Best Hiking Sandals: Field-Trialed & Tested [2023 Update]

The Chaco Z/1 Classic (click here for women’s version) won our testers’ vote as the best hiking sandal out there due to its ability to maximize comfort and airflow whilst making the fewest compromises on the stability, support, and traction provided by regular hiking shoes.

Many modern hiking sandals have complex designs and use all kinds of newfangled features that all too often seem like a solution in search of a problem. The Chaco Z/1 Classic keeps things simple, and therein lies its strength.

The Z/1’s outsole is made with ChacoGrip rubber and boasts 3.5mm lugs. It provides awesome traction in loose or muddy ground and grips well on rock and slippery surfaces such as exposed roots. The podiatrist-certified, dual-density PU “Luvseat” midsole offers solid arch support and delivers outstanding all-day comfort.

Our testers loved the Z/1’s strap system. The adjustable straps on the heel and forefoot allow you to achieve a dialed-in fit with ease. The toe loop, meanwhile, wraps around the big toe instead of pulling back on the toe webspace, one of our biggest grumbles with the Bedrock Cairn and other models with a between-the-toe loop.

The material of the straps (polyester jacquard) is also highly durable and far quicker drying than the suede or leather straps used on models like the Ecco Yucatan or Teva Katavi.

It would feel like nitpicking to mention any downsides to the Z/1. While their open-toe style does leave your tootsies exposed to stubs and bumps, this is the trade-off when choosing a sandal in this style.

The Bedrock Cairn (click here for women’s version) is a sandal built for outdoor adventures, boasting a handful of features and design characteristics that translate into awesome performance on the trails.

Let’s start with the Bedrock sandals’ obvious USP, the MegaGrip Vibram sole. Thanks to the aggressive, pentagonal tread and deep lugs, our testers found this sole gave us as much grip and control in loose or muddy terrain as traditional footwear for hiking.

MegaGrip also adheres well to rocky surfaces, on which lesser outsoles have left us sliding around, and is among the most durable on our list. And unlike most hiking sandals, these Cairn are also resoleable.

The G-hook-and-loop front and heel strap configuration is the next feature we loved in the field. This system, combined with “sole-hugger” wings, does a few things. First, it helps to provide a more secure fit by locking the foot in place. Secondly, it provides superior stability by improving posture and gait. Thirdly, it reduces the risk of the sandal being sucked off your feet in mud or fast-flowing water.

Finally, you get all of the above at a piddly weight of 17.6 oz., which is a 12 oz. saving on the Chaco Classic and roughly a pound and a half lighter than your average trail shoe.

The downsides to the Cairn? This is a zero-drop sandal, so it might be a little hard on the calves if you’re used to wearing higher-drop shoes and are new to the barefoot style. The Cairns’ arch support is also best described as “minimalist” and the strap between the toes won’t be to everyone’s liking.

The Teva Katavi 2 is a robust, reliable, comfortable sandal that’s ideal for hikes on less rugged, well-maintained trails. It’s also fairly priced and was the standout favorite of our testers from the selection of low-cost sandals they trialed.

The K2 are made with burly leather straps, “Durabrasion” outsoles, and a chunky EVA footbed. This combo makes them highly durable, tough enough to deal with regular use on both paved and unpaved surfaces, and a little more pillow-like than most other options in their price range.

Compared to our review’s other 3-point, hook-and-loop closure sandal, the ECCO Yucatan, the K2 have far shallower, less aggressive lugs, which makes them a less suitable option for hiking on testier trails. They also lack some of the Yucatans’ dialed-in features, like the neoprene lining and more supportive and durable PU midsole.

Given that the K2 cost half the price of the Yucatan and weigh 3 oz. less, however, they’re a solid option if you’re looking to maximize bang for your buck or don’t envision needing top-end traction or the additional support of a more robust midsole.

The Keen Newport H2 (click here for women’s version) is the ideal sandal if you’re looking for hiking footwear that provides the freedom and added airflow of a sandal whilst compromising only minimally on the support, stability, and traction of a regular hiking shoe.

Of all the hiking sandals on our list, the Newport are the most versatile and most suitable for buyers sitting on the fence between wanting a lightweight hiking shoe and a minimalist sandal. Our testers all agreed that they bring the best of both worlds.

Weighing in at 28 oz., the Newport is the second heaviest sandal on our list after the Chaco Classic. While this might be a dealbreaker for some, this closed-toe hiking sandal has a few features that make it worth the extra weight. A burly toe cap to prevent bumps and bangs, a plush EVA midsole, a bungee lacing system for easy on/off, and padded webbing are the most notable.

Other admirable features found on this sandal include a grippy razor-siped sole with deep lugs for excellent traction, an anti-odor treatment to keep them smelling fresh, and hydrophobic webbing that sheds water lickety-split. The open-toe design also makes it possible to wear socks with the sandals (if that’s your bag!).

The Teva Hurricane are a great choice of hiking sandal for buyers looking for a performance-oriented sandal at a reasonable price. They’ve been a regular on our list of the best men’s hiking sandals and best hiking sandals for women for the best part of a decade. And with good reason. Not only do they retail at around half the price of the market’s top-end sandals, but they also outperform many pricier competitors in several key metrics.

The Hurricane (click here for women’s version) encapsulates everything we love about hiking in sandals. They’re lightweight (20.8 oz. per pair), rugged, dry quickly, and keep your feet cool thanks to their supportive but minimalist velcro strap configuration. They also offer great traction courtesy of their multidirectional tread and deep lugs.

Like the Terra Fi, the Hurricane have an extra-cushy sole that provides all-day comfort and great underfoot protection, as well as quick-drying webbing that makes them equally at home in the wet stuff as they are on land. Our testers dragged them through streams, along puddled trails, and over many miles with sweaty feet, and all were impressed with how quickly they dried.

While the Hurricane have a nylon shank for extra support, they’re less rugged and less supportive hiking sandals than the Teva Terra Fi. However, they’re cheaper and almost 6 oz. lighter.

The Ecco Yucatan (click here for women’s version) are a great pick for buyers who want an extra-durable, sturdy, and supportive sandal for regular use on moderate trails.

Unlike other sandals on our list, the Yucatan aren’t an out-and-out hiking sandal, as betrayed by their more casual aesthetics and far from aggressive tread. So how do they earn their place on our list? Well, the Yucatan is a superbly comfortable sandal.

Our testers loved the molded EVA footbed and durable PU midsole, which together provide outstanding, long-lasting cushioning and support. The sandals’ RECEPTOR technology and tall stack height also deliver enhanced stability and absorb impact as well as any other models on our list.

The straps are soft against the skin and the contoured footbed feels nigh-on slipper-like.

The outsole, sadly, is nothing to write home about, and the lugs are a little too shallow to inspire confidence in loose ground or mud. As such, we’d only recommend the Yucatan for hiking in mellow or moderate terrain.

The Teva Terra Fi 5 (click here for women’s version) is one of the most popular women’s and men’s hiking sandals the world over due to its comfort, support, durable materials, and grip.

Weighing 26 oz., the Terra Fi are among the heaviest sandals we tested. Those added ounces, however, are used on features that most hikers would much rather have than do without, especially on more challenging trails. These include wide, comfortable straps, molded PU midsoles for durable cushioning and support, and “Spider Rubber” outsoles that provide awesome traction and grip.

While not the lightest sandal on our list, the reason for their popularity is simple – they are as comfortable as sandals come, highly supportive, tough as nails, and provide traction on a par with your average camp shoes or favorite hiking boots.

The Keen Clearwater CNX (click here for women’s version) are a great choice if you’re looking for a sandal that offers the protection of closed-toe shoes without paying the weight penalty.

The Clearwater weighs just over 17 oz., making it 10.7 oz. lighter than the Keen Newport and comparable to minimalist options like the Bedrock Cairn. But this is far from a minimalist sandal. It boasts burly toe protectors, a beefy rubber outsole, a cushioned midsole, and extensive polyester webbing that cradles the foot from heel to toe.

This looks like a doppelganger of the Newport H2, but there are a few key differences. Firstly, the Clearwaters’ molded arches and PU midsoles are a little on the scrawny side, which makes them less supportive and stable on uneven terrain. While the outsoles are made with the same materials, the Clearwaters’ tread is less aggressive and the lugs shallower, meaning they provide poorer traction in loose terrain.

But it ain’t all bad. The Clearwaters’ lighter weight makes them less likely to result in leg fatigue during long days on the trail and also gives them a more nimble feel. They also boast a thermoplastic urethane shank that provides a little extra stiffness to the sole, which gives you more purchase in steep terrain by preventing heel drop.

So, why would you choose these over the Newport, given that they retail at a similar price and the Newport is a more rugged and suitable choice for hiking? The answer is that the Clearwater are, as the name suggests, the more amphibian of the two, and transition seamlessly between water and land thanks to their sticky outsole and lighter, quicker-drying materials.

If you plan on doing any canyoning, rafting, or hiking on wet trails, these waterproof hiking sandals are a great pick.

The Xero Shoes Z Trail (click here for women’s version) travel sandals earned our testers’ vote for Best Ultralight Hiking Sandals thanks to their pithy weight, surprising comfort, and impressive traction.

The Z Trail weigh a tiny 10.8 oz per pair. For reference, this is almost three times lighter than the Chaco Z/1 and roughly the same weight as regular flip-flops or a can of soda. Their extra-flexible materials also mean they can be rolled up and stowed in a pant pocket or backpack hood when not in use.

The outsole uses an aggressive, dual-chevron tread pattern that provides excellent traction and grip on inclines and wet ground. On top of that, the 3-layer, 10 mm FeelLite midsoles provide decent underfoot protection and enough flexibility to let your feet flex naturally, sparing you from aches, pains, and strains at the end of a day’s hiking.

Our testers appreciated the Z Trails’ also have soft, wide, tubular webbing, which didn’t pinch or chafe even on long trail days. They also liked having multiple adjustment points, a feature that lets you dial in the fit no matter your foot shape.

To keep weight down, makers Xero have done away with a few features that a few of our testers consider non-negotiable, such as a rubber toe box and cushy midsoles. This means they’re short on protection and not as supportive as sandals like the Ecco Yucatan, Teva Terra Fi, and Keen Newport.

Xero also boast that this sandal will let you “feel the terrain beneath your feet.” While this is true and all very well if you’re strolling on a sandy beach or a manicured trail, it’s far from ideal if you’re hiking in uneven or rocky terrain.

The Chaco Z Cloud (women’s version) is fast becoming one of the most popular hiking sandals out there due to its general trailworthiness and the added protection it offers compared to the Chaco Classic.

The Z Cloud is almost identical to the Classic (above). It boasts the same ChacoGrip outsole with 3.5mm lugs, a podiatrist-certified, dual-density PU “Luvseat” midsole that offers great arch support and comfort, and an adjustable strap system.

The Z Cloud weighs 0.2 oz more than the Z/1 Classic, but boasts an extra 5mm of cushioning. Our testers all felt that this small addition makes a noticeable difference to the sandal’s comfort. However, they still prefer the Z/1 classic for aesthetics and value for money.

The Keen Targhee III are a solid choice of hiking sandal for any hiker who wants the support and robustness of a shoe but with a little more airflow.

The Targhee III are available in both open and closed-toe models. Our testers trialed the closed-toe version and were impressed with their robustness, eco credentials, support, and comfort.

At 24 ounces, the Targhee are no lightweights. For those added ounces, however, you get tough leather uppers/straps, a nicely cushioned midsole, deep lugs, and a cushy insole. These sandals also have a roomy forefoot, so they’re ideal for hikers with wider feet.

The downsides are that the Targhee outweigh many other sandals with similar specs and materials and also cost significantly more.