Chaco Men's Z/1 Classic Outdoor Sandals

Best walking and water shoes ever! I walked all over Croatia and into the water and back out. They don’t slip when wet. I wore them with the heels down for convenience and they stayed put. Very durable. True to size. Super comfortable. Easy to adjust to any foot. They may seem expensive but they’re worth every cent. Lots of colors to choose from. Looks like a high end water shoe/sandal. Love the thick sole. Straps are made of sturdy material. Buy these shoes!!

Z1 Classic sandals by Chaco are my go-to footwear. They are comfortable outdoor sandals with a solid and stable foot bed and adjustable nylon straps. I have been wearing similar Chaco sandals for more than 20 years, nearly every day. I wore them to work, while biking, and hiking in all conditions. I wore them as my only footwear for about 1200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. They are sturdy. In average times, it takes me about two years to wear a pair out. I am including photos that show my new pair and the pair that I am discarding after two years of exercise walking and other daily wear. The old sandal’s ridges on the footbed have partly worn out and the sole has become very thin, wearing out completely in the heel area. But that took two full years of daily wear! Z1s excel in wet conditions. When I have worn them in wet grass, walking through puddles, or crossing streams; the nylon straps dry faster than any other sandals I have tried. This helps in keeping my feet dry and goes a long way toward preventing blisters. Chaco has continued to make these sandals to the same high standards they exhibited when I started wearing them. The adjustment system of pulling on straps through the footbed is identical to the first Chacos I wore. If I could give Z1 Chaco Sandals 7 stars, I would.

Comparing Z1s: Latest vs Older Version I’ve had Chaco flip-flops (my 2nd one is now in its 10th year – easily one of my favourite pieces of footwear and I’ve gifted these to family as well), and older version Z1 and Z2 bought in the mid-2000s (each lasted about 7 years). I very much liked the Z1s of the past but always felt it cumbersome to wear it due to its weight. With usage, the footbed got harder and my feet felt sorer. This current 2024 version of the Z1, which I’ve used for 6 months, is quite different. It’s much lighter, and the footbed is not only comfortable but super cushiony. It’s almost a pleasure to walk in it. I’ve not gone on any long hard hikes. Only light hikes, rough pebbled roads and mostly city walking, and it is excellent – I much prefer it to the version of 10-15 years ago. I can’t say for sure how it will do on tough hikes, so I’ll leave that review to the pros. The other difference I saw was the strap is much longer on my bigger feet (so needs to be tucked in or it will dangle – minor annoyance). The heel area is also smaller, so it’s a tighter fit around the heel only, possibly an improvement than the older version. I’ll update this review as the years progress to see how it holds up. For now, this gets a full 5-star rating.

I love these sandals! However, I have always purchased size 10, which is what I ordered this time. I was surprised to find the “new 10” is shorter than a pair bought in 2021, not by much but enough to exchange for the next size up.

To start with, I have caveman feet. My arch is non-existent and I epically over-pronate. I have to buy custom orthotics for most of my shoes or buy shoes that come with insoles that can be customized. Flip flops, or other flimsy, lightwieght sandals are not an option for me. All of that being said, I love these sandals! I ordered the 10W - having previously owned a pair in 9W that were on the brink of being too small. Even with the almost too-small fit of that pair, I wore them consistently for most of 8 years, until they were lost on a camping trip. I often wore those sandals in place of hiking shoes, l was so comfortable in them. This pair is no different. The 10W fits me a lot better. They are definately a wide fit and until I step down and my foot spreads out, they look almost too wide but they are not. The Vibram soles provide good grip on any surface, and the arch support is good as well. The straps of the Chaco sandals are the key to thier fit - they seem to be almost infinately adjustable and can be manipulated to postion your foot and hold it securely wherever needed on the footbed of the sandal. The construction of the Chaco Z1 is top notch - you will be hard pressed to find any other sandal in this price range that is made as rugged and as durable. These are meant to last. I ordered the grey - only because it was cheaper. Color is not as important to me as comfort. The only negative thing I could say about these sandals is that they are heavy - even heavier than some of my shoes. That is due to the thickness of the Vibram sole, I would guess. After wearing them for a very short time, the weight has not been noticable to me, though. Thankfully, it does not appear to me that Chaco has not tried to change much in the way they do things since the first pair that I purchased years ago. Chaco figure out a long time ago how to make a high quality, comfortable sandal that will last and they are sticking to that. Highly recommended

Great water/rafting sandal. Replaced a worn out pair I've owned for years. The sandal fabric is quick drying with a rugged sole when traversing slippery river rocks. Heck I will even wear these in the fall with jeans and a cool pair of socks for casual dinner outing. Highly recommend!

Classic comfort and fit that I’ve come to expect from Chaco. Easy to wear all day without issues and easy to wash off when dirty.

I have had several pairs of Z-1s over the years. Got a new pair today. They do not disappoint. Best sandals ever made. Sculpted sole gives comfortable secure footing even on a tipping wet boat deck.

It’s difficult to find Chacos in Canada, I was happy to get a pair that wasn’t priced outrageously. It took about a mouth from order to receive, but that wasn’t an issue.

これは格好いいです

To be honest this is the best looking and feeling sandal I have ever bought. It’s sporty, it’s a little dressy, it’s super easy to put on and I feel like it’s gray for the city or a hike. But at times I feel like I could have bought 2 sizes smaller. I am a 42, I ordered a 41 and i think I could have even worn a 40 comfortably because my feet aren’t wide

普段のくつ（NB）は27.5で、27か28のどっちかで迷ったけど、自分には28がちょうど良かったです！ 履き心地も良く、長時間履いてても全然疲れないので気に入ってます！

Ich habe schon geglaubt, es gibt keine Schuhe mehr, die mehr als 6 Monate halten. Die Sandale ist stabil geht nicht kaputt, genial einfaches Schliessmechanismus. Ich bin schwer begeistert das ich seit langem sogar eine Rezension verfasse.