Footwear · Travel Sandals
The Best Travel Sandals for 2026
Seven real sandals for one-bag travelers — from a ~$55 packable classic to a leather city sandal — scored against a fixed rubric and synthesized from independent expert testing.
Last updated: August 2026
Affiliate disclosure: THRYV is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence our rankings or verdicts. See our full disclosure.
How we picked
This is an editorial meta-analysis: we shortlisted seven travel sandals currently sold in the U.S. and built each assessment from published third-party testing by OutdoorGearLab, Treeline Review, Switchback Travel and REI Expert Advice, plus manufacturer specifications. THRYV Composite Scores (0–10) are our editorial synthesis of that cited evidence — not lab measurements; we did not test these sandals ourselves. Each model was scored on all-day comfort (25%), versatility across city, trail and water (20%), packability & weight (15%), durability & repairability (15%), support & stability (15%) and value (10%). Prices are approximate bands — always check the retailer for the current price. Read the full THRYV Research Method →
At a glance
Approximate prices are U.S. MSRP at the time of writing — always check the retailer for the current price.
| Model | Award | THRYV Score | Approx. Price | Weight | Construction | Water-friendly | Resoleable / warranty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedrock Cairn Evo | Editors’ Choice — Best Overall · Adventure Travel | 9.2 | ~$115 (Evo) / ~$125 (Evo 3D Adventure) | 15.6 oz (Evo) / 17.4 oz (Cairn 3D Adventure per Treeline) | Zero-drop, low-profile, three adjustment points, Vibram XS Trek EVO outsole | Yes — quick-drying | Yes — eligible for resoling | Travelers who mix hiking, water and city miles and want one durable sandal for everything |
| Chaco Z/Cloud | Best Cushioned All-Terrain | 9.0 | ~$105 | ~1 lb 14 oz per pair (per Switchback Travel) | Cushioned PU LUVSEAT midsole, ChacoGrip deep-lug outsole | Yes | Yes — resoleable | Travelers who prioritize support and durability over packing weight |
| Teva Original Universal | Best Value | 8.8 | ~$55–65 | ~11 oz (W) / 13 oz (M) per Treeline | EVA foam midsole, recycled REPREVE webbing, vegan materials | Yes | Not resoleable | Budget-minded travelers and beach or city trips where packability beats technical performance |
| Birkenstock Arizona (Soft Footbed) | Best for City Comfort | 8.9 | ~$150–155 | Not published by our sources | Moldable cork-latex footbed, oiled leather straps | No — cork and leather | Not resoleable | City-focused travel, museums and long walking days in dry conditions |
| Xero Z-Trail EV | Best Ultralight / Most Packable | 8.5 | ~$80 | 8.6 oz (W) / 10.8 oz (M) per Treeline | TrailFoam midsole, zero-drop, floats in water | Yes — floats | 5,000-mile sole warranty | Ultralight one-baggers who want a second pair that disappears in a carry-on |
| KEEN Newport H2 | Best Protection / Water Travel | 8.7 | ~$125–130 | 11.4 oz (W) / 14.2 oz (M) per Treeline | Closed-toe with patented rubber toe cap, metatomical arch-support footbed | Yes — quick-dry webbing and lining | Not resoleable | Adventure travel with lots of water time or rocky terrain, and travelers who want covered toes |
| ECCO Yucatan | Best Leather / Style-Focused | 8.3 | ~$140 | ~20 oz (W) / 25 oz (M) per Treeline | Nubuck leather construction | No — leather | Not resoleable | Travelers who want one better-dressed sandal for city trips and warm-weather evenings |
The picks, in depth
#1 · Editors’ Choice — Best Overall · Adventure Travel
Bedrock Cairn Evo
The most decorated sandal in this field. Treeline Review named the Cairn 3D Adventure its Best Overall hiking sandal — rugged, quick-drying and easy to adjust at 17.4 oz — and REI Expert Advice gave the Cairn Evo its Editors’ Choice Award for exceptional comfort, superior Vibram traction and a customizable fit, with resoling eligibility. The Vibram XS Trek EVO outsole and three adjustment points make it the most adaptable pick here; the trade-offs are a Y-strap that needs breaking in and a zero-drop footbed with little arch support.
Strengths
- +Outstanding Vibram XS Trek EVO traction
- +Quick-drying
- +Hugely adjustable, secure fit (three adjustment points)
- +Repairable and resoleable for long-term ownership
- +Packs flat
Weaknesses
- −Y-strap between the toes needs a break-in period
- −Zero-drop footbed offers little arch support
- −Minimal cushioning
Best for: Travelers who mix hiking, water and city miles and want one durable sandal for everything
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#2 · Best Cushioned All-Terrain
Chaco Z/Cloud
Switchback Travel’s Best Overall hiking sandal. The cushioned polyurethane LUVSEAT midsole delivers the arch support the minimalist picks lack, the deep-lug ChacoGrip outsole handles mixed surfaces, and the continuous adjustable webbing (with a toe-loop option) plus a resoling program give it a famously long service life. The cost is weight: at roughly 1 lb 14 oz per pair it is the heaviest option here for a carry-on.
Strengths
- +Excellent arch support from the PU LUVSEAT midsole
- +Deep-lug ChacoGrip traction across surfaces
- +Very durable — long service life
- +Resoleable
- +Continuous adjustable webbing with toe-loop option
Weaknesses
- −Heavy and bulky for a carry-on (~1 lb 14 oz per pair)
- −Strap adjustment has a learning curve
Best for: Travelers who prioritize support and durability over packing weight
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#3 · Best Value
Teva Original Universal
The consensus budget pick: Best Budget at Treeline Review (~$65, ~11 oz women’s / 13 oz men’s, recycled REPREVE webbing, vegan, minimal break-in), Best Budget at Switchback Travel (~$55, EVA foam midsole) and Best Buy at OutdoorGearLab. Light, packable, water-friendly and adjusted in seconds with velcro — the limits are a flat footbed with little arch support and traction and durability that trail the premium options.
Strengths
- +Lightweight and packable
- +Water-friendly
- +Quick velcro adjustment
- +Inexpensive
- +Minimal break-in; vegan, recycled webbing
Weaknesses
- −Flat footbed with little arch support
- −Modest traction and durability versus premium options
- −Footbed can get slippery when wet
Best for: Budget-minded travelers and beach or city trips where packability beats technical performance
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#4 · Best for City Comfort
Birkenstock Arizona (Soft Footbed)
OutdoorGearLab’s Editors’ Choice sandal at $155. The cork-latex footbed molds to the foot, which is why it is the benchmark for all-day comfort and arch support once broken in, and the oiled leather straps look as right at dinner as on cobblestones. REI’s 2026 guide newly added the Arizona Crosstown (~$150), praising the molded cork footbed and grip while noting a break-in period of weeks and no heel strap.
Strengths
- +Benchmark all-day comfort and arch support once broken in
- +Cork-latex footbed molds to your foot
- +Versatile style — dinner or cobblestones
Weaknesses
- −Cork and leather build is not water-friendly
- −Break-in period of weeks
- −No heel strap (Crosstown)
- −Premium price
Best for: City-focused travel, museums and long walking days in dry conditions
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#5 · Best Ultralight / Most Packable
Xero Z-Trail EV
Treeline Review’s Best Camp Sandal (8.6 oz women’s / 10.8 oz men’s, 5,000-mile sole warranty, zero break-in) and Switchback Travel’s Best Lightweight/Minimalist pick. It rolls up to nearly nothing, floats, and gives a true barefoot ground feel — but that thin TrailFoam platform means minimal support, a fit that can feel sloppy, and a more delicate build than its heavier rivals.
Strengths
- +Feather-light and rolls up to pack almost nowhere
- +Barefoot ground feel
- +Floats in water
- +Zero break-in; 5,000-mile sole warranty
Weaknesses
- −Minimal arch support and cushioning
- −Can feel loose or sloppy
- −More delicate construction than heavier rivals
- −Slippery when wet (per Treeline)
Best for: Ultralight one-baggers who want a second pair that disappears in a carry-on
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#6 · Best Protection / Water Travel
KEEN Newport H2
Treeline Review’s Best Everyday Closed-Toe Sandal (11.4 oz women’s / 14.2 oz men’s, wide comfortable fit, metatomical arch-support footbed) and Switchback Travel’s Best Closed-Toe for Water Sports. The patented rubber toe cap is the reason to buy it — boats, rocky beaches and river crossings stop being a hazard — and the quick-dry webbing and lining keep it usable straight out of the water. It is heavier than the open sandals here, and fit reports vary.
Strengths
- +Real toe protection via the patented rubber toe cap
- +Supportive metatomical arch-support footbed
- +Stable
- +Water-friendly quick-dry webbing and lining
Weaknesses
- −Heavier than open sandals
- −Can retain odor
- −Divisive looks
- −Fit complaints — runs small (Switchback), narrow (OutdoorGearLab)
Best for: Adventure travel with lots of water time or rocky terrain, and travelers who want covered toes
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
#7 · Best Leather / Style-Focused
ECCO Yucatan
The style pick. Treeline Review lists the Yucatan at roughly 20 oz women’s / 25 oz men’s and highlights its nubuck leather construction and sophisticated, travel-friendly appearance. It pairs a polished look with real cushioning for casual travel days, but it is explicitly a non-technical option: the leather is not waterproof and it is not built for technical terrain.
Strengths
- +Polished nubuck leather look
- +Real cushioning
- +Comfortable for casual travel days
Weaknesses
- −Leather is not waterproof and can develop odor when wet
- −Not built for technical terrain
- −Heaviest footbed-plus-leather build here
Best for: Travelers who want one better-dressed sandal for city trips and warm-weather evenings
Links to the official brand site. These will become affiliate links after network approval — clearly labeled and covered by our disclosure.
How to choose travel sandals
Open toe or closed toe?
Six of these seven are open sandals; only the KEEN Newport H2 covers your toes, using a patented rubber toe cap. If your trip includes boats, rocky beaches or river crossings, that cap is the single most useful feature in this roundup — Switchback Travel names the Newport its Best Closed-Toe for Water Sports for exactly that reason. If you are mostly walking cities and dry trails, an open sandal is lighter, cooler and easier to pack.
Weight and packability for carry-on travel
The spread here is enormous. The Xero Z-Trail EV is 8.6 oz (women’s) and rolls up to almost nothing; the Chaco Z/Cloud is roughly 1 lb 14 oz per pair. The Teva Original Universal (~11 oz women’s / 13 oz men’s) and the Bedrock Cairn Evo (15.6 oz, packs flat) sit in the useful middle. As a rule, weight in this category buys support and durability — decide which one your trip actually needs before you optimize ounces.
Water-friendliness
Synthetic webbing with EVA or foam midsoles dries fast: the Teva Original Universal, Xero Z-Trail EV (which floats), KEEN Newport H2 (quick-dry webbing and lining) and the quick-drying Bedrock Cairn all handle getting soaked. Cork and leather do not — the Birkenstock Arizona’s cork-latex footbed and oiled leather straps are dry-conditions gear, and the ECCO Yucatan’s leather can develop odor once wet. Note too that both the Teva footbed and the Z-Trail can be slippery when wet.
The arch-support spectrum
At one end are zero-drop minimalist platforms: the Bedrock Cairn Evo and Xero Z-Trail EV give ground feel and little arch support or cushioning. At the other are contoured footbeds — Chaco’s cushioned polyurethane LUVSEAT and Birkenstock’s moldable cork-latex bed, which OutdoorGearLab’s Editors’ Choice rewards for comfort. KEEN’s metatomical footbed sits in between. If you have logged long days in supportive shoes, the contoured beds are the safer choice for a walking-heavy trip.
Durability and repairability
Three of these sandals are designed to outlive a single season. Bedrock’s Cairn is eligible for resoling (REI notes this in its Editors’ Choice write-up) and Chaco runs a resoling program that underpins the Z/Cloud’s long service life. Xero backs the Z-Trail EV with a 5,000-mile sole warranty. The Teva Original Universal is the cheapest to replace but the least durable of the group; the leather and cork builds are not resoleable.
Break-in expectations
Two picks need patience. The Bedrock Cairn’s Y-strap between the toes takes a break-in period before it stops announcing itself, and the Birkenstock Arizona’s cork footbed needs weeks to mold to your foot — REI flags this explicitly. The Teva Original Universal and the Xero Z-Trail EV need essentially none, which is why they are the low-risk choices if the trip starts next week.
FAQ
Are hiking sandals good travel sandals?+
Often yes — most of the picks here come from hiking-sandal testing. The Bedrock Cairn (Treeline Review’s Best Overall hiking sandal, REI’s Editors’ Choice) and the Chaco Z/Cloud (Switchback Travel’s Best Overall) both handle city walking as well as trail and water, and that versatility is exactly what one-bag travel rewards. The caveat is weight: the Z/Cloud runs about 1 lb 14 oz per pair, so if your priority is a sandal that vanishes in a carry-on, a lighter option like the Xero Z-Trail EV or the Teva Original Universal fits better.
Can I hike in Birkenstocks?+
We would not plan on it. The Arizona is OutdoorGearLab’s Editors’ Choice for comfort, and its molded cork footbed and grip earn praise in REI’s guide, but the cork-and-leather build is not water-friendly and the Crosstown has no heel strap. Treat it as the city and warm-evening sandal in your bag and keep technical terrain and water crossings for the Bedrock, Chaco or KEEN.
What is the lightest travel sandal here?+
The Xero Z-Trail EV, at 8.6 oz for women’s and 10.8 oz for men’s per Treeline Review, which names it Best Camp Sandal and highlights that it rolls up small, floats and needs zero break-in. Switchback Travel picks it as the Best Lightweight/Minimalist option. The trade-off is minimal arch support and cushioning, a fit that can feel loose, and a more delicate build than heavier sandals.
Do I need arch support in a travel sandal?+
If you are walking long days, it helps. The Chaco Z/Cloud’s cushioned polyurethane LUVSEAT midsole and the Birkenstock Arizona’s moldable cork-latex footbed are the two most supportive beds in this group, and KEEN’s metatomical footbed is also called out as supportive by Treeline Review. The zero-drop Bedrock Cairn Evo and Xero Z-Trail EV deliberately offer little arch support or cushioning — great ground feel, less forgiving over a 20,000-step museum day.
How should a travel sandal fit?+
Aim for a secure, adjustable hold rather than a snug shoe fit. The Bedrock Cairn Evo has three adjustment points, the Chaco Z/Cloud uses continuous webbing (with a toe-loop option) that takes some practice to dial in, and the Teva Original Universal adjusts in seconds with velcro. Sizing notes matter too: Switchback Travel reports the KEEN Newport H2 runs small and OutdoorGearLab finds it narrow, while Treeline Review describes its fit as wide and comfortable — so try before a long trip if you can.
What does the THRYV Composite Score mean?+
It is an editorial synthesis, not a lab test we ran. We do not operate a test lab; we weigh published third-party testing from OutdoorGearLab, Treeline Review, Switchback Travel and REI Expert Advice together with manufacturer specifications, then score each sandal 0–10 on all-day comfort (25%), versatility (20%), packability & weight (15%), durability & repairability (15%), support & stability (15%) and value (10%). Every source is linked below so you can check our reasoning.
Sources
Our composite scores synthesize independent third-party lab and field testing with verified owner reviews. We link the testers we drew on so you can check our work.
- OutdoorGearLab — 10 Best Sandals
Comparative sandal testing. Source for the Birkenstock Arizona Editors’ Choice ($155), the Teva Original Universal Best Buy award, and the note that the KEEN Newport H2 fits narrow.
- Treeline Review — Best Hiking Sandals
Trail-tested category picks and published weights. Source for the Bedrock Cairn 3D Adventure Best Overall (17.4 oz), Teva Original Universal Best Budget, Xero Z-Trail EV Best Camp Sandal, KEEN Newport H2 Best Everyday Closed-Toe, and the ECCO Yucatan weights and nubuck description.
- Switchback Travel — Best Hiking Sandals
Source for the Chaco Z/Cloud Best Overall pick and its ~1 lb 14 oz weight, the Teva Original Universal Best Budget (~$55, EVA midsole), the Xero Z-Trail EV Best Lightweight/Minimalist pick, and the KEEN Newport H2 Best Closed-Toe for Water Sports (runs small).
- REI Expert Advice — The 6 Best Hiking Sandals
Source for the Bedrock Cairn Evo Editors’ Choice Award (comfort, Vibram traction, customizable fit, resoling eligibility, 15.6 oz) and the newly added Birkenstock Arizona Crosstown (~$150) with its break-in period and lack of a heel strap.
Affiliate disclosure: THRYV is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence our rankings or verdicts. See our full disclosure.
Author
By the THRYV Research Desk
Last updated: August 2026. Corrections or questions? contact@thryv-apparel.com.