Chaco Unisex-Child Z1 Ecotread Sandal

First of all, I give Chacos 5 stars for the product. I contemplated giving a 1-star review here to attract attention to the issue I am writing about, so that it will gain visibility...but I could not since Chacos are such good sandals.My child wears a 1.5 in shoes with barely any room for growth. We even measured his feet on the little measuring contraption at the shoe store--1.5 is the best choice. This is consistent with at least three pairs of shoes we have bought in the last month (Nike, Vans, and dress shoes). So, we decided to get a 2 Chaco. WAY too big. Set up a return and thought a 1 would be just right. 1's were also WAY too big...............?! It is my opinion that Chacos for children are not true to size. I'd recommend going smaller.The trick with ANY Chacos is the heel strap. Since that is static, and cannot be adjusted, you want to wear Chacos with your foot ALL the way back against the heel strap to determine what length would be best. I think that Chacos ought to shorten their heel strap on ALL their sandals including the adult ones. I own many pairs of Chacos, and with my foot pressed all the way back on the heel strap, my heel seems to go too near the edge of the back of the sole, and leave too much room in front of my toes to the front end of the sole. In most cases, I believe that measuring your foot on Chacos will result in your wanting to get a smaller size than you would with shoes by a half to full size.For hiking on rocky terrain, a little space in the front of toes is nice to have, however, but with Chacos, it all plays into the fitment with straps, and the biggest factor in a fine fit is that static heel strap since all the others can be adjusted (it is one continuous strap that goes into three different zones for adjustment--the toes, top of foot, and strap tightener at the top.

This is my son’s second pair. I purchased him his first pair of Chacos and he wore them every day. No really, every single day. They lasted a whole year of hard play, rivers, lakes, hikes even a few track, basketball and football practices when he would “accidentally” forget his practice shoes. This is his second pair and they are just as great as the first!

These were a good price and my daughter lives in them! She grew out of her last ones and they were still in great shape. These are the same high quality Chacos you get anywhere that sells this brand.

Arrived in 2 days. Great summer sandal for kids. Once they figure how to put on they can wear all day. My only concern is that the sizing may be off and run a half inch too large. On the good side, I know my grand child's feet will grow in the next 3 months so we are keeping them and will recommend to all.

I bought the tye dye clearance special. They look really cool! Are these Chaco's as good and sturdy as the Chacos made before 2009, no, but these still appear to be similar. Get back to me in 3 years and I'll let you know how well these hold up against my 20 year old Chacos. Anyway, if you can get some on sale, it's probably worth it. I am fortunate enough to have small feet and wear a boys size 5, so I lucked out on these. The straps can be adjusted to accommodate my arthritic big toe joint so that the strap isn't right on top of that joint. The straps also help keep the sandal snug to your foot so it doesn't flop around. Just my personal experience which might not be the same as yours, but hopefully you'll like whatever you purchase as well.

I often try to see if I can buy shoes in kids sizes to save money, esp more expensive shoes. I had wanted Chaco's for a very long time (RPCV here, and if you know Peace Corps, it was the durable footwear of choice) but I could not justify the big price tag. I got along fine without it, but I buckled this year because 1) I'm in the market for a long-lasting sandal (more environmental that way! I've had too many pairs of broken $10 ones to count) and 2) it is so much cheaper than the women's shoes and 3) if I'm going to be completely candid, I've always coveted them but just couldn't get over the steep cost for sandals. I bought the 5.5 at first, worried that the 5 would be too small since I am 7.5 women's. I would say I'm a true 7.5 US / 37 EU/ 4.5 UK. Had to return it and get a big kid's 5. It fits perfectly. It is much softer and flexible than adult Chacos, which is a pro (more comfort) /con (in that it may not be as durable), but overall I highly recommend it

Wanted to replace my Chacos that were falling apart, but I didn’t want to spend big money on my little foot. I purchased a size 5 in big kids for my size 7 women’s foot. They fit perfect. If you want some wiggle room I suggest maybe getting a size bigger. So happy with my purchase!!

I am soooo happy. I had hip replacement over a year ago and started wearing Chaco's based on my adult children's recommendations! What a wonderful shoe! I was wanted a pair without the toe loop and had looked for a couple of months. Many stores in our area did not carry the black in that style. Of course I checked Amazon and read several reviews on the youth sizes. I wear a 7.5, and my last pair of Chacos (Z/2 with toe loop) was a size 8. The largest size in this sandal was a 5, so I took my chances. It is perfect! I like it being a little more snug without the toe loop. The only problem I encountered was a "chemical, rubber" smell when I took them out of the box. I let them sit outside on my porch overnight and the smell had disappated. I assume it was because of the soaring temperatures and the heat from the delivery truck. At any rate, I have worn them and could not be more pleased. I will buy the next pair in this manner....at half the price. But...shhhhhh.....it has to be our little secret or the price will go up!! ;)