Tevas -vs- Chaco's

[snuffleupagus]

I'm considerering a pair of sandals for light hiking days. I've come down to two choices. Tevas Terri-Fi or Chaco Z/2 Colorado's. Both seem comfortable enough. The Chaco's have that wrap around toe feature. That kind of makes me feel like I'll get that "underwear up my butt crack" feeling after wearing them for a while (please no puns). Do you think they will start to blister me? Which is better for small rocks and pebbles?

[ganj]

I'm getting ready to hike the PCT and after talking to folks that have worn Chacos I decided to pick up the Z1 Terrenos. They strongly advised against the toe strap. One reason besides another point of friction is that it makes it difficult to wear socks around camp or on the colder hiking days.

Also, Ebay has been a good source for getting Chacos for cheap.

[dtadta]

I have used Chacos for years now and have fallen in love with them. I just wanted to add a point about the toe loop. I think it makes the sandal feel much more secure. In addition, if it is a cold day and you want to wear socks, you can just press the loop down and put your foot over it, basically making it just like the Chaco style without the toe loop. It's a little difficult to understand what I am saying without looking at the sandal. Overall, I think the toe loop has lots of positives without the negatives.

Just thought I would offer my opinion.

[RedneckRye]

Chacos are resoleable and made here in the states. I've worn Z1 Terrenos and they provide solid arch support, better than the couple of pairs of Tevas I tried on.

[mdionne]

i wore both chacos and tevas on the trail. the chacos outcomforted and outlasted my tevas. i never went for the toe loop, i thought it would be uncomfortable.

[Trail Yeti]

Definately go for the chacos. I have z1 terreno's and the next ones I buy will be Z2 with the toe loop. The toe loop is supposed to keep your foot more stable....which is the only problem I had hiking in my Z1's.

[Moon Monster]

Teva Terra-fis have very soft soles that probably would not hold up well for you for trail use. I have hiked in Terra-fis before, and while they were OK for short, light, one-day use, I would never take them over something with stiff soles for regular use.

I hiked all 2172 miles of the AT in Teva Wraptors, which are much more rugged than the Terra-fis, and should you decide to go Teva, go Wraptor. Wraptor's are too heavy to carry as occasional footwear, though.

Chacos' soles are bombproof Vibram, and they are as stiff as most shanked trail runners. The straps are unlikely to cause blisters (Teva's can since they are quite stiff). For me, however, off-the-shelf Chacos have way too narrow a heel strap (which is not adjustable). Chaco will custom cut things for you, but that takes a lot of time and shipping.

[tarbubble]

Chacos are great sandals and i have done a lot of hiking in mine, but i also love my Teva Wraptor IIs, which are designed as running sandals. actually, the Chacos tend to aggravate an old toe injury (broke it years ago and it's never been quite the same since), so i almost exclusively use the Wraptors now. they are extremely comfortable, much more cozy and cushioned than the Chacos. they will probably not last as long and are not re-soleable so their overall ecological impact is greater than the Chacos as well. but i really, really love mine - in fact they are my daily shoes, i love them that much.

[freewheelinmilo]

all the way. ive done long distances in both, and while teva was adaquate the chacs are nothing short of phenomenon. should you find like i did that the straps rub and even cause uncomfortable abrasions, duct tape works until your foot gets tougher, then its walking on sunshine.

[oyvay]

I've hiked in both, but I prefer chacos. The vibram is great for traction and after hiking all day they don't make my feet stink like my tevas used to (really bad!).

[mpholcomb]

I love my chacos. The largest difference that I have noticed besides the better construction than tevas, is no rubbing. Every pair of tevas that I have owned, I have felt some buckle (usually), or seam, or what have you. I feel absoultely nothing except the strap on my Z2s.

[flyfisher]

I routinely run in my Teva Wraptor IIs, normally about 2 miles a day 4 days a week. I used them on a 67 mile mid May AT section hike. The inside of the straps has padding that gets wet in the streams and from the dew on the grass that overhangs the trail in the mornings. I got several nasty blisters from the Tevas on the trip.

I have worn Chaco Z2s with the toe strap pulled tight against the sole making it much like a Z1 for about 90 miles of AT. I like the Chacos because they do not cause blisters on my feet. The straps are not padded, just nylon webbing, so they dry very fast. Also, in the Tevas, my feet stink, and the Chacos stay clean smelling. The Chacos do not support my feet laterally. Somehow, I just got used to that, using the sandal more as a barefoot pad instead of a shoe.

I hope you are able to find sandals which work well for you.

I wrote Owner's Reports on both for the BGT group. They are here:

Teva Wraptor II
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Sandals/Teva%20Wraptor%202%20sandals/Owner%20Review%20by%20Rick%20Allnutt/

Chaco Z2
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Sandals/Chaco%20Z2%20Sandals/Owner%20Review%20by%20Rick%20Allnutt/

I had just about given up on sandals after my bout with the Tevas. However, it seemed like the majority of thru hikers I saw on Mt. Washington last July were wearing Chacos.