Chaco Z2 Unaweep Sandals Review

Hi,I am Rachel Piontak, from Catoosa, Oklahoma and today I am going to tell you how great my Chaco are!

They are 3 years old now. They are actually my second pair. But my first pair wasn’t so successful because I got the wrong size and turns out when your Chacos are too big and your toes only go to here (an inch before the end of your sandal) you end up kicking a lot of rocks at yourself and tripping. So, I highly recommend getting Chacos that fit, which is what I did on the second time around.

So these Chaco have the toe strip loop (for your big toe). But as you can see I have well worn it down into the actual sole because I don’t like it.

Why don’t you like it?

Well, sadly, I was once wearing it with the toe strap and I got a stick or something caught in it and it was caught in the strap. And it actually cut into my toenail and it got really infected.

So, for a long time it was out of necessity as my toenail hurt, so I couldn’t actually put my toe through the loop because the material would squeeze it. But then once I started pushing the loop down, I just pulled the strap all the way so that it’s perfectly flat. I don’t even notice that the toe loop is there anymore. But yes, if I could buy these shoes again, I would get it without the toe strap, because that would make life easier. So, that’s why I don’t wear the toe strap. I think it looks really cool with the toe strap, but for me it’s just not practical.

I guess that was a good lesson to learn about Chaco. You have to make sure that toe strap works for you because you are gonna have them for a long time, so you probably like them.

Anyway, once I put the toe strap down, I started liking them much more and I found they were easier to slip on. Now I can do put my Chacos on without using my hands at all. I only use my hands to tighten them, whereas before I had to readjust the toe a little bit so I could squeeze it in and adjust it back. So, this has just simplified life.

 

I wore these shoes as probably most Chaco owners do, nonstop for about 6 months out of the year for the last three years. And to me, they still look great. I had a pair of Teva sandals before that were same color, probably the Teva version of the Unaweeps. But the Teva’s were much softer. The sole was much softer and more squishy, which I liked. They were very comfortable. And they lasted about five years. But the sole just gave away. I just wore through it. And my Unaweeps, after having them for three years, the sole is still about the same. It’s still very thick and very solid.

And of course, Chacos have their warranty on the Vibram soles, so if anything happens to them or if I’m a crazy Chaco wearer that can actually wear them down, then they will put a new sole on, which is very nice.

I really like these shoes. My favorite thing about them is that I can wear them on summer hikes and go in and out of streams and wet, watery places and not have to keep stopping and changing my shoes, which what happens when I go with a group of people that have hiking shoes, or really any other type of shoe, that isn’t as durable and still water friendly. That’s definitely my favorite part about them.

How many stars out of 5 would you give them?

I would give them 5. I can’t blame them for toe strap, because it’s not their fault. I picked them out. Yeah, I give them a 5 because they are very durable and definitely reliable.

Awesome! Thank you so much.

I’m visiting Colorado today, and I’m going to tell you about some Chacos. These are Chaco Z2’s from Colorado based… I have the toe loop ones. I personally went with the toe loop because I’m from Florida, so I walk in the water a lot, and it’s really nice walking against streams with the toes being hooked into the shoe.

I love them. I’ve had them about six years now. It’s the same pair, the same bottom. I just have a little bit of a wear problem in the back here that I got to get fixed, and a little bit more traction. But, I mean, that’s six years of use. That’s pretty good. The strapping’s come undone, but, you know—for six years, that’s fine. They are super comfortable. I have high arches. They do give me arch support, which is awesome for a sandal. I wear them year-round, except for in New York in the dead of winter, you can’t really wear sandals.

I don’t have any qualms with them. I have tried on the new Chacos. They don’t fit as well, but the older ones are amazing.

How many stars out of five would you give that?

Seven. I would give them seven out of five stars.

Alright, awesome. Well, thank you so much.

You’re welcome.