Aaaaah, perfect timing!
I'm just back from a three week trip to Japan. Before that I was looking for comfortable waterproof sandals since the weather in Japan is quite humid and hot at this time (currently it's rainy season over there). Another thing is that you always have to take off your shoes so I didnt want to have warm sneakers which would overheat my feet and give them the (familiar) locker room smell.
So I went to our big local Any Mountain and checked their stuff. Until then I had never heard about Chacos and was basically looking for (another) pair of (padded) Tevas since the ones I have are not too well suited for long term usage and will give me discomfort from the straps after some time. When I took the first look at the shoe shelf, I immediately noticed the different look of the Chacos. Their soles are thick and look very comfortable since they are contoured to the sole of your feet. The overall design is simple up to the point where you could call it Spartan. So I gave it a try and they were the first pair I tried. After that I tried on almost all the sandals they had in that store but always came back to the Chacos for comfort comparison, because they definitely felt the best on my foot. The price is a little bit higher than comparable simple designs, but the quality definitely shows in the details. The sole is Polyurethane and should last a very long time. So long, that the company offer a resoling service. As mentioned, the sole has a foot bed, which makes it very comfortable to walk in these sandals. The strap is fairly soft and wraps the foot nicely without giving discomfort anywhere and the sliding buckle gives you the ability to micro-adjust the strap with a single pull. There is nothing to unhook, fasten, loop or latch. A great idea!
So then I went with the Z-1 with the Vibram sole, since my main focus was on walking and not water usage, except the occasional beach walk. The advantage of the Z-1 over the Z-2 is that you dont have the toe loop. I noticed that the continuous strap didnt quite mold that perfectly to my big toe and would have given my a blister in short time. Another thing is that you cant wear that type (and the Z-3, which the store didnt have in stock) with socks.
Ok, after all this introduction you might ask, but how do they wear? The answer is, that they fulfilled all my expectations. I was wearing them almost exclusively with and without socks for almost the entire three weeks. On average we where constantly on our feet from 10am to 6-7 pm. I didnt get a blister, hot spot or any other discomfort with socks, without socks and in very hot and humid conditions I got a very slight hot spot on the inner side of the foot, where the front strap crosses. But that only after several hours and the spot disappeared over night completely. Another thing I was worried about that the sole might rub my socks into lint. Surprisingly it didnt. It seems the Polyurethane has a non grabbing surface, which doesnt rub too much off the fabric. Also interesting the abrasion resistance of the Vibram outer sole. The sandals look as if Id rarely used them. There is just the slightest signs of wear on the heels, thats it. My wife also bought new shoes before the vacation and their soles look as if she had them for six moths already.
Overall I would say, if you get the chance to try a pair of Chacos, do so. They look simple and they definitely are it, but the fit and quality is outstanding. All the overbuild looking Tevas with Velcro here, buckle there and stitched padding all over look cool on the shelf, but when it comes to wearing quality the Chacos will beat them hands down for general walking. Besides that they are made right here in US of A and not in some labor exploiting third world country.
Your mileage my vary, but I for my part found a nice pair of sandals which most likely will give me pleasure for a long time to come. And no, I dont work for that company or are in any other way related to them.
[This message has been edited by Ralf (edited 06-13-2001).]
