Hiking sandals for enormous ankles

September 23, 2020 6:26 PM

I need some sturdy walking sandals for my size 10 feet. I tried on some Teva Tirra's this morning and they were comfy like a dream. Except I can't do up the ankle strap. I need something like an extra inch and a half in the ankle strap in order for the velcro to work. Everything else fit perfectly. I looked at some men's Teva's and my soul left my body at their hideousness. Two part question as follows...

1) Is there some way of extending the strap - like, can I take this to a cobbler and have a piece of elastic or extra leather somehow put into the strap?

OR

2) Is there something like a Teva Tirra (moulded, cushioned footbed) that will actually fit. The Tirra is pretty much my ideal sandal (strappy, sturdy, cushioned, not completely ugly as fuck) so if there's something out there that's similar then I'd love to hear about it.

Caveats: must be available in Australia, would prefer to be able to try things on before purchasing.

posted by ninazer0 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

Yes a cobbler absolutely can extend the strap for you !
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 6:36 PM on September 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

Yes, a cobbler can do this, and here's a Teva strap-lengthening DIY.
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:33 PM on September 23, 2020 [4 favorites]

Chaco Z Cloud
posted by armoir from antproof case at 7:33 PM on September 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

They make double sided velcro strips to use for cable ties, I've seen them at hardware stores, and they will let you lengthen that strap.

I wear Keens Newport H2; comfortable, water-friendly, look okay. I have these in fake suede, and they are pretty and comfortable.
posted by theora55 at 7:06 AM on September 24, 2020

I hope your soul has come back to your body, sending sympathies. Thank you for making me laugh this morning.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:04 AM on September 24, 2020

I wear the Merrell Roam Cross Lace as everyday shoes and find them to be absolutely fabulous. I don't have big ankles per se, I have tall feet, but the top of my foot that meets the ankle is very big. These are great.
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:50 AM on September 24, 2020

Seconding Keens. They make several sandal variants, some with hook-and-loop ankle closures that might suit you. Duluth Trading Company stocks them, and sometimes has sales on them.
posted by humbug at 12:23 PM on September 24, 2020

I'll second the recommendation for Chacos. There's a bunch of different varieties, depending on whether you do or don't want a toe loop, etc. The "cloud" footbed is nice and soft, while still being sturdy. You can probably try them on in an outdoor store to see if you like the general fit. If you do, but still find that the ankle strap is too short, you can order custom ones and specify a longer strap.
posted by duien at 3:18 PM on September 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

Thirding Chaco sandals. I love my ZX classic Chacos. I got my current pair 4 years ago and they’re still in great shape with constant wear every summer.
posted by Kriesa at 6:15 PM on September 24, 2020

Response by poster: Awesome!! I will check out the recommendations asap. Pretty sure I can find some Chaco's around here. Bit wary about the Merrels because the pair I tried on had a similar problem but I can't remember what model they were but I'll give those and the Keens a go. Last stop will likely be a discussion with the local cobbler - fortunately we have a good local one. And, Lawn Beaver, you are most welcome!
posted by ninazer0 at 2:15 PM on September 27, 2020