Why I’m still trekking in sandals and how Chaco sandals have saved my flat feet

(Note: I’m not sponsored by Chaco, nor does this post contain any affiliate links, just free advice!)

Flat feet are a curse to the hiker. They cause numerous problems, besides sore feet. They contribute to problems with knees and hips and even the lower back. I’ve been plagued by all these problems for over five decades, since I took my first long-distance walk (20 miles) at age 13.

Flat feet, among other things, means that both the main arch and the metatarsil arch are flat, or nearly so. Lack of an arch means that your feet don’t “spring.” Your entire foot takes the brunt of each step. This not only causes aches in your feet, but means that your knees and hips have to endure more of a “shock.” An orthopedist pointed this put to me at age 31, when I saw him for knee pain. I’ve had some form of main arch support since then. The problem seemed bad enough that when my wife told her podiatrist that I was planning on walking across Spain, he told her, “He can’t do that. He’ll ruin his feet!”

The problem may have kept me off the Camino or other pilgrimage routes, were it not for various orthotics or insoles that I’ve used in my shoes. I managed to average 25 km on the Camino Frances, but while my knees and hips were helped by a pair of Aetrex L405s, my feet were still sore at the end of the day.

You can slip on a pair of socks in cool or wet weather

I’d already known that Birkenstock and Chaco sandals have the best arch support because they support both arches. A cobbler turned me onto Birkenstocks 20 years ago and a specialist in a running store guided me to Chacos 11 years ago. I’ve since worn numerous pairs of each.

10 Seconds to Comfort insole is the closes thing that I have found to a Birkenstock or Chaco footbed, with a main and metatarsal arch support. I carry a pair of Xero shoes in my pack as a closed-toe backup.

But when it comes to long-distance treks, like the Camino de Santiago, shoes are still the norm and they were for me, until I decided to take the plunge and walk only in Chaco sandals when I went to Italy to walk the Way of St. Francis in 2019. I found that I could walk 25 km or more each day with ZERO foot pain, a first for me. Since then I’ve written numerous posts about the numerous benefits of walking in sandals, which includes a reduction in blisters and the fact that you don’t need to carry along as many pairs of socks. When you descend, your toes also don’t bump against the toe of your shoes, a big plus.

The Chaco Tattoo

Chacos, with their double-arch support and comfortable footbed, have also given my flat feet complete relief. More recently, I’ve noticed that the slightly wider and lower sole means that it’s almost impossible to roll my ankle on a hike, something that easily happens on rocky, mountain paths.

Putting your foot up horizontally on a tree or post is the fastest way to get a pebble out.

Lastly, when you wear out your Chacos you don’t have to throw them away. The soles and the straps are replaceable and replacing both costs less than a new pair of sandals. I’ve owned three different pairs in ten years and have found that the Z1 (which don’t have a toe-loop) is the most versatile, because you can easily wear socks with them. I wear them year-round myself, even when the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

This pair of Z1’s have both new soles and new straps. Bought them in early 2017 and had both replaced after 4 years.

Copyright © 2023 by Russ Eanes

Russ Eanes is a writer/walker/cyclist from Harrisonburg, VA and the author of Pilgrim Paths to Assisi: 300 Miles on the Way of St. Francis and The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago.