Chaco vs Teva: Who Makes the Better Adventure Sandal?
It’s a question that comes up every once in awhile in discussions about footwear… who makes the better adventure sandal, Chaco or Teva? It's a good question and since I own both brands and have worn them regularly for over 10 years now, I thought I would write down my thoughts in a blog post. SO here it is... my review of both sandals and who makes the better pair...
The two sandals being compared: the Chaco Z1 & the Teva Hurricane (both pictured above). please remember this throughout the review as I am not reviewing the brands in general, but specifically analyzing these two styles against each other.
The Feel & Fit
Dealing with adjusting your Chaco straps takes much longer than the simple adjustment of Tevas (no velcro straps), however, if you take your time, you can really make your Chacos fit *just* right. Tevas use a velcro system so they are very simple to strap on and go. The soles on the Chacos are much thicker than Tevas while Tevas have a much softer foot bed that is heavenly after a long day of hiking or backpacking. Also, since the Teva foot bed is thinner you can sometimes feel rocks, branches and other bumps in the trail under your feet as you're hiking (which I personally like). The Chacos also have a way better arch support between the two sandals being compared and are slightly more narrow. Chacos have an anti-slip foot bed so even when the shoes get wet, your foot stays put which is SO NICE when you're hiking in wet conditions. Tevas are the opposite and I find the second my feet get wet they tend to slip around a lot in the sandal. While hiking I get blisters wearing the Chacos every single time while I only get blisters in my Tevas if the mileage is over 3 miles (but they BOTH give me blisters depending on the conditions, wearing socks with them does mitigate the blistering to some degree).
Tevas have a softer and thinner footbed
Chacos are better in wet conditions because of the anti-slip footbed
Chacos are harder to adjust but have more customization when it comes to the adjustments.
Chacos are better for arch support
Overall the Tevas are more comfortable day-to-day
Weight
Chacos are considerably heavier than Tevas. A pair of Chacos weighs 21.2 oz (over a pound) and a pair of Tevas weighs 14.6 oz. I’ve never grabbed my Chacos to take backpacking as a camp shoe, only my Tevas and that’s solely because of the weight of the sandals. (Full disclosure I take a pair of Original Universal Tevas that weighs 11oz when I’m backpacking and not the pair being reviewed). Also to note - both pairs of shoes float when in the water.
Tevas are lighter than Chacos
Quality & Durability
Both brands have been in the sandal game forever with Teva being established back in 1984 and Chaco in 1989. Both shoes are good quality and very durable. Tevas use a velcro system, sometimes when the velcro wears out you have to throw out the shoe because the straps no longer stick (I have this pair I’m reviewing for 8 years and this has yet to happen) but since Chacos dont use velcro, they don’t have that issue. As of this review neither pair I own have started “breaking down” or falling apart. I'm going to say that both are the same quality for their own reasons. The only thing Chaco has over Teva is they don't have velcro that can fluff out over time.
I genuinely feel both brands are great quality and very durable
Price
I went to each brand's website to find the price of the shoe being reviewed. The Teva Hurricane costs $60 and the Chaco Z1 costs $105.
Chacos are more expensive
The Verdict...
If you asked me which you should buy I would ask you what you plan to do with them. If you told me you wanted a pair of camp sandals that you could take backpacking, I would recommend Tevas. If you wanted a pair of shoes for kayaking or that could be taken on wet hikes where you'd be hiking with wet feet, I would say Chacos for sure. Also, in terms of quality both shoes are great so if you’re trying to save some money I’d definitely go with a pair of Tevas.
If I absolutely had to choose one I would choose the Tevas! The reason being I really, really love my Tevas as a camp shoe when we’re backpacking because the footbed is so soft and they're much lighter weight. I also find myself reaching for my Tevas when heading outdoors, running errands, going to the farmers market, out to the coast… everywhere. Also, I only have one pair of Chacos but I have six pairs of Tevas and I also think that speaks to which I truly feel more comfortable in.
Hope this helps!!
Which brand do you like more? What's your experience been? Let me know below!
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