Retezat National Park, Romania. A good pair of hiking sandals can take you all over the world. Photo: Toa Heftiba//Unsplash

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Summer is here and that means sandal season. We love to get out, explore, and let the sun shine on our toes. While hiking boots or hiking shoes will get the job done, our testing team has a special love for hiking in sandals. The best hiking sandals are lightweight, breathable, and ideal for water crossings, making them our go-to for warm weather adventures.

Although we wouldn’t recommend hiking sandals as your only footwear for backpacking trips or lengthier hikes, they’re perfect for shorter treks near home and as secondary shoes in the backcountry. Hiking sandals are also great to wear around water, as their open-toed design typically makes them fast-drying and more comfortable when wet. After testing some of the best options in the industry, we’ve rounded up our favorite hiking sandals.

Read on for our top picks, and for more information, check out our Comparison Table and Buyer’s Guide. Looking for water-specific shoes? Click here.

The Best Hiking Sandals of 2024

Best Overall Hiking Sandals: Chaco Z/1 Sandals
Runner-Up Best Overall Hiking Sandals: Teva Hurricane XLT2
Best Value Hiking Sandals: Teva Original Universal Sandals
Most Stylish Hiking Sandals: Astral Webber Sandals
Most Versatile Hiking Sandals: KEEN Whisper Sandals

Best Overall Hiking Sandals

Chaco Z/1 Classic Sandals ($105)

Available In: Men’s, Women’s

Pros: Adjustable, durable, excellent repair program
Cons: Straps are long for narrow feet, break-in period

Weight: 1 lbs 5.2 oz
Outsole: Non-marking ChacoGrip rubber compound
Upper: Polyester

Founded in 1989, Chaco has been in the business for a long time, and we continue to recommend the brand’s well-designed, long-lasting hiking sandals. Combining contemporary aesthetics with durable, supportive soles, the Chacos’ Z/1 Sandals feature pull-through adjustable straps and trademarked LUVSEAT footbeds. The Z/1’s combination of performance and longevity make them our favorite hiking sandals this year.

The polyester jacquard webbing upper wraps around the foot and through the midsole for a customized fit, and we found the straps to be comfortable and resistant to wear (albeit a bit long for narrow feet). The outsole is made from non-marking EcoTread, a 25% recycled rubber compound that offers three millimeter lug-depth. The textured footbed helps to keep your feet in place, though some testers noted that in very wet conditions, their feet were prone to sliding.

The Chaco design is getting rapidly more stylish, with plenty of color options to suit your taste. The midsoles are comfortable, durable, and supportive underfoot, and the adjustable straps allow you to customize the sandals for the best fit. As someone with a narrow foot, our lead tester’s only issue after tightening these hiking sandals was leftover strap material that dragged a bit when walking — something she plans on rectifying with a sewing kit. Chaco now makes a “Wide” option in some sizes, though in our experience they sell out quickly.

Perhaps our favorite reason to recommend Chaco hiking sandals is for the brand’s excellent repair program. Chaco charges flat fees for common repairs — replacing straps, re-soling, etc — so you can keep your hiking sandals in tip-top shape for years to come.

Runner-Up Best Overall Hiking Sandals

Teva Hurricane XLT2 ($75)

Available In: Men’s, Women’s

Pros: Made from eco-friendly materials, great blend of support and comfort
Cons: Slightly less supportive than Chaco

Weight: 1 lb 4 oz
Outsole: Rubber
Upper: REPREVE recycled polyester

Our lead tester has been a die-hard Teva fan since day one and the Hurricane XLT2 validates her dedication. An upgraded model of the beloved Hurricane XLT, the XLT2 features soft heel-strap padding and a durable, rubber outsole for toughness and traction. Made with the environment in mind, these sandals are created using synthetic and plant-based materials with quick-dry webbing made from recycled plastic. Plus, the hiking sandals are fully recyclable.

Available in a wide range of colors and styles, the XLT2 has a robust EVA footbed and a nylon shank that stabilizes and supports your foot on uneven terrain. The Velcro straps are quick and easy to adjust and the thick footbed offers the support you need for long days on the trails. While we love the Teva XLT2, they are slightly less supportive than the Chaco Z/1, so they finished just behind for performance on-trail. That said, at the time of publishing, the Tevas are $30 cheaper than the Chacos.

For more information on the Teva Hurricane XLT2, read our full review here.

Best Value Hiking Sandals

Teva Original Universal Sandals ($55)

Available In: Men’s, Women’s
Pros: Simple and stylish, good performance for the price
Cons: Not a ton of support for longer adventures, basic strap system

Weight: 13 oz
Outsole: Rubber
Upper: REPREVE recycled polyester

The original Tevas have been around for a minute. Since 1984 to be exact, when a guide in the Grand Canyon added extra straps to a pair of flip-flops so they wouldn’t float away. Teva is popular with the hiking and camping crowd for its simple, comfortable, and durable designs. The Original Universal Sandals continue that legacy.

We love the classic Teva hiking sandals, as they pack functionality and style into a well-priced option. The sandals feature low-profile foam midsoles and and a light tread design. As such, they are great for less-demanding hikes, as well as wearing around camp or town. While they aren’t as protective as our top picks on more technical hikes, for $55 at the time of publishing, Teva Original Universal Sandals are an awesome choice for the money.

Most Stylish Hiking Sandals

Astral Webber Sandals ($110)

Available In: Women’s, Men’s
Pros: Stylish, super durable
Cons: Rub if wet for too long

Weight: 7.3 oz
Outsole: Flex Grip with G.ss rubber
Upper: 100% post-consumer recycled polyester

Designed by river guides, the Astral Webber Sandals are perfect for adventures from the water to the trail. The webbing and adjustable straps on the sandals are 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, and made from the same strap material as Astral’s famous personal flotation devices (PFDs). The buckles are also PFD-grade, so they’re super reliable.

If you leave the straps loose, you can easily slip in and out of the sandals, but they can also be cinched tight for hiking. Our tester has narrow feet and found that these sandals fit, but she had to work the buckles to get them extra tight.

These sandals feature a zero-drop footbed to encourage your foot’s natural alignment and promote a natural stride. The outsoles are plenty grippy, making them perfect for trekking along the river, up mountains, and everything in between. Our tester wore the Webber Sandals on a 16-day river rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and found them to be an excellent outdoor sandal.

While they’re great for hiking, we’d recommend using the Astral Webber for shorter hikes, as the sandals can rub a bit after prolonged wear or exposure to water. These sandals are also super stylish and look great in the outdoors as well as around town, post-adventure.

Most Versatile Hiking Sandals

KEEN Whisper Sandals ($120)

Available In: Women’s, Men’s (Newport H2)
Pros: Elastic one-pull lacing provides easy on/off, protective rubber toe-guards
Cons: A little dorky

Weight: 1 lb 1 oz
Outsole: Carbon rubber
Upper: Polyester webbing

KEEN’s Whisper Sandals are a lightweight, performance sandal that are perfect for wet and dry adventures alike. The sandals sport polyester webbing uppers that provide a secure fit and nylon mesh linings that enhance the comfort. The EVA midsoles provide much needed cushion and support and the carbon rubber outsoles provide reliable traction, even when trails are slippery. The elastic one-pull lacing allow for easy on and off and the rubber toe-guards help prevent stubbed toes.

As the sandals are designed for water and hiking, they feature a Cleansport NXT treatment, which helps prevent odor-causing bacteria from growing. Our tester lives in Hawaii, where trails are often wet, muddy, and include stream crossings, so she appreciated how seamlessly these transitioned between wet and dry surfaces. Although Keen doesn’t make the Whisper for men, the Newport H2 Sandals are similar and equally as worthy.

Best of the Rest

Birkenstock Tatacoa Sandals ($145)

Available In: Men’s
Pros: Protective lip keeps debris out, durable
Cons: Stiff, heavy

Weight: N/A
Outsole: Birko-Flor
Upper: TPU

We’ve always been a fan of Birkenstock sandals, so when we found out they made a hiking sandal we were intrigued. The Birkenstock Tatacoa Sandals are heavy-duty and durable, making them well-suited for the trail and aquatic adventures.

The Tatacoa sandals sport Birkentstock’s traditional footbed, so they’re nice and supportive. The sandals have three Velcro straps that help you customize the sandals for a secure fit. There’s a protective lip that runs the perimeter of the sandals, which we found to be a great feature for helping prevent pebbles and other debris from sneaking beneath your feet.

The Tatacoas are on the heavy side, and they’re stiff out of the box. But like Birkenstock’s classic sandals, they continue to break in and get more comfortable with each wear. The textured TPU outsoles provide generous grip on both wet and dry surfaces and we found these hiking sandals performed well in water.

Chaco Z/2 Classic Sandals ($105)

Available In: Women’s, Men’s
Pros: Excellent lock-down fit, durable
Cons: Not a good fit for narrow feet, toe strap is polarizing

Weight: 1 lb 15.1 oz
Outsole: ChacoGrip rubber compound
Upper: Polyester jacquard webbing

The Chaco Z/2 Classic Sandals are extremely similar to the Z/1 sandals — okay, they’re almost exactly the same. But, unlike the Z/1 sandals, the Z/2 sandals have a big toe-strap to help lock your foot into place. Our lead tester personally prefers to go to without the toe strap, but she knows plenty of people who love it. For example, one of our editors opts for his pair of Z/2 hiking sandals when he knows the terrain is going to be uneven, as the addition of the toe-strap provides a lock-down fit.

Like the Z/1 sandals, the Z/2 sandals have adjustable straps throughout, so you can easily customize them to your foot. One caveat: our lead tester has narrow feet, and she found that once she got the straps tight enough, the extra strap material dragged a bit. The big toe-strap can even be pulled down flat and not used (say, for example you want to wear socks with your Chacos). However, pulling the toe-strap down creates even more excess strap material, so if you have narrow feet, the Chaco Z/2 sandals may not be the best pick for you.

On the flip side, the Chaco Z/2 sandals are insanely durable, and the thick soles provide generous support. The traction underfoot is reliable and the sandals perform well on both dry land and in water. Nearly identical to our top pick, but with a big toe-strap, the Z/2 is a great option if you want the extra securement point.

Chaco Lowdown Leather Strappy Sandals ($80)

Available In: Women’s
Pros: Classy look, comfortable immediately
Cons: Not a great fit for folks with wider feet, not a ton of support

Weight: N/A
Outsole: Non-marking ChacoGrip rubber compound
Upper: Full Grain leather upper

The Chaco Lowdown Leather Strappy Sandals are an unobtrusive pair of sandals built with the outdoors in mind. Although these sandals don’t offer as much support as the other Chaco hiking sandals on this list, the LUVSEAT footbed is still cushy and supportive. We wouldn’t recommend wearing these on lengthy hikes, but we found they worked great on shorter hikes, dog walks, and cruising around town.

The leather straps and footbed give them a classy look that transitions seamlessly from the trails to town. Our tester has narrow feet and found these fit much better than other Chaco sandals she has tried. That being said, some reviewers with wider feet did complain about the fit being off. If you’re looking for a comfy, long-lasting sandal that is more stylish than stable, then the Lowdown Leather Strappy Sandal is our recommendation.

Teva Tirra Sandals ($85)

Available In: Women’s
Pros: Outsoles have drainage holes, neoprene backs
Cons: Straps rub when brand new

Weight: 1 lb 2 oz
Outsole: Rubber
Upper: REPREVE recycled polyester/synthetic leather

If you’re a fan of Teva and are looking for something that stands out from its classic models, the Teva Tirra is a great hiking sandal option. The Tirra sandals have three velcro straps that help customize the fit. Our tester has narrow feet and felt that these ran a little wider, so if you have regular to wide feet, take a look at the Tirra over the other Teva options above.

We recommend wearing these sandals on a few shorter hikes to break them in as the straps rubbed a bit at first. Luckily, the sandals have neoprene backs to help prevent blisters on the heels. The compression-molded footbeds and midsoles provide cushion and absorb trail impact. The rubber outsoles have aggressive lugs for enhanced traction and feature drainage holes — a nice touch for adventures on and near water. While not as simple as the classic Teva design, once broken in we loved the secure fit of the Tirra hiking sandals.

Teva Outflow CT Sandals ($110)

Available In: Women’s, Men’s
Pros: Closed-toe design, bungee lacing
Cons: Debris get stuck inside

Weight: 1 lb 6.2 oz
Outsole: Rubber
Upper: 80% textile/20% synthetic

The Teva Outflow CT Sandal is like a blend between a hiking shoe and a hiking sandal, resulting in a breathable yet supportive option that’s great for water and trails. The Outflow sandals sport a closed-toed design, which is nice for protection, but still has cutouts around the foot for ventilation.

The uppers are a blend of synthetic material and mesh, which we found to be breathable and quick-drying. The sandals feel soft and cushy against your feet, and the bungee-style lacing allows for quick and easy adjustments. The only downside of the closed-toed design is when a pebble or twig sneaks into your sandal, it takes more work to dislodge than open-toed options. On the flip side, we found the design great at keeping unwanted debris out. The outsoles are rugged, durable, and provide generous traction, allowing you to easily navigate in and out of water without fear of slipping. The Outflow CT makes a great hybrid water shoe or casual hiker.

Xero H-Trail Sandals ($80)

Available In: Women’s, Men’s
Pros: Lightweight, barefoot feel
Cons: No support

Weight: 9.2 oz
Outsole: FeelTrue rubber/EVA
Upper: Polyester webbing/microfiber

Barefoot hiker? Look no further: The Xero H-Trail Sandals are right up your alley. For fans of ground-feel, these hiking sandals are as pared-down as they get. Underfoot, the H-Trail sandals sport just a thin layer of foam with minimalist rubber lugs.

The H-Trail hiking sandals are extremely lightweight and when you hike, you barely notice that they’re there. The sandal upper features four adjustment points that help customize the fit. Our tester worried the strap between the toes might rub, but luckily it wasn’t noticeable. The rubber outsoles have surprisingly good traction, and although they don’t offer much (or really any) support, they help protect your feet from sharp objects and abrasions. The H-Trail sandals are great for traveling, as they are lightweight and take up very little space.

Best Hiking Sandals Comparison Table

How We Tested The Best Hiking Sandals

In order to test these sandals, you guessed it, we went hiking. Our lead tester is an avid hiker and split her time testing on Oahu, Hawaii and in Orange County, California. She took the best hiking sandals out in dry conditions and wet conditions, on flat terrain and hills, and everything in between. She noted how each option fit and felt, the type of straps or closure each had, if they had a break-in period, how supportive they felt, and more.

Editor’s Note: We first ran this review in May of 2023. This article was then updated in October of 2023, when we updated the formatting, added in a additional hiking sandals, and included additional notes reflecting more time spent hiking in our top picks. We updated this review again in May of 2024, adding six more pairs of hiking sandals. We also removed hiking sandals that were no longer up-to-date or easy to find. Additionally, we included more information in the Buyer’s Guide to help readers decide the best hiking sandals for them.

Hiking the trails of Orange County in hiking sandals. Photo: Beth Parsons//The Inertia

Best Hiking Sandals Ratings Table

Some of the best hiking sandals we tested. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia

Hiking Sandals Buyer’s Guide

When Should I Wear Hiking Sandals?

When setting off on a hike, many people opt for a good pair of hiking boots or hiking shoes. Those are great for long hikes or super technical terrain. However, there is a time and a place for hiking in sandals. Shorter hikes or hikes that involve crossing in and out of water frequently are a great time to reach for a pair of hiking sandals. We also love to hike in sandals when the weather is warm. Because they’re lightweight and packable, hiking sandals also work well for traveling, especially for trips that you’ll be spending lots of time walking, even if it’s not on an actual trail.

Style meets comfort in the Chaco Lowdown Leather Strappy Sandal. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia

What Makes a Good Hiking Sandal?

If you’ve ever hiked in flip-flops or sandals that weren’t designed for the trails, you’re likely not a believer in the hiking sandal. But if you try trekking in a pair of sandals specifically designed for hiking, you’ll soon be a convert. When we’re in the market for a new pair of hiking sandals, we look for a combination of durability, secure fit, support, and comfort.

Comfort
Comfort is at the top of our list for footwear and clothing. If it’s something we’re going to be wearing every day or for significant mileage, we need it to be comfy. With hiking sandals, that means that straps fit securely and they don’t rub when covering long distances, and the midsole feels comfortable underfoot.

Chaco offers our top pick for hiking sandals with the Z-1 Sandals. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia

Durability
If you’re an avid hiker, you’re probably going to put your hiking sandals through the wringer, meaning they need to be well-made in order to keep up with you and your adventures. We want a pair we can rely on for traveling, trekking, and everything in between. We also seek out brands that offer warranties and repairs on hiking sandals.

Support
While support is a plus in any footwear, it’s essential in hiking sandals, as you’ll be using them for uneven terrain. If they don’t offer solid support underfoot, or you can frequently feel sharp rocks, sticks, and other rough patches in the trail poking through the bottom, they won’t work.

Best Overall Hiking Sandal

Chaco’s Z-1 Sandals are the ultimate hiking sandals. Durable and sturdy, they have adjustable straps that allow you to customize the fit. Plus, Chaco has a great repair and warranty program.

Price: $105

Women's Men's

What Else Should I Look For in a Good Pair of Hiking Sandals?

Style

We’ll be the first ones to admit it: Hiking sandals aren’t always the most stylish footwear. But since our tester purchased her first pair in 2009, they have definitely grown on her and she regularly finds herself admiring some of the latest hiking sandals. Whether you’re into colorful prints, simple solids, or muted earth-tones, these days there are hiking sandals for every taste.

Our tester spent 16 days on the Colorado River in the Astral Webber Sandals. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia

Waterproof/Water-Resistant

If you’re anything like us, plenty of your hikes involve water. As such, we want a hiking sandal that transitions well between wet and dry terrain. We consider whether they allow water to easily filter through, if they dry quickly, and if they offer reliable traction on slippery surfaces.

Break-In Period

Some sandals are comfortable out of the gates and others get better with time. Sometimes breaking in hiking sandals requires a week of uncomfortable feet with the idea that they’ll begin molding to the shape of your foot. If you’re someone that isn’t a fan of the break-in period, you may want to go to a store so you can try on the sandals for yourself to see if they meet your comfort standards from the get-go.

Hiking sandals like the Teva Tirra provide great comfort and reliable traction. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia

Closure Type

There are a surprising number of closure systems for hiking sandals. On our list alone we tested pull-through straps, buckle-adjustable straps, velcro straps, a quick-lace system, a hook-and-loop closure system, a drawstring lacing system, and a heel-toggle. The best type of closure system really comes down to what feels comfortable and looks good to you.

Traction

For everyday sandals, traction isn’t a huge issue. But for sandals you plan on hiking in, you’ll want to make sure they have reliable traction so you’re not slipping around on trail. Look for a pair of sandals with a durable tread compound and lug pattern underfoot. Most hiking sandals sport rubber outsoles, which provide solid traction for both wet and dry surfaces.

Return to Top Picks | Return to Comparison Table

Editor’s Note: Getting out on trail but need a little more protection? Check out our guides to the Best Hiking Shoes, Best Women’s Hiking Shoes, Best Hiking Boots and Best Women’s Hiking Boots. Looking for water-specific shoes? We have guides for that too: Best Water Shoes and Best Women’s Water Shoes. For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.

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