The 6 Best Sandals of 2025
A sporty, lightweight sandal: Chaco Lowdown Sandal
Top pick
These supportive and highly adjustable sandals are rugged enough for the great outdoors but still work for everyday wear.
These supportive and highly adjustable sandals are rugged enough for the great outdoors but still work for everyday wear.
The Chaco Lowdown Sandals (in women’s and men’s sizes) are rugged, sporty, and versatile. With lightweight, low-profile rubber soles and webbed polyester straps, they can transition straight from the trail to a lunch date.
They’re utility players. Wirecutter’s Anna Perling shared that her Lowdown Sandals “shield tender feet from jagged seashells as well as the gritty bathroom floor of a campground.” They pack flat, so they are great for travel. And their neutral, trend-proof design doesn’t try to steal the spotlight and works with most casual outfits.
They’re comfortable and easy to adjust. Chaco sandals have plush, springy footbeds made of lightweight EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) and plenty of arch support for long excursions on your feet. And customizing the fit is simple: A single polyester strap threads across the entire shoe and can be adjusted to wrap snugly around your foot; the sandals felt secure whenever we wore them.
They’re built to last. Chaco sandals are covered by a lifetime warranty against defects (damage caused by normal wear and tear does not qualify for warranty repairs).
Sizes: women’s 5 to 12; men’s 7 to 15 (available in medium and wide widths)
Colors: over a dozen colors, including meadow cool gray, meadow green olive, meadow blossom, and apricot lilac
A summery twist on iconic sandals: Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA
Top pick
The iconic Arizona sandals we know and love, but in a less expensive and more summer-ready material. Though they can take a little time to break in, the cushiony comfort is worth the wait.
What can be said about the Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA sandals that we haven’t said already? They’re well priced. They’re waterproof. And they come in a whimsical selection of seasonal colors.
They’re a lighter twist on the classic two-strap Birkenstock Arizona design. The first Arizona style came out in 1973, and this shoe has since been spotted on fashion icons from Kate Moss to Tracee Ellis Ross. Originals have cork, latex footbeds and faux nubuck (aka Bircibuc), leather, or suede straps. But EVA sandals are constructed of ethylene-vinyl acetate (aka EVA, hence their name), making them lightweight (at just 6 ounces) and machine-washable. In other words: ideal for wet-and-wild activities and warmer temps.
They provide excellent arch support. The sandal’s famous footbed, with its deep heel cup, multidirectional arch support, and indented toe grip, is beloved by podiatrists for a reason: It was specifically designed to support healthy posture and gait.
They can take some getting used to. Though the material makes EVA sandals quicker to break in than traditional cork Birkenstocks, you should still expect a break-in period. One flat-footed tester spent her first three days with Birkenstocks in utter, aching agony as her feet (and, heck, her entire musculoskeletal system) got acquainted with the marvels of German engineering. But once the footbeds have time to mold to your feet—and your feet have acclimated to their unique shape—you’ll be happy you stuck it out.
Sizes: women’s 4 to 12½; men’s 6 to 13½
Colors: 11 colors, including black, silver, sky blue, and lime
Sandals for the whole family: Hoy Salt Water Original
Top pick
These waterproof leather sandals have stood the test of time—they’ve been around since 1944—and they come in adult and kids sizes, if you’re a family that enjoys matching. But the flat footbeds don’t offer much arch support.
With a nostalgic, sweetly innocent design that’s been virtually unchanged since they first debuted, nearly a century ago, Hoy Salt Water Original sandals—with ankle straps and sturdy woven leather atop a round-toe, rubber-sole base—are a summer classic.
They’re a summer staple for all ages. The Missouri-based Hoy Shoe Company used scrap World War II boot leather for its earliest version of the shoe. Since then, the company has built up an extremely loyal, multigenerational fan base—Salt Water sandals come in unisex baby, toddler, kids, and women’s sizes.
They’re waterproof. Salt Water Original sandals earn points for being practical: The leather is actually waterproof. “They’re comfortable and durable and stay decent-looking seemingly forever,” says Wirecutter deputy director Courtney Schley, who has been wearing these sandals since she was 4 years old and now buys them for her own kids.
They’re flexible and don’t require any breaking in. The sandals felt soft and pleasant to wear from the moment we slipped them on, due to their flexible leather upper, molded rubber sole, and adjustable ankle strap—although they did make a comical squeaking sound when we first wore them. The one catch is that Salt Water Original sandals don’t offer much arch support; people with high arches, in particular, may find them uncomfortable after a few hours of wear.
Sizes: women’s 6 to 11 (plus unisex baby, toddler, and kids sizes)
Colors: over a dozen colors, including black, tan, and butter yellow
