By Chip and Jessica Hanna — We Tried It, Fort Collins, Colorado
We buy most of what we review; when a brand sends something, we say so — and it never changes our verdict. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we test.
TL;DR
Allbirds, unless it’s summer.
We rate Allbirds 9.5/10 and we’ve bought nine-plus pairs since 2017. We rate the SUAVS Zilker 4.5/5 and called it our summer pick. Those two scores are not a contradiction — they answer different questions.
Allbirds is the shoe we own in six versions and wear all year. SUAVS is the one we pack for a hot travel day. Buy Allbirds if you want one sneaker for twelve months and you go sockless. Buy SUAVS if your feet run hot, you want a softer knit, or you need a half size.
Quick verdict
| If you care about… | Winner |
|---|---|
| Going sockless | Allbirds — merino is the whole point, and it resists odor. SUAVS can be worn sockless, but it is knit, not wool. |
| Hot weather | SUAVS — we called it “the shoe for summer.” |
| Cold weather | Allbirds — SUAVS breathability goes both ways, and your feet feel like they’re in a freezer. |
| Softness | SUAVS — softer knit than Rothy’s, and softer than anything else we’ve put on. |
| Machine washable | Tie — both, gentle cycle, hang dry, never bleach. |
| Getting your exact size | SUAVS — true to size with half sizes. Allbirds sells whole sizes only. |
| Number of options | Allbirds — six current models. SUAVS is one silhouette in two soles. |
| Packing light | SUAVS — they take up almost no space. |
| Price | SUAVS Zilker $108. Allbirds Tree Runner $100. |
| Our published score | Allbirds 9.5/10 · SUAVS 4.5/5 |
What we actually own
Allbirds since 2017. Nine-plus pairs across Wool Runners, Tree Runners, Loungers and more. Chip has washed a grey pair roughly four times and worn them every other day. The Wool Runner is the one we called a straight 10/10 for comfort and casual wear.
SUAVS Zilker and Zilker Gum. The only difference between them is the sole — the Gum has a softer, grippier gum sole, and the Marshmallow-with-gum contrast is the one we liked most.
We have not run a same-day, same-route head-to-head between a Zilker and a Tree Runner. We are not going to pretend we did. What follows is what each shoe did for us, over years in one case and a summer in the other.
The 2026 Allbirds lineup, with prices
Prices verified against allbirds.com in July 2026 for our Allbirds review.
| Model | Price (July 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Runner | $100 | Everyday sneaker — our top pick, and the closest thing to a SUAVS competitor |
| Wool Runner NZ | ~$110 | Cozy, supportive cool-weather wear |
| Dasher (was Tree Dasher) | $140 | Workouts and light running |
| Tree Piper | ~$100 | Warm weather, classic low-top look |
| Mizzle | ~$135 | Rain and light snow |
| Tree Runner Go | ~$110 | Lightweight, springier everyday ride |
One naming note for 2026: Allbirds dropped “Tree” from the running shoe. The Dasher is what we reviewed as the Tree Dasher 2.
SUAVS does not have a lineup like this. It has the Zilker, the Zilker Gum, and some slip-on options. That is the honest structural difference: Allbirds is a shoe company; SUAVS is a very good shoe.
The real differences
1. Wool vs recycled knit — and what that does to your feet
Allbirds is merino wool or eucalyptus tree fiber. That is why you can wear them barefoot without the shoe turning against you. From our Allbirds review: they smell far less than a traditional shoe, but if you skip washing them long enough they will smell. They are not magic.
SUAVS is a digitally knitted upper made from 100% recycled post-consumer plastic. It is soft — softer than the Rothy’s knit, and we were genuinely surprised by it. It is also breathable in a way wool is not. That cuts both directions, and we said so in the review: in cold temperatures your feet feel like they are in a freezer.
So: Allbirds handles a Colorado year. SUAVS handles a Colorado July.
2. Sizing — the difference most people get wrong
This is the most useful line on this page.
- Allbirds fit true to size but only come in whole sizes. We wear a men’s 9.5 and order a 10. If you are between sizes, size up. Men’s sizes run 1.5 smaller than women’s — a women’s 10.5 is a men’s 9.
- SUAVS runs true to size and has half sizes. We wear a 9.5 and ordered a 9.5. Wide feet, go up a half.
If you have always found Allbirds a hair long, SUAVS solves that problem outright.
3. Both wash. Neither takes bleach.
Both brands are machine washable, and it is the single feature that changed how we buy white shoes. Chip wore white Allbirds around Disneyland — not because he could keep them clean, but because he could wash them.
Same instructions for both: pull the laces, pull the insoles, gentle cycle, hang dry, no bleach. Our how to wash Allbirds steps apply to SUAVS too. SUAVS insoles are removable and replaceable, which is a nice touch.
4. Support: neither one is a technical shoe
We get this question constantly and the answer is the same for both. SUAVS is minimalist — it makes your foot feel free more than it holds your foot in place. It sits in the casual-shoe category alongside Allbirds, not alongside a real technical shoe. If you want genuine minimalist engineering, that is a different aisle.
Allbirds is the same story with more cushion. The Wool Runner is a 10/10 for comfort and casual wear; every other shoe they make trades something away from that.
If you need arch support, neither of these is the answer.
5. Looks
SUAVS is SUAVS’ take on the Nike Killshot — a bit more “sneaker” than Allbirds. One quirk from our review: the knit conforms so closely that you can see small protrusions on the white Marshmallow colorway. It did not bother us and you do not notice it while moving. If you would notice it, buy a darker color.
Off the foot, SUAVS do not hold their shape. They look like socks in a pile. On the foot, they look like shoes. That is the knit doing its job.
Allbirds looks like Allbirds. You already know whether you like that.
What each one is actually for
Buy Allbirds if:
- You want one sneaker that works in February and July.
- You never want to wear socks.
- You want a lineup — a rain shoe, a workout shoe, a warm-weather shoe — under one fit you already know.
- You want the pair we recommend more than any other, which is the Tree Runner at $100.
Buy SUAVS if:
- Your feet run hot, and the flip-flop months are the problem you are solving.
- You want the softest knit in this category.
- You need a half size.
- You are packing for a trip with a lot of walking and no room in the bag.
Buy neither if you need real arch support or a technical shoe.
What it costs
SUAVS Zilker: $108 on suavshoes.com (confirmed August 20, 2026).
Allbirds: $100 for a Tree Runner (or Tree Runner NZ), up to $140 for the Dasher NZ. Verified August 20, 2026.
They are in the same price neighborhood. Price is not the tiebreaker here. Weather is.
SUAVS vs Allbirds FAQ
Are SUAVS better than Allbirds?
For summer, we think so. For the other nine months, no. We rate Allbirds 9.5/10 as a brand and SUAVS 4.5/5 as a shoe, and we still own more Allbirds than anything else.
Can you wear SUAVS without socks?
Yes. SUAVS can be worn with or without socks. The catch is odor — SUAVS is recycled knit, not merino, so it does not have the wool’s odor resistance. You will wash them more often. The good news is that you can.
Are both machine washable?
Yes, both. Laces out, insoles out, gentle cycle, hang dry, no bleach.
Do SUAVS run true to size?
Yes, and unlike Allbirds they offer half sizes. We wear a 9.5 and ordered a 9.5. Wide feet should go up a half size. Allbirds we order a full size up from our 9.5, because Allbirds only sells whole sizes.
Which is better for travel?
Both are good; they are good differently. SUAVS packs down to nothing and is our warm-weather travel shoe. Allbirds is the one we have actually worn through theme parks and airports for years, and it works in more climates.
Which is warmer?
Allbirds, easily. SUAVS is so breathable that cold air comes straight through. Breathability goes both ways.
What about Kizik or Rothy’s?
Different problems. Kizik is the hands-free shoe, and it needs socks. Rothy’s RS01 is $160 and 430g against the Tree Piper’s $95 and 226g — better built, nearly twice the weight.
Related reviews we actually wrote
- SUAVS Shoes Review
- Allbirds Review — 9+ pairs since 2017
- Allbirds Tree Runners Review
- Allbirds Tree Dasher 2 Review
- The Best Allbirds: A Comparison
- Allbirds vs Rothy’s
- Allbirds vs Vessi
- Rothy’s Men’s Shoe Review
- Kizik Shoes Review
Questions? Leave a comment — we answer them.
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