Upgrade Your Travel Flip-Flops to Mox Flats

Shoes, shoes, shoes. For many women, they are a weakness because they can’t stop buying them, and they also can’t stop packing too many for their travels!

I’ve said it before: If I could design the ultimate convertible travel shoe, I would!

But, since that doesn’t yet exist, packing shoes remains a challenge of choosing the middle ground between functional and fashionable. It’s not easy.

Luckily, there are shoes on the market that can take the place of shoes that would normally serve a single purpose, and MOX are one of those shoes!

Mox flats are made by a Sydney-based small business who sent me a pair to try out just a couple of months ago. The goal was to investigate the shoes in relation to the traveling female, so I’ve done just that, wearing them around town and in different situations.

Before we get to the review part, let’s learn a little more about Mox. Mox are made completely of man-made rubber (meaning they can go from city to surf and back in a flash), come in a dozen different colors (so you can change them up with seasons and looks), and weigh very little (my pair of size 39’s is just 236g, or 8.3oz).

I received a pair of mint Mox back in September, and was floored to open up my package to see such a perfect spring color (I’m down under so the seasons are different) waiting to adorn my feet. Every time I wear them out, I get complimented on both the color and the style – the latter of which means they can be worn with anything from jeans to skirts without looking out of place.

I’m not going to lie. I was worried about the comfort level of a shoe with such a basic structure, but I was wrong. After wearing a few times, my feet were feeling right at home in Mox – at least for casual situations. They are not meant to take the place of your comfortable walking shoes.

They will, however, easily take the place of your travel flip-flops in all instances – to wear down to the beach, on a quick trip to the shops, or just in your hostel showers. Even better is the fact that Mox can also be paired with a cute skirt or dress and worn to dinner. No, they are no Tieks when it comes to fashion, but they do cost a fraction of the price at just $39.99 AUD.

Pros:

• Simple, practical and fashionable shoes for the low-key female traveler.
• Serves as both a travel flip-flop (great for hostel and campsite showers) and cute casual shoe in one.
• The cost is not outrageous at just $39.99 AUD.
• At only 236g for a pair (size 39), it adds very little weight to your backpack or suitcase.

Cons:

• When I say it took a few wears before feeling at home, it was because my pinky toes developed blisters after my first wear. That said, my boyfriend tells me I have the softest feet on the planet and doesn’t believe I’ve ever gone a day barefoot in my life. Once I got a little wearing on my pinkies, all was perfect! So, wear them in gradually and before you leave on a trip!
• Think about sizing carefully. While most people will go up if in-between sizes, I have very narrow feet and found that erring on the lower side worked best for me. The shoes, made of rubber, come with a more rigid shape than cloth shoes.
• Mox are not big-day walking shoes. Do not make that mistake.

Like the sound of Mox?

If so, you can order on the Mox website. Remember, they are an Australian-based business, so shipping in Australia is just $10 for 1-2 pairs, and free for 3+. There is a $15 flat fee to the US and Canada for up to 6 pairs! That’s a deal!

UPDATE June 2016: I recently through my Mox out. They were perfect for several months, but over the first year, some tears started happening in the lattice part of the shoe. I thought at first that my rabbit had a nibble, but after storing on an upper level of the shoe rack, that is not the case. Summer season 1, I wore these all the time. Summer season 2, I pretty much only wore these when I was running out of the house quickly for a chore. Are they amazingly durable? No. Are they affordable? Yes. So, I still think they are a cool shoe, but just be aware that the longevity might not be the best.