Apart from wearing my boots when I hike, putting my sandals on is also one of my best options that I consider because my feet sometimes get tired of wearing shoes, and there are also instances that I want to change what my feet feel.
Many outdoor enthusiasts, including me, love to wear sports sandals like Teva and Chaco because they are more lightweight than boots and way more comfortable than many average hiking boots. Furthermore, when you wear sandals, you don't need to wear socks anymore, and your feet can easily breathe.
With these being said, I am always asked about what sandal is the best between Teva and Chaco. Because of that reason, I did some research about Tevas vs. Chacos.
As you continue reading this article, you will know the difference between the two footwear and the best footgear between the two.
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Tevas vs Chacos
Price
I visited the website of each footwear brand so that I can see the cost of these sandals. What I found out is that Tevas are much affordable than Chacos.
When I checked the price of Chaco Men's Z1 Classic Athletic Sandal, the cost is 89.95 USD. On the other hand, the cost of the Teva Men's Hurricane XLT Sandal is only 38.83 USD.
If you have a limited budget for sandals, you may just purchase Tevas because their regular price is significantly budget friendly. However, this matter does not mean that you can't buy Chacos for an affordable price because they go on sale like other things that you can buy in the market.
Manufacturer
Wolverine World Wide and manufacturing acquired Chacos in 2009, and their location is at the Wolverine home base in Rockford, Michigan. If you like products that are 100% manufactured in the United States, you might probably prefer Chacos over Tevas.
On the other hand, the manufacturers of Tevas are in some parts of Asia, China, and Vietnam. Also, Tevas is manufacturing in El Salvador. This matter is not ideal for some; however, it does contribute to keeping the cost affordable.
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Material
Nowadays, most of the Teva sandals have water-friendly polyester webbing, high tech nylon composites, and Durabrasion rubber. Meanwhile, most Chacos contains polyester, molded ladder-style buckle, Chacos proprietary Chacogrip, and patented LUVseat technology.
Weight
If you are looking for lightweight sandals, I suggest that you purchase Tevas as they are much lighter than Chacos. When I backpack and hike, I always use Tevas because of their weight. I sometimes use Chacos only when I go camping. A pair of Tevas weighs 0.41 kg while a pair of Chacos weighs 0.60 kg.
Quality and Durability
Even though Tevas has been in the sandal market and is the original outdoor sandal, they are not as durable as Chacos because they don't have a thicker sole on the sandal which Chacos offer.
Apart from thick soles that Chacos have, you would also like its repair policy. If something breaks, you can take them easily to get repaired at no additional cost.
One reason why Tevas are not as sturdy as Chacos is because they have velcro system, and you may not be using your Tevas anymore when its velcro fluffs out because the straps do not stick anymore.
One thing that they have in common is that Tevas and Chacos both float; therefore, you don't need to worry about accidentally sinking a footwear when you have any of these sandals.
In my own opinion, I can say that both sandals have the same quality, and they both perform at their best. The only advantage of Chaco is that they don't contain a velcro system that may wear out over time.
Feel and Fit
It takes longer when you adjust Chaco straps than when adjusting Tevas straps; however, Chacos can amaze you with its fit once you take your time strapping them on. Tevas has a velcro system which makes them very quick and easy to strap on.
Once you see the sole of the Chacos and Tevas, you will notice that the sole of the Chacos is thicker than Tevas. On the other hand, the footbed of Tevas is softer than Chacos which makes them a preferred sandal for some who hike and backpack for a long day.
What some outdoor enthusiasts like about Tevas is that their feet can feel the branches, rocks, and other bumps in the trail when hiking because it has a thinner footbed.
If you are hiking during wet situations, Chacos are better than Tevas because they have an anti-slip footbed which makes your feet to stay put on the footbed when the footwear gets wet.
For instance, when you use Tevas while your feet are wet, your feet may slip around in the sandal many times, but your feet will not move anywhere even when you are going downhill if you are using Chacos.
Both Tevas and Chacos can give you blisters if you don't use socks when you put them on during your hike. I can attest to this matter because I already had an experience getting blisters when using both of these sandals. I did not expect that even Tevas gave me blisters.
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If you think that Teva is the right sandal for you, you can watch the video below so you can see how you can enjoy these sandals.
If you believe that Chaco is what you need for your next trek, you can play the video below so you can notice how Chaco works.
Conclusion:
Honestly, I like both sandals. If you tell me which of these footwears you should purchase, I would probably ask you the reason why you are buying sandals.
If you are using sandals for backpacking and camping, I may suggest that you should choose Tevas. Moreover, if you are hiking while your feet are wet, I would surely recommend Chacos for you.
The best sandal depends on your personal needs, style, and preference. In my case, I love and use them both for a variety of reasons.
Do you have some questions regarding Tevas vs. Chacos? Please feel free to leave your comments below.
