For summer adventures and just about everything else, the Chaco Z/1 Classic is hard to beat. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Until very recently, my sandal quiver was exclusively made up of flip flops. Blame my Southern California upbringing but I would often find myself reaching the limits of my flips’ capabilities whether on a muddy back trail on a surf trip or somewhere closer to home and prefer to go barefoot while carrying my flip flops so I could judge others rather than (gasp) invest in a pair of functional strappy numbers. Several hundred pointy rocks to the heel later, I have come to see the error of my ways and am an absolute convert when it comes to functional sandals.
Unlike flip flops that slip and slide on even the most moderate incline, a strappy sandal that keeps your footwear firmly underfoot is a necessity for many would-be adventures and has benefits that other footwear just can’t beat. A brisk trail walk down to your favorite surf break? No issue. Creek crossing on your favorite hike? Not a problem. Flopping around for the day near an alpine lake and want to dip your feet? Easy.
These days, the adventure sandals market has gotten a bit crowded. But the Chaco Z/1 Classic Sandal ($105), which has changed very little since its inception in 1989, continues to maintain a cult following. After two years of testing these babies, it’s easy to see why. I’ve spent countless days cruising around town, with a fair amount of hikes and more strenuous activity mixed in, done some camping in Joshua Tree, and even enjoyed a few summer trips to the Eastern Sierra with my Chacos in tow. Now, I can confidently report that Chaco’s Z/1 Classic is one of the best on the market for the casual hiker and on-water enthusiast.
Comfortable and supportive, the Chacos are great for casual outings. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Bottom Line: The enduring popularity of Chaco’s Z/1 Classic sandal is evidence of just how versatile and functional the design is. And after two years of consistent wear on the trail, around town, by the beach, and in the alpine, I’m convinced there’s no better casual hiking sandal out there.
Check Price on REIRelated: Best Hiking Sandals | Best Men’s Sandals
My Experience with the Chaco Z/1 Classics
Pros: Supportive, comfortable, and stable
Cons: High profile, heavy, strange tan lines
Sizing Recommendation: For half sizes, Chaco recommends sizing down. We found this to be right for the Z/1 Classics
They say religion and politics are two topics to steer clear of at family gatherings if you want to avoid heated arguments. Whoever first shared this sentiment should have included favorite sandals on that list. Outdoor enthusiasts are passionate about many things, but sandals may be at the top of the list. All this to say, I had long heard about the magic of Chaco’s Z strap before actually putting on my first pair. And when the opportunity finally arose to give ‘em a whirl, I was anxious to put the hype to the test.
Looking online, I decided to go with the Z/1 Classic over the Z/2 (which includes a toe loop) due to the ability to pair the Z/1 with socks if needed. I also elected for the Z/1 Classic over Chaco’s more recently developed Z/Cloud line, which features a bit more cushion, because I wanted to get a good baseline of how much cushion and support the original sandal offers first.
The Chaco’s Z/1 sandals don’t have a toe-loop, for easy socks n’ sandals comfort. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
When I got the Z/1 Classics in the mail, the first thing I noticed was the heft. Unlike similar sandals like Teva’s Universal or minimalist sandals like Bedrock’s Cairn Evo, or even flip flops I was used to like Olukai’s Tuahine or Rainbows, the Chaco Z/1 had weight, dare I say clunk, that I wasn’t sure about.
This was due to the overall thickness and construction of the footbed. Instead of molded foam, which is especially popular in footwear these days, Chaco makes most of its footbeds out of polyurethane compounds. The logic is that the footbed won’t break down or compress as quickly as foam. The trade-off is a bit of added weight, but what you get is a footbed that can easily last for years with regular use, with the same bounce and response as on day one.
Looking at the profile of the Z/1 Classic, the thickness of the footbed increases from about ½ an inch under the toes to about an inch or so under the arch, and then back down to about ¾ of an inch around the heel. Sidewalls on either side of the heel cup act like guard rails to keep the heel centered in the footbed and prevent lateral sliding. And a knobby, rugged outsole made of Chaco’s proprietary Chacogrip rubber compound has a tread pattern that looks designed to dine on uneven, sketchy terrain for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Decent but low-profile tread makes the Z/1 Classic ready for trails or city streets. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
When I put the Z/1 Classic on for the first time, especially given the thickness of the footbed, I expected a bit more give and squish, but that really wasn’t the case. The footbed is padded but not plush, and there’s definitely no feeling that you sink into your sandals.
As any member of the cult of Chaco will tell you, the beauty of the design of the Z/Classic comes down to its famed Z strap system. The design threads a single strap of webbing through the footbed and back over the top of the foot in a Z pattern with a single cinch for tightening that sits near the outer ankle.
Loosening or tightening the sandal for the ideal fit is a matter of tugging at different parts of the strap to thread the webbing through the sandal and then tightening or loosening the cinch. As this was my first pair of Chacos, there was a bit of a learning curve for me to get it right, but after a few wears, it became pretty second nature.
Easily-adjustable straps for a perfect fit. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inerta
Testing the Chaco Z/1 Classics
I’ve kept my Chaco Z/1 Classics in my regular sandal rotation for about two years. Because the Z/1 Classic is equal parts all-terrain and everyday-wear sandal, putting it to the test has involved a steady stream of casual wear mixed with a good amount of hiking and outdoor activity. Coastal Orange County was the primary testing ground, but a few camping trips to Joshua Tree National Park and summer jaunts up to Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra here in California were all helpful in getting a sense of the limits of the Z/1 Classic and understanding how they felt underfoot after prolonged wear on varying terrain.
Each testing location proved ideal for different reasons. Around home in Orange County, I was able to log countless full days in my Chacos bouncing from morning surfs to weekend errands to kids’ sports. While not the most extreme of use cases, these days were super helpful to get an idea of all-day comfort.
Joshua Tree’s desert climate was great for its temperature swings – rocking Chacos without socks under the sun, then with socks when temps dipped at night and during cool mornings, was ideal to see whether comfort or performance changed in either case. And zipping in and out of a tent to pop them on tested how intuitive the adjustability was, especially in the dark.
Finally, the terrain of the Eastern Sierra in summer is full of competing demands – a hike here, a dip in an alpine lake there. Perfect for fully waterproof footwear equipped for off-roading. A day on the shore of June Lake, for example, was ideal to see how the Z/1 Classic performed when fully wet.
Socks and sandals used to be a fashion faux-pas, but dare we say it’s making a comeback? Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
What I Like About The Chaco Z/1 Classics
Tried and True Design
As I mentioned above, Chaco’s Z/1 Classic has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1989. The entire sandal is made of a total of eight component parts. And it’s got one buckle to tighten. The design is streamlined, straightforward, and user-friendly once you get the hang of it. Other sandals in the category that offer equal adjustability are just more complicated.
Teva’s Universal sandal has two velcro straps, and its burlier Hurricane XLT2, which is better equipped for hiking, has three. Bedrock’s Cairn Evo combines a buckle, D-ring, and velcro to dial in fit. The point is that Chaco’s Z/1 Classic is unmatched in its simplicity and ease of use. Adjusting on the fly was particularly easy to tighten or loosen relative to the task or terrain, and didn’t require taking the sandal off to fiddle with it.
Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Extra Supportive Footbed
Compare the Chaco Z/1 Classic’s footbed contours to those of similar sandals, like Teva’s Hurricane XLT2 or Bedrock’s Cairn EVO, and the curves are pretty dramatic. The result is that it’s pretty hard to beat the level of support the Z/1’s footbed provides. Curvature under the toe mound, paired with arch support and a deep heel cup with sidewalls designed to prevent fishtailing and sliding, all work together to support the natural contours of the foot. For all-day wear, this level of support was super appreciated.
The Z/1 Classic’s PU construction also highlights a bit of a divide in the world of sandals. The Z/1 is manufactured with footbed contours meant to cradle the foot. Other sandals, like the Cairn EVO, are mostly flat out of the box but feature foam that compacts under the weight of your foot over time, creating custom contours generally around the heel and toe mound.
There are different schools of thought here, but the result for the Z/1 Classic is that there is no break-in period to achieve the desired fit. Additionally, even though the Z/1 Classic doesn’t mold to your foot over time, my personal experience with sandals designed to break in for a custom fit is that the result isn’t always perfect. Uneven wear over time may lead to a heel cup that’s not centered over the back of the sandal, for example, or other weird little quirks.
Contoured arch support. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Durability
After two years of regular use, the soles of my Z/1 Classics are beginning to show some light wear, and there may be some slight discoloration and wear in the webbing, particularly the areas that thread through the footbed, but beyond that, there’s little difference now compared to when they first arrived. The glue between the footbed and the outsole continues to hold up nicely without any splitting, and the footbed offers the same level of bounce and cushion it did from the beginning. This is a testament to both the materials the Z/1 is constructed with and the simplicity of the sandal’s design. Fewer parts, fewer points of failure.
And even when your Chacos do break, the brand has an excellent repair program to get your sandals back on your feet.
Drawbacks
Firm Feel
For those partial to a sandal that offers a cushy, spongy snap with every step, the Z/1 Classic is not it. The PU footbed does have some give and bounce, but it prioritizes firm support over shock absorption. As a runner who has leaned hard into high-stack height cushioned footwear, going between running shoes and firmer sandals, especially on the trail, has been an adjustment. Though it’s not impossible to go back and forth. Still, for those who want a little extra cushion, Chaco’s Z/Cloud line has all of the benefits of the Z/1 Classic with a 5mm softer top layer for a bit more shock absorption on the trail. And for more casual Z-strap enthusiasts, the CushZ swaps a PU footbed for a lightweight EVA footbed.
The firm feeling of the Chacos might take some getting used to, but the benefits of arch support and durability are obvious. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Weight
The drawback to Chaco’s dedication to sturdier materials is that they tend to run a bit heavy. Compare the Teva XLT2, weighing 283g per sandal, to the Z/1, which weighs 403g per sandal. The difference is even more dramatic when comparing the Bedrock Cairn EVO (221g per sandal) and Teva Universal (184g). Overall, the Z/1 is more rigid and supportive than its lighter counterparts. But this tradeoff may not be worthwhile to more casual hikers who aren’t putting a lot of wear and tear on their sandals anyway.
Cost
If you’re investing in a pair of Z/1s, know that you’re putting your hard-earned money toward a pair of sandals that may well last you a decade. And even if they don’t, Chaco’s ReChaco repair program offers common repairs like resoles and strap replacement for a flat fee. Even so, the $100 price tag of the Z/1 Classic puts them in the mid-to-high range for a pair of sporty sandals. For comparison, Teva’s XLT2 at the time of writing retails for $75.
For those looking for a lighter, more cost-effective Chaco that’s more geared toward casual wear, consider Chaco’s CushZ line. Teva’s Universal is also a great option, too.
Overall, there are a whole lot of reasons why the Chaco Z/1 Classic has been a top pick all-around sandal for decades. Photo: Dylan Heyden//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
Chaco’s Z/1 Classic has been a staple in the footwear quivers of outdoor enthusiasts for decades, and continues to be a capable, adventure-ready sandal with a streamlined design. Its construction prizes support and durability over cushy padding that breaks down over time, albeit with a bit of added weight compared to similar sandals in the category. The Z/1 Classic may be too rugged and commands too high a price for strictly casual wear. But, for adventure-seekers looking for a sporty, versatile sandal built to last, the Z/1 Classic is the ideal choice.
Check Price on REIRelated: Best Men’s Sandals | Best Hiking Sandals | More Gear Reviews
