My Honest Chacos Review

Considering a pair of adventure sandals? Today I’m sharing my honest Chacos review + if they’re worth the spend.

If you have been a longtime reader of my blog, you know I’m a Rainbows flip flops kind of gal. Although I’ve never hesitated to get them wet in the ocean, I have noticed that over the years that for outdoor adventures of any kind, I needed a shoe that was a bit more substantial and waterproof. If I’m being even more honest, I don’t always want to wear sneakers or boots. I have worn Teva sandals in the past, but the pair I had were so smelly and the footbed got so worn down that they had to be thrown out. I mean…it was BAD. Enter: Chacos Sandals.

Dane has been telling me for many years that his Chacos are a great adventure shoe option for men and have lasted him so many years. When we knew we were heading to Africa, I figured it was time to take the plunge! If you have been on the fence about Chacos, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about  these adventure sandals today with an honest Chaos review.

My Honest Chacos Review

Before we get started, I have the Chaco Women’s Cloud X2 Sport Sandal in Rune Teal.

Chacos Review: 6 Reasons Why Chaco Sandals Should Be Your Next Shoe Purchase

1. Comfort

This is the #1 reason far and away. I had read many, many reviews about the straps rubbing people the first handful of times they wore their Chacos, so I was a bit nervous. My feet blister somewhat easily, so I had prepared to wear mine for about two weeks prior to our trip. Turns out – that was all for nothing!

My Chacos didn’t rub my feet at all and thanks to the one continuous strap (my next reason!) they fit like a dream. I also knew that since I would be wearing my sandals after our trip to Kenya for adventures around Hawaii where I would be on my feet quite a bit, I wanted something with a comfortable footbed. I chose the Z/Cloud footbed, which is advertised (CORRECTLY!) as pillow-top comfort. They are a dream to walk in, trust me.

2. One long pull-through strap

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all experienced shoes that fit our foot really well, but the design of the straps creates an issue — rubbing, poor fit, etc. This is why the one, long, pull-through strap of Chaco sandals is so key. Because it’s all one piece of continuous nylon, it can be adjusted to match your foot exactly. I struggled a little bit initially with how to adjust the straps on my sandals, which sounds stupid but it’s kind of confusing at first, especially once your foot is in the shoe. Thankfully, there is a good how-to video on the Chacos site!

3. Durable + Waterproof

This was one of the main selling points to me about Chaco sandals. If they were truly adventure sandals, they needed to step up to meet the challenge, right? Right! I have gotten them wet, taken them up the side of a mountain in east Kenya, strapped them to a backpack and hoped for the best in a bush plane and worn them for 50+ hours of travel through airports and they look and feel just as good as they did when I took them out of the box. I really wish I would have gotten them a really long time ago!

4. Warranty

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that it pays to invest in shoes that are going to last. Yes you might be spending a bit of money upfront, but knowing that you’re going to get your money’s worth out of them (and then some!) is a typical contributing factor to if I’ll actually make the purchase. Chacos stands behinds the quality of their shoes for the entire lifetime of the product. That’s UNREAL! They say “ALL CHACO PRODUCTS ARE WARRANTED TO BE FREE OF DEFECTS IN MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE PRODUCT. We stand behind our products. If a product fails because of a defect in materials or the quality of workmanship, we will repair or replace it free of charge.”

To me, this is more than just a shoe insurance policy, it’s a company that is manufacturing shoes the right way the first time and believe in the quality of their product. Two thumbs up from me!

5. Toe Strap or No Toe Strap.

When I was trying to decide on which Chacos were going to be the best for me, I was really intrigued by the toe strap. Was it just a pretty design characteristic? NOPE! That toe strap provides a little bit of extra foot stability if you plan to wear your sandals for hiking or adventuring beyond simple walking. The toe strap helps your foot to slide around less.

While I knew I wouldn’t be doing a ton of hiking in Kenya, I would be doing a ton of hiking back home in Hawaii, so I opted for the toe strap. Dane’s OG Chacos (pictured above) didn’t have a toe strap and he definitely had toe-strap envy 😉

6. Excellent Footbed Grip

One of the concerns I had with Chacos was from an outdoor adventure perspective – if I wore these hiking or on an adventure – I need for them to be able to have a no-slip factor and offer traction. The first thing I noticed about my Chacos was that they were a bit heavy when I pulled them out of the box. In addition to the comfortable footbed I shared in #1, I would say that they offer the same level of support and comfort as my favorite hiking boots, which would explain the heaviness. The soles of the sandals also custom-made to be durable for adventures. Chacos offers 4 different types of outsoles:

• • ChacoGrip™: Made by us, for us. Our proprietary outsole design features non-marking rubber in men’s and women’s-specific tread designs. Traction on the toe provides excellent uphill and downhill grip, while the lug design provides footing on both dry and slippery surface. It is built to perform and built to last.

• • EcoTread™: Our lightweight rubber compound is made from 25% recycled rubber content. It is easy on the environment and great for your everyday adventure.

• • Colorado: Light weight, low profile sole that maximizes surface area for excellent traction in slick environments. Made in the USA.

• • Terreno: Our 4.5 mm of lug depth will give traction and durability on any trial. This sole is excellent for hiking trails and rocky terrain. Made in the USA.

A bonus? Chacos are almost completely customizable. Tons of designs to choose from with multiple strap colors, footbed types, etc. make these sandals a no-brainer when it comes to adventure shoes. Do you have a pair? Have you been on the fence about them?

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy my Lululemon Leggings Review