Durable sandals for lots of walking
October 20, 2022 9:40 AM Subscribe
I wear sandals for most of the year and walk 30 to 40 miles a week. Do comfortable sandals exist that will last me at least a year? Alternatively, is there anything special I should be doing to prolong my sandals' lifespan?
I've worn Tevas (like these) for most of my life, but their durability has steadily declined. They also have a particularly annoying failure mode: the strap rips out of the sole, making one shoe suddenly a flip-flop and leaving me to hobble home. The only warning is the gradual weakening of the strap–sole interface.
After the sole of my last pair of Tevas started to disintegrate within two months, I decided to give a pair of Eccos a try. Six months later, their heels are deeply worn and no longer comfortable.
If you've had sandals that stand up to the amount of walking I do, what are they? (No style requirements -- I'm willing to try something new.) Alternatively, is there some kind of maintenance I can do to prolong my sandals' useful life?
I've worn Tevas (like these) for most of my life, but their durability has steadily declined. They also have a particularly annoying failure mode: the strap rips out of the sole, making one shoe suddenly a flip-flop and leaving me to hobble home. The only warning is the gradual weakening of the strap–sole interface.
After the sole of my last pair of Tevas started to disintegrate within two months, I decided to give a pair of Eccos a try. Six months later, their heels are deeply worn and no longer comfortable.
If you've had sandals that stand up to the amount of walking I do, what are they? (No style requirements -- I'm willing to try something new.) Alternatively, is there some kind of maintenance I can do to prolong my sandals' useful life?
The best tip I know for footwear longevity is this:
Never wear the same pair two days in a row. Your feet sweat more than you think and any given pair of footwear (even sandals) need a full 24 hours to dry out and retain their shape.
Please alternate your footwear for best results and longest life.
posted by BostonTerrier at 9:49 AM on October 20, 2022 [10 favorites]
Never wear the same pair two days in a row. Your feet sweat more than you think and any given pair of footwear (even sandals) need a full 24 hours to dry out and retain their shape.
Please alternate your footwear for best results and longest life.
posted by BostonTerrier at 9:49 AM on October 20, 2022 [10 favorites]
Have you tried Birkenstocks? They’re somewhat expensive, but I’ve also never known someone who wore them out in fewer than 20 years.
posted by Bottlecap at 9:51 AM on October 20, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by Bottlecap at 9:51 AM on October 20, 2022 [10 favorites]
Birkenstocks can also be resoled or remade (keep the straps, replace the footbed and sole) when they start to get worn. If you resole them before there is wear on the outside of the footbed, they will stay looking nice for a long time and you will spend less money maintaining them.
The leather straps can be cleaned, conditioned, and polished just like any leather shoe. I sprayed the suede ones I have with protector before I wore them the first time so that they wouldn’t stain easily.
In your situation, I would buy two pairs (I’m partial to the Arizonas with soft footbeds for comfort, ymmv) and rotate them daily. Then you can take one pair at a time to a cobbler resole them when they need it.
posted by A Blue Moon at 10:04 AM on October 20, 2022 [9 favorites]
The leather straps can be cleaned, conditioned, and polished just like any leather shoe. I sprayed the suede ones I have with protector before I wore them the first time so that they wouldn’t stain easily.
In your situation, I would buy two pairs (I’m partial to the Arizonas with soft footbeds for comfort, ymmv) and rotate them daily. Then you can take one pair at a time to a cobbler resole them when they need it.
posted by A Blue Moon at 10:04 AM on October 20, 2022 [9 favorites]
I had the exact same failure mode with Tevas!
What I hear from thru-hikers is that you get about 1,000 miles out of an average pair of sandals.
Bedrock sandals have a repair/re-soling program, and I think Birkenstocks too. Xero sandals apparently have a 5,000 mile warranty. I don't have any personal experience with any of these.
posted by credulous at 10:07 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
What I hear from thru-hikers is that you get about 1,000 miles out of an average pair of sandals.
Bedrock sandals have a repair/re-soling program, and I think Birkenstocks too. Xero sandals apparently have a 5,000 mile warranty. I don't have any personal experience with any of these.
posted by credulous at 10:07 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've heard things about Bedrock Cairns, which they'll repair for the lifetime of the sole.
posted by meowzilla at 10:23 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by meowzilla at 10:23 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Do you have a local REI store? They should have most of the shoes mentioned here, and it's worth trying on the different varieties - different feet prefer different models.
posted by coffeecat at 10:34 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by coffeecat at 10:34 AM on October 20, 2022
Chacos has a resoling/repair program. And to piggyback on coffeecat's REI recommendation, REI has a great return policy, even if you have test-worn things on a hike.
posted by coevals at 10:44 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by coevals at 10:44 AM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Birkenstocks and buy them from Nordstrom so they can be returned if they fail early.
posted by HotToddy at 10:53 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by HotToddy at 10:53 AM on October 20, 2022
I have a pair from Ecco that have held up well and I even go in the ocean wearing them from time to time on rocky beaches.
posted by vrakatar at 11:14 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by vrakatar at 11:14 AM on October 20, 2022
For what it’s worth I’ve had very good customer service experience with Xero shoes- to the point that they shipped me replacements, for free, to Togo.
posted by raccoon409 at 11:19 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by raccoon409 at 11:19 AM on October 20, 2022
My Cairns are holding up strong and I've worn them for a lot of walking.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:21 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:21 AM on October 20, 2022
I walk roughly half the weekly distance you do, and I wear Birkenstocks year-round. I always have at least two pairs going so that I don’t have to wear them two days in a row, although I’m not always perfect about it. With zero care, cleaning, or maintenance, they last me about a year. When I had more time/less money and I took better care of them (especially getting the heel sole replaced before the wear reached the cork), two pairs could last two years easy.
Personally I prefer the regular sole with the Birko-flor uppers because the real leather is stiffer. If I break in new pairs slowly by wearing them around the house for a bit and then for increasingly longer trips, I can then wear them for 10 mile days no problem.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 11:28 AM on October 20, 2022
Personally I prefer the regular sole with the Birko-flor uppers because the real leather is stiffer. If I break in new pairs slowly by wearing them around the house for a bit and then for increasingly longer trips, I can then wear them for 10 mile days no problem.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 11:28 AM on October 20, 2022
Teva if you can't get Chaco.
posted by Enid Lareg at 11:46 AM on October 20, 2022
posted by Enid Lareg at 11:46 AM on October 20, 2022
Another vote for Chacos, and I also think having two pairs that you rotate each day will get you more than twice as much use out of both. If you can afford it, why not get two of the recommended types on this list and start wearing them around the same time? Allows you to compare and have a back up in case one of them isn't as good (you could wear that pair on lower mileage days, perhaps).
posted by bluedaisy at 12:08 PM on October 20, 2022
posted by bluedaisy at 12:08 PM on October 20, 2022
If you decide to go with Birkenstocks, another consideration is where you'll get the maintenance work done. You'll want to feel confident about that. I have more than one pair so I don't have to worry about how long resoling takes.
Also, I'm an old man, so I feel comfortable wearing socks with my Birkenstocks (despite some eye rolling around here) and that means sweaty feet isn't a concern.
posted by kingless at 12:26 PM on October 20, 2022
Also, I'm an old man, so I feel comfortable wearing socks with my Birkenstocks (despite some eye rolling around here) and that means sweaty feet isn't a concern.
posted by kingless at 12:26 PM on October 20, 2022
Tevas last me about a year, the Hurricane model (some models have shorter lives, probably some have longer). I wear nothing but those all year round, and walk a lot; didn't find Chacos suited me.
posted by anadem at 12:47 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by anadem at 12:47 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've worn the same pair of Chacos every (summer) day since 2014, I walk perhaps 2-4 miles a day, and they're holding up like a DREAM. Cannot recommend them highly enough.
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 12:57 PM on October 20, 2022
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 12:57 PM on October 20, 2022
I wear my Chacos about ~20-30 miles a week for maybe 5 months a year and get them resoled about every other year. You get to pick from a few sole options when you get them resoled, and you can do other repairs like replacing straps.
Definitely recommend trying them on in store if possible. I like the Cloud footbed and no toe loop; ymmv.
Another benefit of Chacos is that you can throw them in the washing machine!
posted by esker at 2:08 PM on October 20, 2022
Definitely recommend trying them on in store if possible. I like the Cloud footbed and no toe loop; ymmv.
Another benefit of Chacos is that you can throw them in the washing machine!
posted by esker at 2:08 PM on October 20, 2022
I know someone who thru-hiked the PCT on a pair of Bedrock Cairns. They didn't even need to be resoled after. I don't quite find mine comfortable enough to want to hike 2600 miles in them, but I can see why someone would, and anyway the point is they're rediculously durable.
posted by dorothy hawk at 3:24 PM on October 20, 2022
posted by dorothy hawk at 3:24 PM on October 20, 2022
I’ve also never known someone who wore [Birkenstocks] out in fewer than 20 years.
Mine are due to be replaced after about 15, and only as "fair-weather" wear; I'm in Canada so the wear window is about six months long, and they aren't daily. The heels are toast. This is not to say they aren't quality footwear, but moderate use for a decade and a half did mine in. I am a "heel walker" and burn through shoes pretty fast though.
posted by Shepherd at 3:45 PM on October 20, 2022
Mine are due to be replaced after about 15, and only as "fair-weather" wear; I'm in Canada so the wear window is about six months long, and they aren't daily. The heels are toast. This is not to say they aren't quality footwear, but moderate use for a decade and a half did mine in. I am a "heel walker" and burn through shoes pretty fast though.
posted by Shepherd at 3:45 PM on October 20, 2022
I love my Keens. The sturdy toe protection is a big help, and they last me a long time. I buy from LLBean.com, whose return policy is far easier than Keens.
posted by theora55 at 4:22 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 4:22 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I put in at least four miles a day, 2.5 - 3 of which are in Keen sandals in the summer. I have two pairs that I've been haphazardly rotating for about two years. Except for the soles getting worn down, they look and feel brand new. I figure I'll get another two years out of them, perhaps more. I tend not to be hard on shoes, though.
posted by DrGail at 6:16 PM on October 20, 2022
posted by DrGail at 6:16 PM on October 20, 2022
I really like my Bedrock Cairns which others have also recommended. I walk a lot, on all kinds of urban and non-urban terrain and all over the world, and they have held up like champs for multiple years. Also they actually look stylish.
posted by tavegyl at 1:45 AM on October 21, 2022
posted by tavegyl at 1:45 AM on October 21, 2022
Chacos are great, but the caveat I'd add is that the best way to get Chacos is custom, through their site, where you can order Vibram soles for them. It adds a few days to the order, but you get a very durable sandal that can be repaired/re-soled.
I do 35-40 miles of walking a week and prize my Chacos three seasons out of the year. I briefly switched to walking shoes from Hoka and my lower back went a little crazy. Switching back to Vibram Chacos, which are more firm, cleared that up immediately.
posted by mph at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2022
I do 35-40 miles of walking a week and prize my Chacos three seasons out of the year. I briefly switched to walking shoes from Hoka and my lower back went a little crazy. Switching back to Vibram Chacos, which are more firm, cleared that up immediately.
posted by mph at 8:22 AM on October 21, 2022
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posted by coldbabyshrimp at 9:46 AM on October 20, 2022 [4 favorites]