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Chaco Z/2 Sandals - Field Report
July 25,2005
Reviewer information
| Name |
Marie-Noelle Augendre |
I started backpacking eight years ago,
day hiking in Ile-de-France all
year round,
and doing several one or two week trips in more mountainous
regions (Corsica, Pyrenees, Cevennes, Luberon, etc.) each year.
As I
usually go solo, and am a bit of a gear-addict, my backpack tends to be
on the heavy side (tent, white gas stove, ceramic water filter, etc.).
I’m actually trying to go lighter, but I don’t think I’ll ever be an
ultralight backpacker. |
| Age |
47 |
| Gender |
Female |
| Height |
about 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) |
| Weight |
152 lbs (69 kg) |
| Email address |
augendre.bgt@gmail.com |
| City, Country |
Paris, France |
Product information
| Manufacturer |
Chaco |
| URL |
http://www.chacousa.com |
Type of sole
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Terreno
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| Listed weight |
Not provided |
| Actual weight |
27.1 oz (780 g) for a pair of Woman size 7 |
| MSRP |
$95.00 |
For the complete description of the product, and my first impressions upon reception, please refer to my Initial Report.
What happened during the past 2 months
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1) Prior to hiking
I had already realised the straps didn't slide easily and were
difficult to adjust, so I didn't waste time to find a solution. The
leaflet provided with the sandals says: "a diluted solution of
Armor-All® applied to the straps at the channels will keep them
sliding smoothly and enable you to adjust as needed".
As this particular brand is apparently not available in France, I went
for a Teflon-based substitute, supposed to leave a thin layer of Teflon
upon whichever surface it's been sprayed.
I must say that, although I had sprayed it liberally all along the
straps, both on the inside and outside, I didn't see much difference at
first: the straps remained very difficult to slide in their channels,
and the adjustment was still a really hard and strenuous work, that is
maintaining the sandal at arm's length with one hand, while pulling on
the stubborn strap with all my strength the other hand... It's a pity
there was nobody to film the process; it might have been fun to look at
it afterwards!
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2) On the trail and elsewhere
Since
I received the Z/2 sandals two months ago, I've worn them as often as
possible, and whatever I was doing; in fact, they're probably the one
item I've worn the most during that period. I have walked in town
streets and paced stores,
hiked various trails, driven, kayaked,
spent evenings chatting in buddies'homes, etc. while wearing these
sandals. Consequently, I have used them in many different conditions,
provided it was warm enough so I could do without socks (due to the
toe-loops, socks are not really an option).
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Here are two examples of the conditions encountered during that period:
- a
12.5 miles (20 kms) day-hike in the Fontainebleau Forest (about 25
miles - 40 kms - in the south of Paris) began on large and sandy avenues, scattered with pines needles and cones, followed
by steep paths strewn with stones and treacherous roots, and ended with
some acrobatics in the middle of rocks, rendered slippery by the
erosion and a powder-sand layer
- some
sightseeing along the Saguenay Fjord (Quebec Province), including
ascending/descending abrupt rocky paths to reach the panoramic
viewpoints on the top of the cliff, strolling along the little village
roads, then hopping from one wet unsteady boulder to the next when
going along the shore
To make it short, I have used these sandals on many different grounds, such as concrete, smooth
paths, stony trails, sand and gravel, pebble and boulder, either dry or
slippery. I've also waded in lakes and rivers, walked in scrubby and
brambly lands, and deliberately chosen to splash across mud pools
instead of walking around them.
All
along these adventurous activities, the Z/2 sandals have provided
adequate support and a really good protection to my feet. The straps
can be adjusted in every way so that the sandal really acts as a kind
of appendix of the foot... almost as if a sole had been glued under
each foot. The sandals are long enough to insure the toes are protected
when stumbling or bumping against any hazard on the trail. And, as it
can be seen in the two pictures above, the insole surface has very
pronounced curves and is well shaped so even my pronounced arches find
enough support during hours at a time.
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The Vibram soles have proven to give a strong grip even on very
slippery rocks; in fact, I don't think I have been able to make them slip
once! And their weight, which had surprised me at first, seems
insignificant when I wear the sandals.
Regarding the bits and pieces which have occasionally edged themselves
under a foot or a piece of strap, I usually succeded in removing them
without having to take the sandal off.
When wet, the straps have never been uncomfortable; in fact, the
wetness is not really perceptible (it might be the straps don't soak up
much water because of the lubricant treatment) and the straps seem to
air dry overnight.
However, it seems there's nothing perfect in this world...
If I'm able to get a good fit, and enjoy the sandals as long as I'm on
the move, my feet are very sensitive to the temperature and they begin
to swell as soon as I stop walking. Thus, if I don't take the sandals
off soon enough after I stop, they become very painful as the straps
quickly become embedded in my feet flesh (see the red arrows on the
right picture) |
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Care and cleaning
After
two months of intensive use without any special care, the Z/2 sandals
still look as if I had just taken them of their box for the first time.
I only had to put them in the washing machine to restore the original
straps bright colors. I didn't use a mesh bag (as recommended in the
notice) because I don't have one and European front loader machines are
said to be much less harsh on garments than American ones; I simply
threw them in the machine with the apparel I'd used during my Quebec trip and
run a mild program. I then waited for the following morning for the
straps to dry before spraying them with a new coat of teflon lubricant.
The only thing I have a problem with is the very fine sand which got in
the strap channels during a hike in the Fontainebleau Forest; although
I've pulled the straps back and forth a number of times since then, and
put the sandals through a whole washing cyle, I cannot get rid of all
the sand.
Provisional conclusion
I would be completely happy with the Chaco Z/2 sandals if only:
- their
straps were easier to adjust: as for now, it remains an exhausting
process as the straps are so hard to pull through their channels;
hopefully, this will become easier as the time goes by... and with more
and more lubricant
- I
could get the perfect fit so I won't suffer from the swelling of my
feet as soon as I stop walking; of course, if the straps were easier to
adjust, this wouldn't be such a problem as I could loosen them as often
as necessary
For the remaining 4 months
I
intend to go on with this test on a similar basis: I'll be wearing the
sandals as often as possible, and especially when hiking all along the
summer period. During this time, I'll try to work on the straps
adjustment in order to make it easier and attain a more flexible fit.
I'll be sure to check and report on any signs of wear.
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Many thanks to Chaco and BackpackGearTest.org to allow me to test these
sandals.
Read more reviews of Chaco gear
Read more gear reviews by Marie-Noelle Augendre
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