The Hoka Hopara 2 Sandals. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
I’m a big fan of anything with multiple uses. Be it gear, furniture, or clothes, if it can be used for more than one purpose, consider my interest piqued. Especially if I’m spending a lot of money, it’s nice if I can get double the use out of the item. The Hoka Hopara 2 Sandals ($140) live up to that ethos beautifully, and if you are a water-faring person, they make an awesome all-around option for light hikes, stand up paddling, and general water use.
In our guide to the Best Women’s Water Shoes, the latest Hopara sandals were one of our top picks. But simply calling the Hopara 2 water shoes would be doing them a disservice. They are built with sturdy, hike-ready midsoles and outsoles, and a breathable, quick-dry upper that allows water to pass through easily. They’ve fast become one of our go-tos for amphibious adventures, and they feature classic Hoka comfort underfoot.
Bottom Line: The Hoka Hopara 2 sandals are lightweight, breathable sandals, well-suited for hiking and water sports. They have generous support and reliable traction, with plenty of drainage points throughout.
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Testing out the Hopara 2 sandals on a creek crossing in California. Photo: Beth Parsons//The Inertia
Testing the Hoka Hopara 2 Sandals
My husband and I split our time between Oahu and Santa Cruz, California, so I’m treated to a wide range of conditions and hiking options. I was born and raised in California, then spent four years living on Oahu before we started going back and forth. Although California will always have a piece of my heart, I am well-suited for island life and love the barefoot vibe.
Although some hikes call for sturdy, close-toed shoes, sandals (or slippers, as we call them in Hawaii) are my footwear of choice. But sometimes, you need a little extra support. The Hoka Hopara 2 sandals are a great option for me for hiking because they still deliver airflow while providing protection and support. I’ve had the Hopara 2 sandals for over a year now and have worn them on numerous hikes in both California and Hawaii, as well as for some kayaking and stand up paddle adventures.
The Hoka Hopara 2 sandals are great for hiking, kayaking, stand up paddling, or simply going for walks. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Notable Features
Pros: Quick-dry properties, crossover between a shoe and sandal, great traction
Cons: Not great for narrow feet, debris easily enters the sandals
Weight: 20.8 oz
Upper: CORDURA brand rPET/engineered knit
Outsole: Durabrasion rubber
Sizing & Fit
I wear a size 8 in street shoes and ordered the same for my Hopara 2 sandals. I have narrow feet and have found that Hokas have fit a bit wide on me in the past. Such was the case with the Hopara 2 sandals. It’s not excessive, but for stream crossings or anytime when I was in water, I did find that my feet moved around a bit in the sandals. If you have a narrow foot and are trying on at a store, it might be worth trying a half-size down to see if you can find that perfect fit. The sandals do have a toggle quick-lace system that allows for quick and easy adjustments to the fit, which definitely helps.
The plus side of a wider sandal is the wide toe box. This allows your toes to spread out and promotes a natural stride when walking, hiking, or running. This is particularly unique in a water shoe, as most water shoes fit extremely snug, meaning all of your toes are smushed together.
The Hopara 2 sandals have a wide toe box. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Stability & Support
The Hopara 2 sandals are the most supportive hybrid hiking and water shoe I have ever seen. The rubber outsoles, coupled with the molded sugarcane EVA midsoles, are thick and supportive, making each step feel springy. I wore these walking through sand, over rocks, on broken branches and twigs, across broken coral, and never felt anything poke through! That generous cushion also provides high shock absorption, minimizing stress on the feet and joints, making them comfortable to wear on hikes.
The thick midsole on the Hopara 2 sandals has a five-millimeter heel-to-toe drop. Five would be considered a mid-drop shoe and provides generous cushioning under the heel, which can be helpful for reducing impact on the knees and hips (especially for heel strikers). Additionally, these sandals are incredibly stable and perform well on a wide range of terrain, be it wet or dry, soft or hard.
The Hoka Hopara 2 sandals provide excellent stability and support. Photo: Beth Parsons//The Inertia
Traction
Traction is extremely important in both a water shoe and a hiking shoe. Luckily, the Hopara 2 sandals deliver. The outsoles are made from a durable, abrasion-resistant rubber with 4 mm multidirectional lugs that provide reliable traction on both wet and dry surfaces. I wore the Hopara 2 sandals hiking over dirt, on sand, across slippery rocks, on muddy trails, and on loose gravel, and the sandals felt nice and grippy. I wouldn’t recommend wearing them bouldering or on anything crazy steep, but for moderate hikes, paddles, and playing in the creek/river, they work nicely.
The Hopara 2 sandals offer reliable traction on both wet and dry surfaces. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Drainage & Breathability
It is hot in Hawaii, so a breathable hiking shoe is extremely important to me. A lot of the hikes I do involve stream crossing, waterfalls, or massive mud puddles, so I also want something that drains easily. The Hoka Hopara 2 features 100% rPET knit uppers with 100% recycled CORDURA mesh overlays that serve a dual purpose — they allow air to pass through and water to drain out. The mesh allows the shoes to remain breathable while keeping debris from entering. The Hopara 2 sandals also have a mostly open heel, which further aids breathability and drainage.
The Hoka Hopara 2 has mesh uppers that allow for easy drainage and ventilation. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Drawbacks
Although the Hopara 2 sandals are comfortable for the most part, I did experience some rubbing and hot spots. Especially at first. Ideally, I like to wear the Hopara 2 sandals without socks so I can navigate stream crossings and get plenty of airflow. When wearing the sandals without socks, I did experience some rubbing against my heel, which wasn’t ideal. With socks, this isn’t an issue, and it does get better with time.
This may be a pro for some, but it was a con for me: The Hopara 2 sandals are on the wide side. As someone with narrow feet, this is something I often find, but it didn’t allow me to get that snug fit I was hoping for. If you have wide or even normal feet, you may appreciate this feature.
Another issue I experienced with the Hopara 2 sandals is that they do allow a fair amount of debris to enter the shoes. The mesh helps, but the heel area is mostly open, so small rocks and twigs were able to enter that way. I used the sandals a few times walking over sand, and the mesh is no match for the sand. But once you rinse your foot off in water, it does come out easily. This is a challenge with hiking sandals and something I’ve experienced before, but it seemed worse with the Hopara 2s — I think the slightly large fit on my narrow feet was most likely the culprit.
The open heel design and mesh do allow a fair amount of debris to enter the sandals. Photo: Beth Parsons//The Inertia
The Competition
If you don’t plan on hiking in your shoes/sandals and are searching for something more affordable, the Body Glove Horizon Water Shoes are a great option. At $20, they’re super affordable and minimalistic. They have essentially no support, but they offer some protection to the bottoms of your feet and are super packable.
If you’re looking for something a bit more rugged for hiking, the Danner Trail 2650 is our top pick for a hiking shoe. They offer a bit narrower of a fit, but look cool and offer solid all-around performance. They have a classic closed-toe design that does a great job at keeping debris out, but they can’t hold a torch to the drainage and breathability of the Hopara 2 sandals.
Hiking in the Hoka Hopara 2 sandals. Photo: Beth Parsons//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
The Hoka Hopara 2 sandals are the perfect footwear for hiking and water sports. The mesh uppers ensure the sandals are breathable and provide drainage for aquatic adventures, while the Durabrasion rubber outsoles deliver reliable traction on both wet and dry surfaces. Outfitted with a toggle quick-lace system, it’s easy to make adjustments on the fly, whether you’re hiking, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or simply walking the dog.
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Related: Best Water Shoes | Best Hiking Shoes | More Hiking Reviews
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