Are sandals good for hiking? What are the best hiking sandal brands? Are Chacos good for hiking? Are Tevas good for hiking? In this article, I will give you an answer on all of these questions and many more!
Are sandals good for hiking?
Let’s start with the quick answer. Hiking in sandals is definitely possible, it has been done by many hikers and most of them are not switching back to shoes any time soon. However, there are some negatives that you should know about before buying your pair of hiking sandals. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend hiking in sandals to the average hiker, but for certain hikers (in certain situations) sandals are definitely good for hiking. Above all, good hiking sandals do not have to be expensive, I even wrote an article about the best cheap hiking sandals, feel free to check it out!
Benefits of hiking in sandals
- One of the main advantages of hiking in sandals is that they are extremely lightweight. This means it will cost you less energy to cover the same distance.
- Some hikers can get irritated by the straps on sandals, but overall, there are less contact points with your feet, so there is less potential for blisters.
- It doesn’t matter if they get wet. You don’t have to take your shoes off everything you have to cross a stream or a river.
Downsides of hiking in sandals
- The main disadvantage of hiking in sandals is that they offer almost no protection. If you seriously bump your toe, your hiking trip might be over. Side note: There are certain hiking sandals with additional protection.
- There is less ankle support. Now I did say that ankle support is an overused term (see: Is ankle support a myth?). However, that does not mean that ankle support is complete bullshit. That said, a big portion of the ankle support comes from the heel cup in the sole. Therefore, any good hiking sandal will provide at least some ankle support. In any case, give your feet plenty of time to adjust to the sandals, your ankles might need some time to get stronger.
- Rocks, stones, dirt, mud, etc… might make your life a living hell. This is why I stated that hiking in sandals can be a good idea for some hikers in certain conditions.
- If you are hiking in cold weather or in snow, you need to wear proper waterproof socks in your sandals.
What are the best hiking sandal brands?
If you want to give hiking in sandals a go, you should definitely bring the right type of sandals. I can recommend a couple of brands, some of them are pretty well known: Chacos, Tevas, Keen, Merrel, etc. However, I can also recommend lesser known brands like Xero shoes, especially the xero shoes z-trek are a pretty solid option for a hiking sandal.
Are Chacos good for hiking?
So, can you hike in chacos? Well, if you are already certain that you are going to hike in sandals, I can only recommend to use Chacos. There are many hikers who prefer Chacos over any other hiking sandals, and for good reason. The sole is optimized for hiking and it provides all the ankle support you can expect in a sandal.
Sandals are not as durable as old school hiking boots. Chaco knows this and they offer a great (paid) service where you can get your Chacos repaired. This service is called ReChaco.
There are plenty of good Chacos to choose from. However, I will always recommend the Chacos Z1. It’s the classic Chacos hiking sandal and it has been tested and approved by many hikers.
Additionally, they offer a lifetime warranty on unexpected damage (this does not cover normal wear and tear).
All in all, Chacos is probably my favorite hiking sandal brand.
Are Tevas good for hiking?
When you mention sandals, the first brand that comes to mind is Tevas. Therefore, it should not be a surprise that they are also pretty well appreciated in the hiking community. There is almost no “best sandal” list where Tevas isn’t mentioned.
The main advantage of hiking in Tevas is that they have a big assortment for hiking sandals. For example, if you are looking for some more protection, you could go with the Tevas Omnium. However, if you prefer a regular hiking sandal, you should go with Teva Terra FI 4.
Conclusion: Tevas are great for hiking, especially because they have an option for every type of hiker. However, they do only offer a year long warranty and they don’t have any kind of repair service.
Are Keen sandals good for hiking?
Keen is a pretty respectable brand when it comes to hiking shoes. They have also been making hiking sandals for quite some time. These hiking sandals are truly optimized for hiking. The first thing to notice is that these sandals (most of them at least) offer more protection than the previous mentioned brands. Not only do these sandals offer more protection, a lot of hikers claim that they are more comfortable as well.
Keen has plenty of good hiking sandals to choose from. My number one recommendation would be the Keen Newport. These sandals are once again very protective!
Keen is similar to Tevas, they also offer one year warranty, but they do not have any type of repair service.
Are Merrell sandals good for hiking?
Merrel is another respectable brand within the hiking world. Merrel is known for many great hiking shoes and yes, they also make hiking sandals.
They also offer a lot of different options and most of them are great for hiking. I would recommend the Merrell Men’s All Out Blaze Sieve Water Shoe. It’s slightly heavier than most of the alternatives, but it does provide a lot of protection for a hiking sandal.
I would probably still prefer certain other brands over Merrel. The main reason for this is that they only offer a 60 day warranty. Additionally, they also do not offer any kind of repair service.
What are good hiking sandal socks?
The biggest difference between hiking sandal socks and regular hiking socks, is that hiking sandal socks will constantly be exposed to the elements. Therefore, they will sooner be worn/damaged. The best thing you can do is to get some durable, tough hiking socks. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I would recommend Darn tough hiking socks.
Note that these socks are not waterproof. If you prefer some protection from the rain, I would recommend to go with Sealskinz. However, if the cold isn’t really the issue, you don’t really need waterproof socks. Even if your socks get soaked, they will dry pretty fast when you wear them in sandals. That said, personal preference can also be a factor here.
How much should you spend on a hiking sandal?
You should spend around $50-$100 for a good pair of hiking sandals. Some sandals might be slightly more expensive, but overall, you can definitely find good options for under $100. Also, it’s not impossible to find decent hiking sandals under $50, but it might get pretty challenging.
Note that sandals won’t last as long than hiking boots. Sure enough, hiking boots are often a lot more expensive, so it kind off evens out.
What is the best hiking sandal?
All the sandals that I mentioned in this article are very good options. However, if I would have to choose a single pair, I would probably go for the Chacos Z1. If you care more about protection than about lightweight footwear, I would recommend Keen Newport instead.
Conclusion
Hiking in sandals is definitely possible. However, before you do so, you should be aware of all the risks. Mainly the lack of protection could be an issue. On the other hand, there are certain hiking sandals that actually provide quite a bit of protection.
I would always recommend to first try sandals on a short hiking trip before wearing them on a long distance trail.
There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages of using sandals on a hiking trip. In the end, it really comes down to personal preference and on the type of terrain you will encounter.
Not sold on the idea of hiking sandals? Maybe you will find a better suited option on my list of best cheap hiking shoes.