Chacos Review: Why They’re the Best Sandals for Travel and Life

I have been wanting to write this article for seventeen years. All this time across my life and world travels, a certain sandal has supported my footsies and made me deeply happy. At last I am publishing my Chacos review!

Tragically, many people still haven’t heard of this brilliant brand, nor understand the joy it can bring. Here is a story from this week to illuminate the power of these shoes. Spoiler: it ends with my sandals getting stolen.

(Note: If you want to shop these shoes, I’ve provided affiliate links throughout this article that give a small commission upon purchase at no extra cost to you. Here’s an easy Amazon search for Chacos, ranked by customer review, and the Zappos page for the shoes. Free returns with both sites!)

We were on a farm in Ohio with my two kiddos and beloved mother-in-law, Diane. “Hey, what are your sandals called?” Diane asked. My eyes lit up, as eyes do when a gal is asked to speak of something her heart loves. “Chacos!” I sang, spinning around to launch in.

“Chacos were introduced to me in 1999 by my college roommate, an avid hiker from the West Coast,” I began breathlessly. “They’re the only sandals I’ve found that give perfect arch support, adjust in every dimension, and are sturdy enough for serious hiking, yet look cute enough for a night out on the town.

“And believe me — I’ve worn them on some insane hikes, AND on many nights out on the town… even to fancy clubs! I pack them on every trip and wear them each warm day at home and abroad.”

“Can I try them on?” asked Diane, whose feet are almost the same size as mine, just a tad longer.

“Yes, of course!” I grinned, recalling that first blissful moment I slipped my foot in, years ago.

Diane’s reaction mirrored the one I had almost two decades ago. “These shoes are actually supporting my arch!” she exclaimed. “They feel GOOD. And this strap — oh my gosh — the whole thing adjusts!”

“Exactly,” I replied, pulling the mid-foot strap to embrace my mother-in-law’s tootsies. “All three lines of the ‘Z’ strap are connected inside the sole of the shoe, so for people with narrow feet like us, we can FINALLY get sandals that fit.

“But while other adjustable shoes have a million messy closures, Chacos display a clean visual line secured with a single pull tab. The sandals also come in Wide widths, Men’s, Kids‘, and a bevy of styles.”

“Does the sole feel too hard against your foot?” I asked Diane, who shook her head no. “It’s the new ‘Cloud’ model at work,” I proclaimed. “The ‘Classic’ model has a firm footbed that I was fine with, but some of my friends found not squishy enough. This one you’re trying is called the ‘Z/Cloud X‘ (Zappos link here) which features a softer (yet still super-sturdy) footbed. It feels so delicious that the day I got those shoes, I walked six miles home from Downtown Boston instead of taking the bus. The Z/Cloud X is my all-time favorite Chaco model.“

“I love these sandals so much,” Diane murmured. (This is foreshadowing. Please imagine dramatic music playing in the background.)

“Speaking of new models,” I continued in a state of sandal euphoria, oblivious to any plots underway, “Chaco has started a line of leather shoes which I’m psyched about, since they combine good arch support with classy design.”

I then proceeded to pull two of these designs out of my bag and photograph my feet in them in front of the farm animals. These are the things that happen when one is a blogger who takes her shoe reporting job extremely seriously. Here is a photo of the “Sofia” sandal… in front of some goats.

(2019 update: It appears that the Sofia and Dorra models are now discontinued, but the real classics — the “Z” line remain, and that’s what’s most important!)

I like the Sophia best of the new leather Chacos. The shoes, like all Chacos, come in a variety of colors, and I picked the dreamy purple “Malbec.” I’ve worn these sandals on several date nights with my husband and have been extremely comfortable, but do note that the more dainty sole of the leather line is best for calmer walking exploits.

This contrasts to the Z/Classic and Z/Cloud Chaco line, which I’ve taken hardcore hiking everywhere from a volcano in Hawaii, to ruins of temples in Cambodia, to mountain towns in Ghana.

The other thing to keep in mind about the new leather line of Chacos is that they don’t have as many adjustable straps as the Z/Classic and Z/Clouds. But they make up for it in cool style! Here is the Dorra leather sandal.

Cue dramatic music again. I should have seen the plot twist coming. When I glanced back at Diane, she was gazing so passionately at my Z/Cloud X sandals that I at last realized something was up.

“Do you think these shoes are a little big on you?” she asked innocently. “Don’t you think you should order a smaller size?” I stared at my precious sandals, dizzy at the thought of a single day without Chaco feet. Diane gave a charming smile as she added, “Isn’t it an amazing coincidence that your too-big sandals fit me perfectly?”

I had to admit, it was an amazing coincidence. And Diane looked so happy…

So… we came to an agreement. I would order a new pair of Chacos in a smaller size for myself, and Diane would keep my size tens in exchange for three big boxes of the famed protein meal bars she sells with Shaklee.

BUT the caveat was this: I REFUSED go a single second Chaco-less. The deal would under no circumstances get underway until my new shoes had arrived. Diane agreed, though during the three days we waited for the package, her eyes followed me balefully each time I donned the shoes she could not yet have.

At last, however, my new ones came! And didn’t I pick a cool color? “Fired Adobe,” baby.

There are several morals of this story. First, I’m noooot cut out to be a foot model, but at least I tried. Second, the comfort of the shoe you wear has a direct correlation to your happiness, and I’m committed to all people — but especially women — boosting happiness through the most comfortable-yet-cute shoes possible.

My hope in writing this love poem is that a few more folks might discover Chacos and experience the joy they have provided me all these years.

So what do you think after this Chacos review? What are the most comfortable shoes you’ve ever owned? Had you heard of Chacos before this article? Do share!

Want Chacos? Shop them through this easy Amazon link, this Zappos link, or any of the links in the article above. At no cost to you, a small commission will support this site.

I asked Chaco to partner on this article because I love them. They kindly provided the two leather sandals and the first pair of Z/Cloud X shoes (which were subsequently commandeered by Diane), but I bought the next pair with my own cash. Yeah, my adoration and opinions are genuine!