# my chacos finally died.... flexi-feat?



## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

ok so after 7 or 8 years my chaco's finally died.  
after reading about "flexi-feat", a colorado made sandal, on a chaco thread here on the wonderful buzz... yeah that sentence confused me too... oh well to tired to fix it.

anyway, i broke my chaco's while in durango this weekend... right were "flexi-feat" are made... so for $30 i bought a pair. here is my 3 day review:

first off the couple that make them are very nice down to earth river people. 

now for the real review...
they are not chaco's (duhh!)... my feet are used to my chaco's so keep that in mind and like all things, what fits me may not fit you and vice versa.

I found the strap system a little weird (keep in mind i have permanent chaco tan lines... aka very used to them and this is a different system) but it is adjustable, after about 20 minutes of adjusting the buckle location and working on the fit i then wore them for the next 4 hours of walking around durango.

I have since worn them 2 more days in this fashion.

I will say this if you are looking for a chaco replacement for just kicking around camp or town they may be the right choice for you. they are slowly getting used to my feet... but i still find that certain things bug me. 
#1 they have to be tight (really tight) to keep my feet from slipping forward and this causes some pressure points.
#2 is the front strap placement... it starts behind the big toe just fine but then cuts across the top of my pinky toe at about half way down my toe. (this could just be personal preference )

my 3 day impression is that i will not be wearing them for any serious hiking, which is something i did a lot with in my chaco's......
But for around town or in camp probably a good sandal especially for the price.

in trying to be fair i will try to remember to post an update after i have had them a bit longer.


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## skyegod (Apr 23, 2009)

What happened to the Chacos? My straps were just about ready to snap, I sent them to www.chacousa.com cost me about $30.00 and got them rewebbed and resoled. Good for another 7 years


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

I was looking at doing that, but the website said it would be about $70 to do that so I got new ones. My. Worn out ones lasted 8 years of constant wearing. Should I just send them back and see what the cost is? I now have a river pair and a hiking pair, so the old ones are just extra. The base is still in good shape but they have no tread, and the straps are frayed. I love my chacos.


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## SM610 (May 12, 2009)

skyegod said:


> What happened to the Chacos? My straps were just about ready to snap, I sent them to Sandals & Flip Flops - Shop Hiking Sandals & Sport Sandals from Chaco cost me about $30.00 and got them rewebbed and resoled. Good for another 7 years


I've had this done several times and it's fantastic. That said, It was always >$70 and you have to ship the shoes to them too. Current website has the price at $40 for soles and $36 for webbing... 

So how'd you get it done for $30?


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

$40+$36=$76 + shipping got new ones for $75 for each pair


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## skyegod (Apr 23, 2009)

I sent them in for rewebbing, and they came back with new webbing and new soles


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## SM610 (May 12, 2009)

skyegod said:


> I sent them in for rewebbing, and they came back with new webbing and new soles


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

I am so sorry to hear of your lose. Will there be a service? I didn't really get to meet your chacos. But I aways wanted too. Any pics. godspeed.


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## bonzola (Apr 13, 2005)

Yes! I also sent mine in for new webbing- $36! They also replaced the soles without me even asking (free)! Soooo awesome. Even if you can get a new pair cheap-its way better to get them fixed instead of adding to landfills with thrown away chacos.!


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## romerun (Jul 19, 2009)

why bother, you can always find good condition genuine chacos in ebay for $30-40 shipping included.


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## Tele-axel (Dec 10, 2007)

How on earth did you get chacos to last for 7 years? I completely destroyed 2 pairs in less than a year and a half, soles worn through into the straps that run just under the soles and fraying them to unusable extremely quickly. I still have a set of Tevas that I've had for 13+ years now that I pushed way harder than the chacos (guiding the first couple years with the tevas and just wear arounds for the the chaocs).


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## idahoriverguide (Mar 30, 2011)

Tele-axel said:


> How on earth did you get chacos to last for 7 years? I completely destroyed 2 pairs in less than a year and a half, soles worn through into the straps that run just under the soles and fraying them to unusable extremely quickly. I still have a set of Tevas that I've had for 13+ years now that I pushed way harder than the chacos (guiding the first couple years with the tevas and just wear arounds for the the chaocs).


Yeah no kidding. I get 1 MAYBE 2 years out of mine. And especially since the takeover a few years back. I am lucky to get them on prodeal for ~$40 a pair. But that's all they are worth anymore. They put a cheap rear strap on a few years ago that was junk and wore in less then a season. Called them up and they told me they knew of the issue and I would still have to pay $50 with shipping to replace that rear strap ( the one that goes under your heel) and they were going to replace it with the same cheaper strap. 

I would LOVE to find another simple durable river sandal.


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## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

i have heard multiple people with the same wear complaint.
not sure if it is because hey were an older pair... but they were worn everywhere.
I have multiple 13ers done in them, if i am day hiking i usually just kept the chacos on and hiked in them. and if i was not at work they were what i wore.

but yes the back strap(ankle to sole)is what finally broke. the toe straps are fraying as well but not broke.


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## idahoriverguide (Mar 30, 2011)

Yeah I know they have since gone back to the stronger original strap around the heel. I won't even get started on the tread. I wish they would bring back 5.10 those were the best soles for water. The new ones that are 'made' for water are junk. Slip and slide on dry rocks and bust up my feet. Guess I'll just wait for another company to make a nice comfy simple sandal.


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