If you’re trying to figure out whether Chaco sandals are worth it, you probably already know that people who love Chacos really love them, to the point of being a little culty about it.
I wanted to know if the sandals live up to that, so I tested two different pairs over a few weeks of summer walking, errands, and time outdoors.
I’ll admit, I’ve been a Teva girl for years, so I came to Chaco curious and a little skeptical. The two brands get compared constantly, and Chaco always looked like the more minimalist, more supportive cousin.
This Chaco sandals review is my honest take after trying two different footbeds, including how well they worked for me and what I didn’t love about them. The right pair depends a lot on your feet and what you’re using them for.
Disclosure: Chaco sent me both pairs of sandals to test, but all opinions are my own.
Pros
- Some of the best arch support in any sport sandal
- Excellent grip
- Repair program allows worn pairs to get fixed instead of tossed
- Minimalist look, less clunky-looking than most sport sandals
- Come in lots of cute color options that go with plenty of outfits
Cons
- Firm footbed that takes a few weeks to break in
- Heavier than other sport sandals I own
- One-strap design takes practice to adjust
What is Chaco?
Chaco started in 1989 with Mark Paigen, a rafting and fly fishing guide in Paonia, Colorado, who couldn’t find a sandal that dried in the sun and still supported his feet on long days on the river.
He built the first pairs in a spare room at home, tracing clients’ feet on paper, and sold them out of a small shop in Glenwood Springs. The single continuous strap threading through the midsole has been there from the start.
The brand is best known for that adjustable Z-strap system, the contoured LUVSEAT footbed that carries the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Acceptance, and serious durability.
Chaco was bought by Wolverine World Wide in 2009 and is now based in Rockford, Michigan, home of the ReChaco repair facility, where you can pay a small fee to have a worn pair resoled or re-strapped instead of replacing it.
Chaco Sandals Review: My Experience With Chaco Sandals
I picked two pairs of Chaco sandals so I could feel the difference between two different footbeds, the Z/Cloud with its slightly softer cushioned top layer and the Z/1 Classic with the firmer original footbed. The strap system was the same for both and I got them in two fun colors for summer.
My main takeaway is that the arch support is the best part, and it beats my Tevas, which matters to me because I have flat feet and deal with overpronation. The colors and the minimalist look are also better than I expected from a sport sandal.
The traction is good too. I never slipped once over a 10,000-step day on pavement, and they gripped well on damp grass chasing my son around the park.
However, the firm footbed took some getting used to, and as someone with sensitive feet, I’ve had a rougher time breaking these in. A few weeks in, I still feel like I haven’t broken them in fully.
Because of that, these have worked better for me as casual outdoor sandals than as an all-day walking shoe. Here’s how the two pairs compare.
Chaco Z/Cloud
The Z/Cloud was the first Chaco sandal I tried, and it grabbed my foot in all the right places as soon as I put it on. The arch support is easy to feel, which I love as someone with flat feet, and the straps sit exactly where I want them with no rubbing at my pinky toe and room for my bunion to breathe.
The footbed is a little softer than the Z/1 thanks to the cushioned top layer, though I want to be clear that softer still means firm. If you’re coming from a squishy EVA sandal, this will feel very firm rather than plush.
The single-strap system wasn’t the easiest to get the hang of on either sandal. It’s not intuitive, and I had to look up how to adjust it. Once I saw the instructions, it mostly clicked, and I found the design to be pretty clever, with one strap tightening your whole foot at once.
However, I still continued to have issues with it some days. On one walk away from home, I spent 15 minutes trying to remember how to tighten one section properly, and I was worried I’d have to walk home barefoot because it was taking so long.
Thankfully, I figured it out, but this is just to show you that the strap system takes some getting used to, and you might want to make sure you have it down before you leave the house, like me.
As a side note, since we’re talking about cons, I also wish the loose strap end had a place to tuck into the ankle strap instead of just hanging there. It would make them look a little sleeker.
I got these in the Pebble Sage color, which is a fun pattern for summer and I love the earthy tones on a whitish base. Because the strap is patterned, it works best with solid outfits. I’ve been wearing these with my sage green utility pants a lot, where the green picks up the pattern, and that looks great. They don’t work as well with patterned dresses and pants.
These are currently my camping, kayaking, and outdoorsy summer day shoes. People do hike in them, but that’s not how I’d personally use them.
Chaco Z/1 Classic
The Z/1 Classic is the firmer of the two sandals I tried, and you can feel the difference to an extent, although not as much as I thought I might.
I will say that the Classic is more rock-like underfoot without much give, which some people love, but for me, it was something that gave me a harder time. The arch support is excellent here too, and it held up all day even on a long afternoon of walking.
The Burnt Umber color is one of my favorite things about this pair. It almost looks tan but has a reddish, unique tone, and because it’s a solid color, it’s the easier of my two pairs to style.
I took these on a 10,000-step day after I thought I had broken them in enough around the house and on a shorter 1.5-mile walk around the neighborhood, but they weren’t as broken in as I thought.
They gave me a water blister on the bottom of my second toe from rubbing against the textured footbed, and I felt heel fatigue by the end of the day from how firm the platform is.
My feet also got sweaty on the bottom (it was a hot day in the 80s), and there’s a slightly odd, sweat-inducing feel to the footbed surface for me. I’m curious to see if that changes as I continue to wear them, or if it’s just something about the material that makes my feet sweat more in hot weather.
I also realized after such a long walk that my feet feel less secure in these and the Z/Cloud overall than they do in my Tevas. This is partly due to the single strap design instead of multiple adjustment points and partly due to a footbed that doesn’t cradle my foot as much as my Hurricanes do. It’s just something to note if you’re comparing the two.
Similar to the Z/Cloud, right now, I use these more as a casual outdoor or post-hike shoe than a walking shoe.
Sizing and Fit
Chaco sandals only come in whole sizes, so if you’re a half size like me, you’ll need to make a decision to size up or down. My normal size is a US women’s 10.5, and I sized down to a 10 in both pairs, which worked well.
One other thing to note about fit. The single strap adjusts around your entire foot, which means getting a good fit takes a little practice, and a poorly adjusted strap is often the real reason people get early blisters rather than the sandal itself. Give yourself time to get the tension right, especially across the top of your foot.
Chaco also offers a wide option in many styles if you need more room. Just note that they’re listed as separate products rather than a width choice on the standard sales pages, so you may need to search for the wide version specifically. I wear a regular (medium) width, and it fits well.
FAQs About Chaco Sandals
For most people, yes, once they’re broken in. Plenty of long-term wearers walk 7 or 8 miles a day in them comfortably and swear by them for travel.
My own experience was more mixed because I have sensitive feet and I’m still trying to see if I can break them in more, so I’d say try them on shorter outings first and build up rather than taking a brand-new pair straight onto a long walking day.
Usually about two to three weeks of regular wear, which is Chaco’s own guidance. The footbed starts firm and softens as it molds to your foot, and the straps loosen up too.
Wear them in short stretches at first rather than all day, and use a blister bandage on any hot spots while they’re still new.
The footbed has a textured surface that reduces slippage, but that texture can rub uncomfortably against new feet, especially if your feet are damp or sweaty. This is the single most common Chaco complaint.
It usually eases as they break in, but a blister that shows up fast and painfully is often a sign the strap fit needs adjusting, so it’s worth fiddling with the tension before assuming the sandal just doesn’t work for you.
They’re different. Chaco sandals have noticeably better arch support and a firmer, more structured footbed, plus a repair program Teva doesn’t match. My Teva sandals are lighter, softer underfoot, and quicker to adjust with their multiple straps.
If you want maximum support and durability, lean Chaco. If you want lightweight and easy, lean Teva. I have a full comparison coming, but that’s the short version.
Yes, and this is one of the best things about the brand. The ReChaco program will resole your sandals, replace straps, and fix buckles for far less than a new pair, which makes them a strong long-term buy even at full price.
Yes, but you have to look for them. Chaco sells wide widths as their own separate product listings rather than as a width option on the standard sandal page, so if you only see medium, search the wide version of that style directly.
The Z/1 Classic and Z/Cloud have a wide version in limited colors, and Chaco has a whole wide-width section on their site.
Final Thoughts: Are Chaco Sandals Worth It?
Chaco makes a really good sandal, and I understand why their fans are so loyal. The arch support is excellent, the build quality and repairability mean a pair can last you years, and the look is more minimalist and wearable than most sport sandals.
If you want supportive sandals for camping, water, travel, and outdoor days, and you’re willing to break them in properly, these are an easy recommendation.
The honest caveat is that firm footbed. If you have sensitive feet or you’re used to soft, cushioned sandals, know that these take a few weeks to break in and won’t feel plush even once they do. That’s a feature for people who want structure and a drawback for people who want to slip something on and go.
I’m still working on breaking them in after a few weeks, which is why I’ve been using them more for casual outdoor use than all-day walking. If that changes as I walk more miles in them, I’ll update this review.
For the right feet and the right use, it’s easy to see where all that loyalty comes from.
Mimi McFadden
Mimi started The Atlas Heart in 2013 to write about her travels abroad. 13 years and 45+ countries later, she accidentally became a packing expert. Now she helps women figure out what to pack, what to wear, and which gear is actually worth it. Outside of travel, you’ll find her hiking with her son, reading in her chaise lounge, and winning 3-point contests against her husband.
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