Hiking sandals are a great choice in summer if you’re an active woman hiker looking for an alternative to hotter and heavier hiking boots. A lightweight pair of sandals are also a great choice if you’ll be doing water activities as this versatile hiking footwear can also be used as water shoes or even a camp shoe.
However, there’s a huge selection. May your personal preferences be closed-toe shoes or rugged sandals made out of synthetic materials, we’ve compiled the best 14 hiking sandals for women. If your fashion conscious, this article is perfect for you too!
Check out our curated list of recommended hiking sandals for women on Amazon.
Best Women’s Teva Hiking Sandals
Teva Terra Fi is one of the best sandals for outdoor adventure. Teva’s sandals are super comfy and provide excellent traction for walking over rocky, slippery and mild terrains and even river crossings. A true footwear recommendation for day comfort.
Best KEEN Hiking Sandals
Women hiking enthusiasts love Keen sandals for their protection, comfort, adjustable straps and support. A Keen lightweight sandal are machine washable on the gentle cycle, making them very easy and convenient to clean.
Best Chaco Hiking Sandals for Women
Chaco makes perfect hiking sandals for their adjustability, great traction, and underfoot support for active women. Adventurous travelers choose Chaco sandals to hike even the most rugged terrain. The Chaco Z is a favorite choice for many hikers who are into short hikes and minimal footwear aficionados.
Xero Shoes Z Hiking Sandals for Women
A pair of athleisure sandals that are lightweight and minimalist footwear designed for your feet to feel the earth when hiking.
ECCO Walking Sandals for Women
ECCO outdoor sandals feature the highest quality materials to provide the best comfort. ECCO sandals have extra room for toe protection, great arch support and the ECCO Freedom Fit reduces foot fatigue after a long day of hike.
Eddie Bauer Women’s Hiking Sandals
A staple name in the outdoors business and one of the comfiest sandals out there. Eddie Bauer produces entry and mid-level outdoor adventure gear suitable for camping trips of all kinds.
Best Budget Women’s Hiking Sandals
When you’re on a tight budget or only an occasional hiker, then check out these budget women’s hiking sandals. However, if you’re a regular hiker, then it’s worth investing in one of the sandals recommended above.
Advantages of Hiking Sandals
Hiking sandals are one of the latest trends in great outdoors adventure gear. A true summer companion, even, but you might feel skeptical about the idea of trekking in the mountains in sandals.
There are several advantages and disadvantages that you should consider when buying a pair of hiking sandals instead of traditional hiking footwear.
Choosing the best hiking sandals as your hiking gear has the huge pro of comfort. With sandals, your feet will breathe – making your hiking experience or water sports activity more enjoyable and less painful.
Hiking in sandals reduces your chance of blisters. Hiking shoes can easily cause blisters if worn for a long time, but sandals on the hand have fewer points of contact with your feet, reducing the rubbing. Blisters are one of the things that wreck treks and make hikes memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Having said that, it’s still important that they fit correctly and that you break them in gradually before hiking in them. It doesn’t matter whether you have wider feet or smaller ones: make sure to get the perfect size when you purchase women’s sandals.
Another advantage of hiking sandals is that many are water-safe. If you enjoy water hikes or hiking in wet environments, you’ll have zero problems if you’re wearing hiking sandals.
If you’re doing a multi-day trip, carrying a heavy pack and want to reduce your load, hiking sandals also function as camp shoes. That way you don’t need to carry another pair of shoes.
I personally wouldn’t hike in sandals for a multi-day trip as I like ankle support, especially if I’m carrying a heavy pack, but I know other hikers that swear by them.
Last but not least, many hiking sandals come with a stylish design and come in lots of colors, making them double as daily wear. That’s perfect when you’re travelling and want to pack less. Some even look good with a summer dress.
Disadvantages of Hiking in Sandals
Of course, as with all things, there are disadvantages to hiking in sandals. The main downside of hiking sandals is the lack of protection for your feet. It’s easy to stub a toe, cut up a foot on a sharp rock, or be bitten by insects and snakes.
Besides, you need to be careful about sun exposure – you might get sunburned on your feet!
Hiking sandals are also less optimal for hiking on loose ground or rock climbing than hiking shoes or boots, which offer more ankle support and traction.
Tips for Women Hiking in Sandals for the First Time
If this is the first time you are buying hiking sandals, there are some tips you can find useful before purchasing.
The most important tip for first-time sandal hikers is to keep in mind that your hiking sandals need to be as comfortable as possible. It should be custom fit to you. You should look for the perfect fit for your foot and sandals with adjustable velcro straps and arch support.
Trust me, this simple tip will make a huge difference and will help you avoid getting plantar fasciitis.
The second tip is not to forget about the importance of choosing light hiking shoes. Hiking shoes that weigh less drain five times more energy from your body than heavier ones.
If you don’t care about having sore muscles after a hike, choose lighter hiking shoes. So a lightweight pair of hiking sandals is fundamental if you don’t want to end up with muscle fatigue after long hikes.
Last but not least, keep an eye out for the price. Whether this is your first pair of hiking sandals or not, you should consider investing a little bit more for high-quality footwear.
Cheaper hiking sandals can work if you mostly do easy hikes or long walks. But if you want to be ready for more intense hikes, then you need to wear quality shoes.
Yes, they are pricier sandals, but they are one of the most comfortable hiking sandal that come with stylish designs too.
Related Reading: The Best Hiking Boots for Men
Conclusion:
When choosing a pair of women’s hiking sandals, look for comfort, weight per pair, and terrain adaptability. Our recommendations share the best ones for different needs and budgets.
