What are Chacos and Tevas?
If you’re into outdoor adventure, specifically white-water rafting, you’ve most likely heard of these sandal brands. Teva and Chaco are two wildly popular sandals to wear on your outdoor adventures. Teva has been around since 1984, while Chaco entered the scene in 1989. Both provide comfortability while on the water, they stay on your feet and the outsoles provide strong traction. Both are practical and quite similar in what they provide but differ in feel, price, and design. Let’s take a deeper look into the differences between these two sandal brands to help decide which is the better sandal for your rafting adventure.
The Differences
Strap Placement
If you were to look at Chacos and Tevas side-by-side, the first difference you would notice is: Chaco straps wrap across the tops of your feet while the straps on Tevas line the sides of your feet.
Materials & Features
Teva straps have Velcro to allow for easy fit adjustments. The straps support the tops, sides, and ankles of your feet. The material is made from water-friendly, quick-drying webbing made from recycled plastic. As for the footbed, Tevas feel soft, smooth, and cushioned. The arch-bed is a lower arch and is made from lightweight and flexible EVA foam- some would describe it as bouncy.
Chaco straps are one long, continuous strap. It includes a buckle, and the straps crisscross each other at the top of the foot. The strap gives your feet the feeling of being wrapped. You can adjust the fit by pulling that area of the strap. The material is made from water-friendly, quick-drying polyester jacquard webbing. The footbed on Chaco sandals has a slightly textured footbed. The footbed has a higher arch and is thicker in comparison. The midsole features firm PU construction and features all-day comfort with their LUVSEAT design.
Variety & Longevity
Tevas offer more variety in terms of fashion, making them easier to wear every day instead of just on an outdoor adventure. The treads tend to show wear as they are worn. Whereas the treads in Chacos tend to not show wear as easily, making them last quite a bit longer. Both offer a variety of sandals to fit. As for price, Tevas tend to be more affordable while Chaco sandals tend to be more expensive but may last longer.
Whichever you choose to wear on your rafting adventure choose a sandal that provide the comfort and fit best for your feet!
Find more answers to Frequently Asked Questions Here.