With a new lower-profile footbed, the new Chaco Rex sandals are built to be lightweight and comfortable for a variety of outdoor adventures. Aiming for the classic Z-tan, I’ve been splitting time between these and my Chaco Zong sandals and my feet have liked them both for different reasons.
Chaco Rex Sandals Features:
- Uppers: Polyester jacquard webbing upper with webbing posts, Cement Contruction, Custom Adjust’em fit
- Midsole: LUVSEAT™ footbed
- Outsole: NearGround siped outsole with EcoTread™ rubber, 2-3mm lug depth, All-purpose tread design, Non-marking sole
- Colors: Black, Deep Dive Brown, Deep Dive Red, Seeing Green (tested), Pencil Art
- MSRP: $99.00
Working on a Z-Tan in the Rex Sandals
Chacos are well-known for their comfortable Luvseat footbeds, which carry the seal of approval from the American Podiatric Medical Association. This is an important distinction in the world of sandals because many sandals on the market do more harm than good for your feet. The Rex is Chaco’s entry into the minimalist fray and is a welcomed addition to the line as a lighter, more lower-profile sandal.
Strap adjustments on the Rex are slightly different than those found on the Z/1 and Z/2 models. The biggest difference is the metal d-ring on the inner ankle. That little number took some wear to get used to as it dug into my ankle during the break-in period. I’ll also mention that one of my sandals took some serious muscle to work the strap loose for fitting — seems like there was a generous amount of glue that caused it to be stuck until I worked it free. If yours don’t adjust, just keep working at it and it should work free.
My first pair of Chacos were purchased back in 2001 and I sadly didn’t make it through the break-in period before returning them to REI. Luckily, I had more patience with my most recent pair of Zong’s and have enjoyed them for years. That break-in period is worth the effort and the goal with the Rex was to reduce that time. My only beef was with the metal d-ring (as mentioned), but the Luvseat footbed itself required no break-in at all.
After a summer filled with dirt and water adventures, the Rex sandals live up to the Chaco name. The footbed has provided supportive comfort on all my adventures and the EcoTread outsole grips well in all conditions. I’ve used them on extended hikes and days at the lake paddleboarding. They continue to wear well and are quite supportive and comfortable — just like the originals.
The Good:
- Low-profile Luvseat footbed required little break-in
- Excellent wet and dry traction
- Lightweight design is nice compared to Z/2 Unaweep
- Stink-free footbeds
The Bad:
- Metal d-ring dug into my ankle at first
The Bottom Line
Somewhere it’s always Chaco season and those looking for a lighter-weight, low-profile sandal should check out the new Rex. With classic Chaco performance in a more svelte design, I’m a fan.
Buy Now: Available at MooseJaw.com
