Chaco Z/1 Review

S

Snake Plissken

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Dec 1, 2004
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Online, got them in 2 days! I always thought people were idiots paying $100 bucks for sandals, but now I know why! These are the most comfortable shoes ever! They are more comfortable than my New Balance trail runners and expensive hiking boots. They will dry within 45 minutes of a dunking and aren't slippery when wet. I got the Z/1 with the Terreno outsole, which is a Vibram product. These are not just walking around sandals, I hiked about 8 miles and my feet were just fine, can't beat chacos for everyday use. After I've had them longer I will write more of a review. :)

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Much better than Tevas, Eccos, Birkenstocks, Mephistos, and Merrels.
 
yeah buddy!

i been wearing chacos since people asked, "what tevas are those?" and you had to reply, "man, tevas suck. these here are chacos." and they would say, "what are chacos?" and i would say, "these excellent sandals out of colorado." and, well you get the idea.

i think i paid $30 for my first pair, many many, many moons ago, and i still were them occasionally when i guide rafts.

personally i prefer the z/2. once you get use to the big toe strap, you will never look back. the increase in lateral stability (foot does not slide sideways) and the lack of sandal flap (front edge being pulled away from toes, especially in water) are worth the initial bother.

k
 
I got my Chacos two and a half years ago. I've used it so much it's already gone back to the factory for a resole. :D I love the simple strap routing and cinching design and the absence of Velcro.
 
Hi All-

Call me crazy, but I just can't see sandals replacing hiking boots for extended treks. In addition to ankle support, boots also provide you protection from scrapes, puncture wounds, animal bites, feces, dirt, and germs.

If you're using them for casual walking, airline travel, or in foreign countries where you must remove your shoes to go inside buildings, that makes complete sense. It doesn't look like Chacos have the "hippie look" associated with Birkenstocks and some of the others. Thanks for the review.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I have the Z2 and love them. In case you don't know, you can adjust the straps and pull the toe portion of the strap flat against the sandal to essentially turn them into the Z1. Now you can wear them with socks!

Scott

Sure seems like a weird time of the year to be discussing sandals.
 
Blue Jays said:
Hi All-

Call me crazy, but I just can't see sandals replacing hiking boots for extended treks. In addition to ankle support, boots also provide you protection from scrapes, puncture wounds, animal bites, feces, dirt, and germs.

If you're using them for casual walking, airline travel, or in foreign countries where you must remove your shoes to go inside buildings, that makes complete sense. It doesn't look like Chacos have the "hippie look" associated with Birkenstocks and some of the others. Thanks for the review.

~ Blue Jays ~
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You never know until you try, as stated above, I thought it was crazy to wear sandals while hiking, but you get used to it, the ankle support is over-rated as your ankles are allowed to flex more, your ankle muscles will develop more strength and in a greater radius (although this only goes so far, as my past injuries attest). Your feet get tougher and ant bites no longer bother you. As for germs, I've never heard of a case in which someone caught the funk from sandals. As for animal crap, you walk around it. :D Here in Florida, every trail has water on it and swamps are everywhere, I had some Merrel hiking boots for a while, but they began to stink and rot from the moisture. You also develop the "sandal shuffle" which prevents your toenails from getting broke off, and toes broken.

PS Blue Jay I agree with you, Birkenstocks are too hippie. :D

PPS shanshui75: Tevas do pale in comparison to Chacos, Chacos are the Ferrari of sandals. (well, mabye mephistos hold that honor, but close enough :) )
 
Hi Snake-

The timing of this post is perfect because I have to replace my aging (but cool) Adidas slides. While I'm not likely to step-up to those Z-series performance models, the Flip model looks pretty cool for general purpose use....

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Am I the only one who will never understand sandals? To me, they are no better than flip flops. The only time I would consider wearing some would be at the beach. And thats it. Not at the mall. Not out at night. And certainly not hiking where one encounters thorns, jaggers, and such...

Mark
 
Hi Minjin-

You're not the only one who doesn't completely understand sandals! I felt your pain in post# 4 above...

I've seen men and women wearing sandals (not Chacos specifically) under absolutely absurd conditions. The flip-flop variety seem to be all the rage among women who couple them with business suits even in filthy urban areas like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. Their feet are dirty and disgusting by the time the evening commute comes around...

If one chooses to wear sandals in hiking environments, that is fine, but don't complain if toes get stubbed and bloodied. If I have to unhook, unlatch, and unvelcro everything, I might as well obtain the superior protection offered by traditional boots or shoes.

I must say that the Chaco models look like they are extremely well-built with high-quality materials. It appears the prices are initially a bit more expensive, but the sandals can be rebuilt and it's likely they would be quite comfortable...especially those Z/rivatives models. I'm going to seriously consider a pair for post-cycling, getting-the-newspaper, and backyard use.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Blue Jays- I agree, I hate flip-flops, they suck. They offer no protection, are overpriced, curl your toes with time, are uncomfortable and are not appropriate for many occasions. But, sandals offer much more protection than flip-flops, keep your feet cool and dry, and are more "free" to use. An added bonus of Chacos is that I've put about 18 miles on them now, and the Vibram sole, when washed, looks new, I can't tell that they've been used. There are many people who have had their Chacos for 2-3 years without any wear, and if the sole ever does manage to wear out, it can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of new ones. Plus, as aforementioned, I live in Florida, which is only cold a month of the year, and either warm or hot with more than 80% humidity most of the year, so the breathability is worth the toe-stubbing and critter bites. :D

PS- I considered getting Keen Newport H2's, which offer way more protection than any other sandal on the market, but when used around sand, the sand gets inside and does not come out. Regular sandals can just be "kicked" and voila! dirt free.

Keen H2's
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I have a pair of Chaco Z/1's and I hike in them also. The strap design is a little different than Tevas or Merrels, butr is more stable and restains better. In the recent years, the quality of Tevas has gone downhill, they all used to be handmade and I had a pair that lasted forever, but now they are made in China, and don't last near as long. I wear Chaco's year around (not with socks :barf: ). They last forever. The pair I have have the Vibram Terreno sole. They've yet to wear out or even round around the edges or pieces come off. The straps still look new, and if they get dirty, just throw them in the washer, and let them air dry. Voila! new looking sandals. I personally think that they look a lot better with the "z" straps than most tevas or Merrels, and not quite so noticeable.

Btw hey everyone!
 
Hi Falcon!! Welcome aboard BF!

I'll play dissenter:) Have a pair of Chacos back in the States (rotting away in the closet since I sunk too much money to get rid of them quite yet) and they don't feel nearly as comfortable as my old Tevas. Been wearing the same Tevas since 2001-2002 where I was deployed in the Bahamas for about ten months over several years. Being a gadget geek, I saw the Chacos and brought them on one of the deployments...just couldn't get used to them. Maybe I'm weird with my size 14, but they just didn't outpace the Tevas. Tevas are still with me over here.

BTW agree about the Keens and sandy areas...but totally dig the Keens in the winter with socks and jeans (yeah, it is cold some places Florida boy :p

Once again, welcome aboard the Forums Falcon. Stay awhile (you can see by my join date that some of us linger for awhile :D

Glenmore
 
I posted earlier in this thread about my Z2 Chacos. I do love 'em. After raving about them so much, my wife went shopping and tried on a pair. She didn't like them at all. (I think there's something wrong with HER!)

Anyway--this might be something you buy in a store, and not over the internet. Try before buy.

Scott
 
Hi All-

Like Scott said, the ideal solution is to go to a bricks n' mortar store for purchase. The Internet is not the source for all purchases, but that is a totally different thread!

Chacos only come in whole sizes, so you'll have to round-up or round-down if you're in the middle. They advise to go larger if you like somewhat of a "bumper cushion" for your toes. If you want a sleeker and more streamlined look, go smaller.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Blue Jays said:
Hi All-

Like Scott said, the ideal solution is to go to a bricks n' mortar store for purchase. The Internet is not the source for all purchases, but that is a totally different thread!

Chacos only come in whole sizes, so you'll have to round-up or round-down if you're in the middle. They advise to go larger if you like somewhat of a "bumper cushion" for your toes. If you want a sleeker and more streamlined look, go smaller.

~ Blue Jays ~
Click to expand...


I'm a 14 and I wear a 13 in Chacos, they tend to run a little big. Just curious, does anyone have experience with the Colorado outsole? I've heard that it's better for boats, because of the increased surface area, but because it's not quite as thick as the Vibram, is not as comfortable. Does anyone have a Colorado they've used for a while?



PS, thanks for the welcome, icarian.
 
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