Outdoor Sandals

You can find a link to buy our suggestions here.

To start: I LOVE MY OUTDOOR SANDALS. They are fantastic summer time option when it is hot outside. Heat escapes through the skin, so any skin that is not covered will allow heat to escape.

That being said, hiking in sandals is not always an option. We actually don’t suggest tough/long hikes in sandals as you don’t have any rubber to protect your toes, you don’t have ankle support, and your feet typically slide in the sandals when walking, especially when wet. Sandals can wear on your feet when hiking long distances.

Times to wear sandals:
Short easy flat hike (1 mile or less)
Short walks that involve walking in the water (something like an afternoon trip to your favorite swimming hole)
Around town

Times it is OK to wear sandals:
Moderate hikes OR Medium length hikes (but not both)
Short Rocky Terrain

Never Wear Sandals:
Long hikes
If you have to scale a wall
If you are hiking in mud or slippery conditions
Hiking near cliffs
Rocky Terrain longer than a mile
Traversing a steep incline
When entering a Cave
Doing extreme sports (like white water rafting)

You can buy our suggestions for outdoor sandals here.

Our Picks:

Chacos:
These are amazingly versatile and incredibly endurable.
Pros: they are easy to put on and off, they have great arch support, they are very sturdy for sandals and do well on terrain, and they are incredible, washable in the washing machine (with towels!), great re-soul program (for when your shoe soul gets warn out!)
Cons: They do incredibly poorly in mud allowing you to slip inside your shoe, they don’t offer toe protection and are terrible for any activity you need the top of your feet (never take these white water rafting folks!), sometimes the arch support is too aggressive and can be uncomfortable, straps can become stuck if exposed to too much dirt (get rid of that dirt with fabric softener!)

Keens:
Pros: Toe protection (Great for white water rafting), the perform the best in water with rocky terrain, easy to put on and take off, great stability on wet surfaces, a great warranty program
Cons: Not the best for walking around (I prefer it for a water shoe), susceptible to small rocks getting and staying in the shoe which forces you to have to take it off and empty the shoe, not the prettiest sandal