of having waterproof shoes if you have holes in them?
After getting the shoes, I think I made the right call going with the thicker option. While I’m fairly confident that I won’t poke through the toe of the shoe, it’s not so thick that it’s uncomfortable. That said, one thing I’d definitely recommend is making an effort to break in the shoes a bit before traveling with them. Although the new-condition shoes fit well, I did feel like the top was pressing down on my foot just a bit. Therefore, I could see this getting really annoying on a plane where your feet might swell. Luckily, after a few wears this was no longer an issue.
My first wears
As I noted at the top, I was really hoping to take my Mizzles on a trip before writing this review (specifically to Paris where we not only do a lot of walking but it also seems to rain frequently when we visit). Alas, while I haven’t had the pleasure of trying these shoes on a plane, they did make a road trip with me to Chicago before the country went on lockdown. At that point, I was still breaking them in, but they held up well to all of the walking we did — but it didn’t happen to rain during the weekend we were there.
At long last, when originally reviewing my Allbirds, I got to see how the Mizzles performed in bad weather. On our nightly walk following a heavy rain, we encountered a few puddles that I had no problem navigating with my new shoes. Moreover, the following night, we were walking in a light rain (plus some more puddles), yet my feet remained dry. Of course, I was still curious about just how much water the shoes could handle without letting any in. So, what better way to do that than to stick them under the sink? Sure enough, even with the faucet at full blast, no moisture made its way through, which is pretty darn impressive. You can see it for yourself in my video review below:
A snow experiment
While keeping my feet protected from rain is one thing, this past week, I got to see how they held up against frozen precipitation. With temperatures only a few degrees above freezing, I decided to take my Mizzles for a walk, trudging through both snow and slush along the way. The first thing I noticed was that my feet remained warm despite only wearing socks of typical thickness. Even better, while some snowflakes did stick to the shoes from time to time, it was easy to shake or wipe off when needed.
I will say that there were a couple of instances where I feared that water had somehow worked its way into the shoe since I felt a cold spot on the side of my foot. However, it seems that this was just due to some snow or cold water that had stuck to or soaked a spot on my shoes. After a couple of minutes, the cold sensation went away and, upon returning home, I confirmed that my socks were not the slightest bit wet — even though the cuffs of my jeans were. Needless to say, I was pretty impressed with this experience, which surely would have been pretty miserable in most other sneakers.
Runners?
Next, although the Mizzles are comfortable for walking and do seem to do a good job at keeping your feet dry, they may not be right for all activities. Despite being named “Runners,” I would not recommend trying to jog in them as they don’t provide the same heel support or cushion you (or at least I) would want for that. However, Allbirds has since released an actual running shoe line called Dashers and now has a water-repellent version of the shoe I’m very interested in.
Worth an upgrade?
Finally, if there were any doubts left that I have about how my Mizzles will hold up to real-world weather conditions I may face when traveling, it’s that water might still make its way into my shoe if I were to step into a deep puddle. If this too concerns you, then you may want to consider their high-top option — the Wool Runner-Up Mizzles. These go for $135 and, upon further reflection, may have been the way to go. In fact, several months after ordering my low-tops, I ended up ordering a pair of Runners-Ups for myself.
Final thoughts on Allbirds Mizzles
Final thoughts on Allbirds Mizzles
After now taking my Allbirds Mizzles on a few trips and through several weather conditions, I do think that they make for a great travel shoe. After seeing the way they’ve handled water and snow during some home trials, I now rely on them to make precipitation slightly less miserable the next time it happens while on the road. Of course, it’ll also be interesting to see if the water-repellent starts to wear off at any point — but I’m certainly hoping not (and they’ve made it more than two years so far without issue).
With that said, to be completely honest, I’ve been more likely to pack my Allbirds Runner-Up Mizzles than my low-tops since getting the former. To me, they have all of the same benefits but with a little added “protection.” Still, if high tops aren’t your style or you want to save a few dollars, I don’t think you can go wrong with the regular ones either.So, if you’re looking for a comfortable shoe with some versatility and style, the Allbirds Mizzles might be worth adding to your travel go-tos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
Are Allbirds really that comfortable?
A:
Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles are comfortable for casual walking, keeping your feet warm and dry when needed while still being breathable. However, those wishing to jog or run in their Allbirds may prefer the Tree Dashers.
Q:
Are Allbirds worth the money?
A:
While Allbirds may be more expensive than discount options, their unique features and natural materials make them a premium product. Personally, I’ve been impressed with the Allbirds Mizzles’ ability to keep my feet dry in wet weather, making them worth it.
Q:
Can you wash Allbirds Mizzles?
A:
Yes. However, Allbirds recommends removing the insoles and laces first, utilizing a delicates bag, and running them through the “gentle” cycle on your washing machine. It is also recommended that you allow the shoes to airdry instead of using a dryer.
Q:
Are Allbirds Mizzles really waterproof?
A:
Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles are water-repellent. The shoe’s treatment will allow liquids to bead and run off of the shoe, but water may enter your shoe if it is submerged. You can see the water repelled when running water over them in this video.
Q:
Do Allbirds run big or small?
A:
Allbirds mostly run true to size, however most lines do not offer half-sizes. In these situations, the company recommends going up to the next available size.
Q:
Will Allbirds stretch out?
A:
Since Allbirds Wool Runners are made of wool, they may stretch slightly as you break them in. According to the company, you can expect them to stretch a quarter inch after a few weeks of wear. As a reminder, the company does offer a 30-day no-questions-asked return period.
Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. (Note: advertising relationships do not have any influence on editorial content. Advertising compensation allows Money@30 to provide quality content for free. All editorial opinions are those of Kyle Burbank.)
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Good choice of shoes you have there and also thanks for the review.
Nice shoes, it will be perfect for wet and snowy weather.
This might cost a bit higher but if it works well from protecting your feet from getting wet, I think its worth its price.