Amphibious Sandals?

Actually I think the straps are polyester. That's according to their web site. They say the polyester is softer than nylon, and dries faster.

All this talk about the Chacos made me go check out their web site. There I learned that they come in two different widthes now. Therefore I ended up at Nature Outfitters here and I bought a new pair of Z1's! As much as I like my old ones, these are even better. The wides fit me better, and the footbed is softer. The new Vibram sole is much grippier than the tan colored Vibram sole on my older pair. This forum is bad for my bank account.

Paul
 
Has anyone sprung for a pair of Z2 and care to comment. I like the idea of side stability and don't wear socks with sandals. But I am somewhat worried about the blister factor.

protodoc
 
Protodoc, the thing with the Z-2 is that the front loop has to be narrow to accommodate the big toe. Since the strap is just one piece coming from over the forefoot, it makes a somewhat steeper turn to go back again. As you can try for yourself with a flat piece of webbing, if you loop it tightly at an angle, one side of the loop will have a much smaller opening than the other. In case of the Z-2 it means that the piece of strap which goes around the inside of the toe is not parallel with your bones. I just tried them briefly in the store and already felt an uncomfortable pressure spot. IMHO it would have been a smarter move to make the toe loop from a separate piece of strap, which could have been perfectly parallel.

But this is just my opinion. I would suggest to try them for yourself. The anatomy of each person is different and it could be that you feel comfortable in them.
 
These are not exactly sandals per say, but I bought a pair and find that they work very well. They dry very quickly and don't leave a stanky odor in your shoe afterwards. The water flows right through them, and my feet were very comfortable in them. Give them a try. I got them from Galls, they are the only ones I found who carry them at the present moment. :)

Bates Marine Patrol Shoe
 
Very helpful thread.

Was about totally sold on the Chacos, then read that they're good for wide feet. Mine are skinnier than you can believe. But, if indeed the straps across the forefoot can be adjusted, then maybe they're the ticket after all.

Does anyone possibly know a link that shows what the front end of the Chaco Z-2s really looks like? I went to the link for the company, but can't get any of the screens to load. Just see the little icon in the upper left corner. The picture in action gear is too dark for me to see what the toe loop looks like. Given my skinny feet, the more places a sandal has to grab onto my feet, I reckon the better. Will try the company site again.

Thanks all.
 
z2sambawalkabout.gif
 
Was about totally sold on the Chacos, then read that
they're good for wide feet. Mine are skinnier than you can
believe. But, if indeed the straps across the forefoot can be
adjusted, then maybe they're the ticket after all.
Click to expand...

Bugs,

I purchased a pair via mail order, and upon receiving them I found that the pull strap was hanging too far out, so that both of them were dragging the ground. After a quick call to the helpful customer service reps, I found I would have to send them back so that the main buckle strap could be shortened a little. They said this was because I had "low volume" feet, although I have never been aware of any problems with other footwear of any kind not fitting because of this. I really hated to send them back because I really wanted these for an upcoming vacation. I will say, however, that these sandals are extremely comfortable on my feet, but I really, really, hated having to send them back to the factory for adjustment.

JK
 
Remster--thanks for the tip on the Bates water shoes. I really liked the Chacos when I tried them, but I was looking for something with a little more protection for the toes.

Any other items like the Bates? I seem to recall seeing several water-sock- shoes from Nike and whatnot, aimed at more of a river rafting kind of user than a more mixed environment.....looking for something a little more rugged.
 
Jedi Knife,
I had the strap problem with my first pair of Chacos. I just took them over to the climbing section of the store I bought them in and had them shorten them with the hot knife used for cutting synthetic rope. If you send them back though they will restitch the end of the strap which helps keep the strap from coming out of the buckle when you take them off, which can be a pain. My new ones seem to be fine as far as the strap goes.
 
I went to a local dealer over the weekend to try on some Chacos.

Three things I noticed: They appear to run a little small. I usually wear size 11 and the Chacos fit better in size 12. I guess with open toed sandals sizing is not quite as critical.

Second, the Z2's with the toeloop fit actually pretty well but the straps are thinner than those on the Z1's. I think they look better with the wider straps.

Third, I liked the extra heft and deeper lugs of the walkabout sole. Well worth the extra five bucks in my opinion

Overall, I love the feel, fit, and quality of these sandals. Unfortunately, the dealer did not have the exact model that I was interested in.

protodoc
 
JohnG,
Check out The Sportsman's Guide. They have a pretty good selection of watershoes at some pretty good prices. Click on "Type/Style" and go down to "Watershoes".
 
I had the strap problem with my first pair of Chacos. I just
took them over to the climbing section of the store I bought
them in and had them shorten them with the hot knife used
for cutting synthetic rope.
Click to expand...

Paul,

I called the factory before I decided to modify them, and they recommend shortening the strap with the buckle on it instead of the pull strap. The pull strap is supposed to remain at a predetermined length to facilitate putting on/taking off the sandals.

Any other items like the Bates? I seem to recall seeing several
water-sock- shoes from Nike and whatnot, aimed at more of a river
rafting kind of user than a more mixed environment.....looking for
something a little more rugged.
Click to expand...

JohnG,

Check out the Merrell website - then select Shoreline Stretch from the pulldown menu. There are other models there that would probably interest you as well.

JK
 
Remster, Jedi, thanks for the info---of interest to us Jersey folk, it looks like Campmor in Paramus has a good selection of these shoes(as well as a ton of other stuff!)

Sportsman's Guide is a great outfit, but I have yet to get onto their website today :rolleyes:
 
John,

Seeing as you are from North Jersey I take it, you should also check out Ramsey Outdoor on Rt. 17 N (about 1.5 miles south of Campmor). They have a large selection of watershoes as well, and IMO are priced cheaper than Campmor.
 
...went to Campmor today and picked up a pair of Teva XPDs on sale. They were significantly cheaper than Ramsey, and just about what I was looking for, which was a light, active shoe that could get wet.

The Ramsey store was worth the trip, too--forgot about them ;)

Down Mid Jersey way we have Harry's Army Navy, on Rte 130 in Bordentown, which is worth a stop if you are ever in the neighborhood.



Paramus, by the way, also has about the best Barnes and Noble I've seen outside of the main store(s) in Manhattan.
 
John,
I know all about Harry's. I was stationed at McGuire AFB for the better part of my Air Force enlistment. I went to Harry's as well as The Sportsman's Center every week to pick up one thing or another.
:D
 
I just got a pair of Chaco Z-2's and I have narrow feet(aaa). They fit fine. I read that the Z-2's were good for narrow feet.
 
I bought a pair of Chaco Z2s a couple weeks ago. I'd never had sandals with a toe loop before, and so was uncertain about how comfortable they'd be. I've done a lot of walking in them since then, and have to say that my doubts were unfounded. I've had absolutely no problems with the toe loop at all. It felt kind of funny at first, but, I got used to it fast. If you're going to be doing any hiking, I definitely recomend the toe loop version, which keeps your foot well anchored on the sandal. The funny thing about the Z2, at least for me, is that they get more comfortable the longer I have them on. The one piece strap works well, but takes a little getting used to. All in all, I'd rate the Z2 highly.
 
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