Are Allbirds Mizzles Worth It For Travel? Review & Comparison

And since this is a dream list, can we ask for a pair of shoes we can also exercise in? Is this too much to ask for?

Maybe it is.

But the flip side, carrying multiple shoes, is a problem when it comes to travel. Shoes take up a bunch of valuable space and weight in our luggage.

Michelle and I have found shoes that meet several of our requirements above for the perfect travel shoe but none that have met all.

Do the Allbirds Mizzle meet our perfect travel shoe criteria? Are they the best Allbirds for travel?

Types of Allbirds Mizzles: Review & Comparison

1. Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles Review

If you’re a fan of the original Allbirds Wool Runners, than you’ll enjoy the Mizzles version. 

Whether you get the original Wool Runner or Mizzle version, you’ll find the overall fit and shape of the shoe, specifically the toe bed, designed for narrower feet.

There’s no half-sizing either. If you have wider feet like I do, you’ll probably size up and the over all fit will be too long, giving you that clown-shoe feel. 

That being said, people love Allbirds because they are comfortable. The material feels nice. It has that perfect balance of flexibility but also some structure. They are cozy yet breathable, thanks to the merino wool material.

As for that rain protection? The Mizzles did ok.

We did a scientific (not so scientific) rain downpour simulation and water was repelled. However, we did notice that any water that was not repelled did soak through the shoe and could be felt within a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes of water protection is helpful but not realistically helpful.

Overall, if you love the original Wool Runners, then the Allbirds Runner Mizzles is a no-brainer better option with it’s extra layer of weather protection.

Pros:

• Good styling and comfort
• Passable water protection

Cons:

• Narrow footbed
• No half-sizes
• Water protection could be better
• Traction of soles is not as good compared to other styles

Check out Allbirds Woold Runner Mizzles here >

2. Allbirds Wool Runner Up Mizzles and Mizzle Plus

The Wool Runner Up Mizzle and the Mizzle Plus are the mid-top sneaker version of the regular Mizzle. For some reason, sneakers are making a come back, and they do give a more stylish look to their more athletic low top siblings.

Who knew that just a little bit more material around the ankle levels up your outfit?

The Wool Runner Up Mizzle and Plus feature the same fit and comfort as the regular Mizzle. The Mizzle Plus, however, features a specific weather resistant band over the toes for an extra layer of water protection. For this review, we only tested the regular Runner Ups.

We found the Wool Runner Up Mizzle has the best water repellency and resistance in the whole Allbirds lineup. Though we fully drenched the Runner Up, it took about 15 minutes for water to soak through. That’s pretty good.

And because they cover your ankles, there’s more protection from water entering from above.

Though it has a similar, narrow profile to the regular Mizzles, I actually preferred the comfort of the Runner Up sneaker. Somehow the foot bed and arch location fit better.

The only issue? I had to get a size up, which seemed way too long. Though the fit felt better around the arch, heel, and toe box, I had a ton of extra material around the front of my toes, which was a tripping hazard. 

Overall, if you like the original Allbirds Woolrunners but wanted a sneaker version, than this is the shoe for you. People with wider feet – it’s probably best to avoid this one.

Pros:

• Good style and comfort
• Decent water protection compared to the entire Allbirds lineup

Cons:

• Narrow footbed
• No half-sizes
• Traction of soles is not as good compared to other styles

3. Allbirds Wool Dasher Mizzles

The Allbirds Dasher Mizzles is intriguing because, on paper, this should be the perfect travel shoe.

Does it have the looks that could be worn indoors and outdoors? Check. Can it be used for athletic purposes or adventures? Check and check. How is the water resistance? Let’s see…

One thing you can tell immediately comparing the Dasher Mizzles to the other versions of the Mizzle lineup is the foot bed. Its wider in the toe box and has an extended heel for extra stability.

The verdict: the fit was better and roomier than the regular Mizzles and the original Wool Runner. Check out this sole!

It’s a lot more boxy and the small raised tabs have a little bit more grip, though not a ton more than the Wool Runners or regular Mizzles.

But the water resistance on these were, again, just ok. For a product that touts, “Water-repellent Puddle Guard® technology keeps feet dry”, we thought that we could feel dampness seep through the shoe over time.

Overall, if you’re looking for a wider toe box version of the Mizzles, the Dasher Mizzle is your shoe. Though we wouldn’t recommend these for extensive hiking, given that traction. Those little nubs are sure to wear down pretty quickly.

Don’t forget, these also come in half-sizes for a better fit. Finally, Allbirds!

Pros:

• Wider toe box, larger heel, and half-sizing
• Good styling and comfort
• Traction is better than Wool Runner Mizzles

Cons:

• Water protection could be better
• Styling is slightly more athletic and not as casual as the Wool Runner Mizzles 
• Traction likely to wear off quickly

Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles vs. Allbirds Trail Runners SWT

The image above shows the comparison of soles and design between the Wool Runner Mizzles, the Dasher Mizzles, and the Allbirds Trail Runners SWT. 

The Trail Runners SWT is meant to be full-blown athletic shoe for trail running and light hiking. Immediately, you can tell by the bottom of the shoe that traction and durability is a lot better than the Mizzles collection.

 
Additionally the shoes have a pretty good water protection strip that wraps around the sides. They also look pretty nice, even though they are marketed as outdoor hiking/running shoes.

But if you look closely at the mesh on top of the shoe, you’ll find the Achilles heel (pun intended). Allbirds did NOT protect this area from water.

The material on top of the toebox is light, comfortable and breathable, which truly is great for outdoor pursuits.

However, if you were to be caught in a little rain, your socks and feet would get wet almost instantly. In our experience, the toe box often gets wet first, even when walking through wet grass or shallow puddles because water kicks up from the toe.

This is a fail in our opinion.

Sadly, in a real world rain situation, the SWT would be worse than the Mizzles, when it should have been the best.

This was a disappointment as we really liked the style of these shoes, the outer sole traction, and the water protection around the outer sides of the shoe. We would recommend these only if you don’t expect to get wet.

Allbirds Wool Runners vs. Mizzles: Are they worth it?

There are only 2 slight differences between these two shoes from Allbirds.

The Mizzles feature water repellant tech and a more durable rubber sole for wet weather traction. These additional features add $15 to the overall cost of the Mizzles compared to the Wool Runners.

We think the Mizzles are totally worth it to have more weather resistance. 

Allbirds FAQs

– Are Allbirds waterproof or water resistant?

None of the Allbirds shoes we have tested have been waterproof, nor does Allbirds claim them to be. We would not advise going into puddles or expecting your feet to be dry after a downpour.

Are Allbirds water resistant or repellant? All of the shoes we tested showed water repellency in the form of beading where water slid off the material pretty easily.

For the shoes where water pooled on top a little bit, there was some seepage into the shoe itself. This result was poor in comparison to other shoes we’ve had from companies like Columbia, New Balance, and Asics that performed better protecting against water.

If protection from water is important to you, as it is to us, we would not recommend the Allbirds shoes at this time.

– Sizing: Do Allbirds run big or small?

We’ve found that Allbirds run narrow, not necessarily big or small. For people with “normal” or narrow footbeds, you’ll find Allbirds to be pretty comfortable.

Only certain Allbird shoes have half-sizing, which helps with getting the right fit.

Allbirds also seems to be making an effort to address its typical narrow foot bed by offering new styles with slightly wider toe boxes. Everyone’s feet are different so we HIGHLY recommend trying different pairs and styles if possible to see if what will be a good fit for you.

– Are Allbirds comfortable? Durable? Easy to care for?

In general, Allbird shoes are made from comfortable material with decent durability. They are easy to clean (all of them are washable) made from natural materials.

But with many shoes, you can expect them to last about a year before the outside sole and other parts of the shoe start to breakdown (i.e. holes or loss of traction). If you were to use them extensively all year round or if it was your one and only go-to travel shoe, they may wear out more quickly.

– Are the Mizzles the best Allbirds shoes for travel? 

Considering the entire Allbirds lineup, the answer is yes.

We would recommend the Dasher Mizzles as the best Allbirds shoes for travel because it had better water protection in our opinion. The Trail Runner SWT had better outer sole traction. Both come in half sizes and have a slightly wider toe box with more stability in the heel, compared to the original Wool Runners and the Wool Runner Mizzle. 

Conclusion: Are Allbirds Mizzles worth it for travel?

The answer to this question is, it depends. For our personal needs, the answer is no.

Though we like the styling and general comfort of the shoes, we weren’t impressed by the water protection. That being said, we do think the Allbirds Mizzle lineup could be a good – if not the perfect – choice for travelers. 

If your foot profile is not wide, if you don’t expect to encounter lots of downpours, and you don’t need them for athletic adventures, than Mizzles are a good fit (pun intended).

We do like the styling, comfort, and natural merino wool material and can see why this brand is popular.

For us, the current brand to beat for the best overall travel shoes is Columbia. They are an outdoor brand to begin with, so their shoes have the durability and water protection technology dialed in.

What sets Columbia apart from other outdoor shoe brands is that they have some styles focused on a urban, modern look, making them appropriate to be worn as stylish sneakers indoors and out. 

Check out Columbia’s Women’s and Men’s OutDry™ Shoes

Our only complaint of the Columbia Facet 75 shoes is that they aren’t that comfortable to run in, but they check all the other boxes for a travel shoe.

We know our feet (and style) are not your feet and style, so we hope that you will join us on the search for the perfect travel shoe. What’s your go to shoe (and brand) for travel?

What shoe do you wish existed in the world?

Let us know in the comments below.