Best Sandals for Walking?

Ones that fit YOUR feet. I like Keen Newport because of the protective toe cap and because they fit my wide-toes narrow-heels feet.

Rubber Birkenstocks

Definitely Keen Newport. Excellent for walking on sand & long distance. Rinse well, dry overnight. Protective toe covering. Great for hiking as well. Just used them on a trip to Maui. (We walked 5 miles on the beach). You can also wash them in the machine on gentle cycle. My Keens are 13 years old and still look new. Good investment!

** Edit ** My first trip to Italy in 2006 most of our tour group were wearing Keen Newport's! We walked in Tuscany & Umbria. No blisters! As far as fit, I wear a medium width shoe. Perfect fit!

..... especially through sand?

Personally? I'll never wear sandals or any open shoe to slog considerable distances in sand (which I hate hiking in to being with) or not without socks, anyway. I chafed both feet to the bleeding point once in deep sand so never again: closed shoes for this hiker when faced with sand!

Teva orginal hiking sandal. Have walked long distances (hiking trails and on the sand in the sandals). They are comfortable, but more importantly provide stability on trails.

I'm a big fan of Keen's. Purchased mine in 2007 for our 1st trip to Europe and they are still in great condition.

Would love to wear Keens, unfortunately they do not cater to those with extra wide feet. I was able to buy a wide- width pair of Ecco sandals, not inexpensive, but well worth the cost. They fit my feet, are sturdy and comfortable at the same time. When my boots were giving me a problem, I was able to walk 2-3 miles of the Camino in my Eccos. Hank, Novato, Ca

Another vote for Keen Newport. LOVE Keen shoes and sandals. Pricey but worth every penny for durability and comfort.

I own 3 pair of Keens, 1 pair of Newports and 2 pair of Whispers. Love them all! I found out about them several years ago while river rafting. They are perfect for that, as well as the hikes we would take on our multi-day river trips and for my walks on the local beach. My Newports and 1 pair of the Whispers are going with me on my 5 week trip to Europe in August! They are my go-to sandals, even in the rain here on the Oregon Coast in the winter. I can't say enough about Keens!! Oh, but I did have to order 1/2 size bigger for comfort!!

I'd like to put in a plug for Naot sandals. I have a lot of foot problems, but from the second I put my Naots on my feet were happy. They are quite pricy, but totally worth it in my mind.

Rosemary, I'm so glad to read your plug for Naots. I just bought a pair yesterday with the intention that they become my new warm weather travel shoes. They feel like I could walk for weeks in them! And they're cute too, a new sandal style apparently!!

Edited to add: took my new Naot "Brittany" sandals on a weeklong trip to Tennessee. Wore them for miles on hot pavement, hills, some asphalt....no sand though. Incredibly comfortable from the very start. The velcro straps are practical. The soft leather never cut or rubbed. And they transitioned from city to trails to casual dinners. Love them!

Malts are wonderful prob due to cork liner. Yes a bit pricey so skip the sand with these but fairly stylish
For a comfy sandal

Birkenstock Mayari. I have walked miles in these sandals. But probably not in sand. I’d go with a water shoe in sand. Or barefoot.

I will also "jump on the Naot Bandwagon." I have 3 pairs of the "Kayla" style. Always take them along on warm weather trips. Extremely comfortable, cork insole, withstood cobblestones, and miles of walking. ** I would not wear them on sand! ;) Can be worn with shorts, capri's, dresses, skirts. All around sandal. They've been a great investment. Occasionally they go on sale on Amazon.

Another 'ones that fit your feet' responder. The Spousal Unit loves the look of Keens but there's something about the lasta they use that result in a shoe that just doesn't work with his feet.

My current sport sandal rotation is some Chacos and a pair of Ecco Yucatans.

Hi Connie,
Question, betweeen the Newport and Whispers - which has the best arch support?
Thanks in advance.

@gtjackets8083 - I love them both! But, if I had to pick which pair is my favorite, I'd have to say the Newports. The arch is slightly higher, the toe box is wider and they grip better on slippery ground. I'm wearing the Newports on my upcoming 5 week trip to Scandanavia/Europe and taking the Whispers as my back-up pair. I hope this helps. PS- they do run a little small, after my first pair, I ordered 1/2 size larger which works well for me!

My experience with Keen Newports vs Keen Whisper. I tried the Whisper out a couple years ago due to the fact they are lighter weight than the Newport. That said, I didn't get the same support or comfort walking upwards of 15 miles (not on sand). I also developed blisters which I have never had with the Newport style. But I may be the exception to the rule? As previously mentioned upthread choose what's best for your feet. ;)

I'm sure answers to this are as different as the shapes of people's feet, but my favorite sandals for walking long distances are Ecco Yucatans. I also have Birkenstock Arizonas that I like very much for the ease of slipping them on and off, but for long distances I prefer the Eccos. Both are very comfortable and supportive.

A lot of people like Keen's, with their roomy, closed-toe design, they were originally made for yacht racing, as the water could drain while your toes were protected from deck tools like wenches and cleats. Boaters on the lake/rivers enjoyed them and naturally migrated to the general outdoor world. The biggest short-coming with the Keen closed-toe design, is if you get just a single pebble, leaf or pine needle in-between your foot and the footbed, it'll drive you nuts and you'll have to stop to get it out. Don't get me wrong, for many people they are perfect and they are ideal Summer travel footwear just, know what these shoes can do.

Chaco sandals are hugely popular amongst outdoor enthusiasts and boaters as well, generally if you like Chaco's you're not a fan of Keens. So, between those two brands, they cover a broad range of foot profiles. Teva's used to be big, their Terra-Fi model and Women's Terra are the only styles that continues strong, the rest of their designs have gone more lifestyle and fashion.

REI Anniversary sale is coming up, biggest sale in the outdoor industry, they usually have Keens & Chaco's on promotion.

hands down, my Naot gladiator sandals. Walked all over Croatia, France and Thailand in these.

Strongly urge you to get a closed toe model to reduce the chances of a nasty injury from striking or kicking something.

I generally alternate between my Keen Venice sandals and a pair of Tevas when I'm traveling. For sand, I would wear Tevas. Once you get a speck of sand in Keens it is hard to get out. I also really like Fit Flops (thanks to this forum). I love my Birkenstocks at home but I wouldn't walk ten miles in them.

Definitely this cheap & comfort Dream Pairs Adventurous Summer Outdoor Sandals ,good for walking through sand , i usually wear it for fishing .

I have a terrible time finding comfortable shoes as I have "duck" feet...narrow heels and a wide toe box. I found SAS Sorento Sandals to be fantastic for a lot of walking. They are adjustable so and provide great heel and arch support. We spent 2 months in Europe last summer and rarely walked less than 20,000+ steps a day. They felt great and looked nearly new when I got home. Yes, they are pricey but they will last for ever and are worth the comfort. Yes, they are a bit clunky looking....who cares? I don't know anyone and I'd rather be comfortable than fashionable lol.

I am with the folks who put in a good word for Naot. The pair I have are called "Karenna" and I love them They are one of the more narrow styles of Naots which I need because I typically wear a Narrow and not a Medium. They do not come in half sizes (I wear a 6.5) so I had to go up to a 7 (tried the 6 but one of the shoes rubbed my littlest toe). I am pleased with them and wear them all the time when I need the security of a strap behind my ankle. They also have a great footbed and good arch support. I am one of those folks who cannot wear slip-on sandals when walking over rough or unlevel surfaces (like my fav FitFlops or Birkenstocks) so do need the security of the back strap. I have two pair of Chacos and like those for wet wear but find that the inside soles are too rough to wear for 10-12 hours. The Karenna can go from walking to casual wear and would be cute with a dress or dress and leggings. I also tried the Enid style of Naots but it was not as narrow and not as comfortable to me.