Chaco OutCross
The Chaco OutCross is not a sandal, but it's the best sandal I've ever worn. While you try and wrap your head around that, please let me explain.
I'm not a sandal guy. Never have been and probably never will be. For me, sandals have always been for beaches, gym showers and dorks with huge collections of white ankle socks. Don't get me wrong, though; I'm not opposed to sandals. Every summer they seem to hatch like mosquitos as bare feet beg to breathe fresh air. I just can't get myself to wear them with any kind of regularity.
My biggest beef with going toe commando is probably that I'm worried about hurting my feet. Growing up, I struggled with what seemed like chronic ingrown nails that were painful both to experience and to look at. Luckily, I grew out of that stage, but it seems to have left me anxious about injury and self-conscious about my feet in general–to this day I rarely go barefoot, even at home.
But you're here to find out what I think about the OutCross, not to learn about my naked foot complex.
When I discovered the OutCross at Outdoor Retailer last winter, I was immediately intrigued. It seemed to have all the benefits of a sandal (breathability and water drainage) with none of the drawbacks (toes exposed to injury and ridicule). Frankly, it looked like a great all-around summer shoe. Good for spending time on the river or day hiking in the mountains. But mostly I was interested in its potential as a canyoneering shoe.
And so, to Zion for a trip down Keyhole Canyon. Keyhole's short and steep, up and down approach combined with a semi-technical descent that includes some down-climbing, rappelling, swimming, and stemming is a perfect stage for gear testing. And it's short enough to do laps on if you don't get stuck behind other groups.
Allow me to note that I once wore another keenly popular sandal masquerading as shoe (or vice versa) while canyoneering before. You very well may have a pair in your closet right now. While I found that shoe great in the water and on a dry trail, I also found it to be heavy, useless for stemming, and sometimes downright scary on wet rock, especially granite. [A granite slot? Google: Jug of Salome in Arizona.]
The OutCross is also great in the water and on a dry trail, but that is where the similarities end. The OutCross is 20% lighter than it's doppelgänger, and it grips wet stone like a winsome lover. I put it to the test by attempting to stem the entire length of the final long swim in Keyhole, which would only be possible for Spiderman or maybe Adrian Peterson. Let's just say, I got farther than I thought I would.
As expected, the OutCross did a great job protecting my feet from scrapes and drained water and debris like a champ. Not having to stop to empty shoes and socks stuffed with sand pebbles felt like a luxury. And in spite of several pretty good scrape sessions winding down canyon narrows and getting jammed into cracks and under chokestones during downclimbs, the shoes came through unscathed, which is more than can be said for most shoes, even after a single descent.
Overall, I am pretty impressed with the Chaco OutCross's performance all-around and extremely impressed with it as a canyon shoe for anything but the longest, most technical slots.
I tested the web version of the shoe, but it is also available in a "lace" version that used an adjustable elastic lacing closure system. The web version is secure on my feet, and the materials don't seem to absorb a lot of water, so the shoe retains most of its lightness even when wet. Chaco's LUVSEAT footbed is very supportive and comfy, and the Vibram sole is outstanding. The tread pattern has worked well for me on a variety of trail conditions, and the center lugs have siping, which actually works on this shoe.
Like I said, the Outcross is not a sandal. Chaco's website even refers to it specifically as the "OutCross Shoe." But its as much a sandal to me as a turkey burger is a hamburger to my friends who don't know any better. It's the best we can do.
I'm not a sandal guy. Never have been and probably never will be. For me, sandals have always been for beaches, gym showers and dorks with huge collections of white ankle socks. Don't get me wrong, though; I'm not opposed to sandals. Every summer they seem to hatch like mosquitos as bare feet beg to breathe fresh air. I just can't get myself to wear them with any kind of regularity.
My biggest beef with going toe commando is probably that I'm worried about hurting my feet. Growing up, I struggled with what seemed like chronic ingrown nails that were painful both to experience and to look at. Luckily, I grew out of that stage, but it seems to have left me anxious about injury and self-conscious about my feet in general–to this day I rarely go barefoot, even at home.
But you're here to find out what I think about the OutCross, not to learn about my naked foot complex.
 |
| Chaco OutCross Web Shoe |
And so, to Zion for a trip down Keyhole Canyon. Keyhole's short and steep, up and down approach combined with a semi-technical descent that includes some down-climbing, rappelling, swimming, and stemming is a perfect stage for gear testing. And it's short enough to do laps on if you don't get stuck behind other groups.
Allow me to note that I once wore another keenly popular sandal masquerading as shoe (or vice versa) while canyoneering before. You very well may have a pair in your closet right now. While I found that shoe great in the water and on a dry trail, I also found it to be heavy, useless for stemming, and sometimes downright scary on wet rock, especially granite. [A granite slot? Google: Jug of Salome in Arizona.]
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| Chaco OutCross in action |
As expected, the OutCross did a great job protecting my feet from scrapes and drained water and debris like a champ. Not having to stop to empty shoes and socks stuffed with sand pebbles felt like a luxury. And in spite of several pretty good scrape sessions winding down canyon narrows and getting jammed into cracks and under chokestones during downclimbs, the shoes came through unscathed, which is more than can be said for most shoes, even after a single descent.
Overall, I am pretty impressed with the Chaco OutCross's performance all-around and extremely impressed with it as a canyon shoe for anything but the longest, most technical slots.
 |
| Chaco OutCross post-Keyhole |
Like I said, the Outcross is not a sandal. Chaco's website even refers to it specifically as the "OutCross Shoe." But its as much a sandal to me as a turkey burger is a hamburger to my friends who don't know any better. It's the best we can do.
(MSRP: $120, chacos.com)
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