Chaco Z/1 Classic

These sandals will keep you comfortable all day long. They are sturdy, have good traction, and will hold up no matter what you put them through.

These are one of the best sandals you can buy. I have gone on numerous float trips and even a 5-mile hike in the mountains in them and they have held up. They have pretty good traction so you can hike fairly well in them. I also never have gotten any blisters in them.

One downside is that when walking in water they tend to get pea gravel stuck between the sole and your foot, but that is just because they are open toed. 

I own ten pairs of sandals and bought these Chacos in San Francisco at REI a few years ago on a trip to the USA from England. I had heard rave reviews about Chacos from everyone I spoke to but at that time you couldn't buy them in the UK.

Mine have the heavy duty Vibram sole and they are VERY hard wearing. The Polyurethane straps however are beginning to fray slightly around my big toe and I find the footbed quite harsh on my feet, although I can walk in them all day without a problem.

My biggest gripe is that they weigh a ton! Having now owned two pairs of Teva Terra fits as well as the Chacos, the Tevas get my vote, being more comfortable, much lighter and also very hard wearing. Chacos definitely have "pose" value here in the UK as all my friends wear Tevas.

I also own Source sandals, Merrells and spend 10 months of the year or so exclusively in sandals. The Chacos are good, but no way as good as the almost legendary status they seem to be accorded by many Americans I have spoken to.