The 5 Best Hiking Sandals on Amazon in 2026

By TwelveTabs · Updated

Illustration: a pair of navy and orange strapped sandals with thick soles resting on a grey rock beside a shallow stream, drawn as a soft 3D render. Not a real product.

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored.

Our top picks

Our top pick is the KEEN Men’s Newport H2. We read 113 Amazon result cards for “hiking sandals”, compared 10 contenders on their own pages, and this closed-toe water sandal is the easy first pick for men: its listing describes a siped outsole that channels water away, washable quick-dry straps and the toe protection of a shoe.

Hiking sandals are sold by shopper, so each pick below names one. For men who want an open sandal for easy trails, the Teva Hurricane XLT2. For women, the Teva Original Universal is a light open strap sandal, the KEEN Women’s Newport H2 adds toe cover for wet trails, and the DREAM PAIRS is an easy on-and-off closed-toe sandal.

The method

How this pick was made

KEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals is the top pick. This is the work behind that choice.

  1. 113Amazon search results read, across 1 search
  2. 10finalist pages read in full
  3. 73shopper reviews read
  4. 3expert sources cross-checked: Advnture, RunRepeat, Outdoor Life

Run on October 12, 2026. AI read the listings and what shoppers say, then wrote this guide. Full method and limits

Our picks in detail

KEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals

Best overall

KEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals

Best for: Men who want toe protection on trails and in water

  • $82.45
  • 4.5 (33,225 reviews)
  • Pros Siped outsole channels water away for wet grip
  • Cons Heavy at 14.2 oz per sandal by its listing
View on Amazon

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Siped outsole channels water away for wet grip
  • Closed toe for protection on trails
  • Washable quick-dry straps

Cons

  • Heavy at 14.2 oz per sandal by its listing
  • A closed toe box leaves less room for wide forefeet
Teva Men's Hurricane XLT2 Sport Sandal

Best Men who want a simple open strap sandal for easy trails

Teva Men's Hurricane XLT2 Sport Sandal

  • $35.62
  • 4.5 (11,269 reviews)
  • Pros Durabrasion rubber outsole for grip
  • Cons Open toe leaves toes unprotected on rocky ground
View on Amazon

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Durabrasion rubber outsole for grip
  • Hook-and-loop strap for an adjustable fit
  • EVA midsole under the foot

Cons

  • Open toe leaves toes unprotected on rocky ground
  • The listing text we read names no arch support
Teva Women's Original Universal Sport Sandal

Best Women who want a light open strap sandal for easy trails and water

Teva Women's Original Universal Sport Sandal

  • $39.00
  • 4.6 (13,026 reviews)
  • Pros Listing ties the style to rivers, canyons and trails
  • Cons The listing text we read names no outsole or arch support
View on Amazon

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Listing ties the style to rivers, canyons and trails
  • Adjustable straps over the forefoot
  • Sold in many prints and colours

Cons

  • The listing text we read names no outsole or arch support
  • Open toe offers no toe protection
KEEN Women's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals

Best Women who want toe protection on wet trails

KEEN Women's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals

  • $78.41
  • 4.4 (13,258 reviews)
  • Pros Siped outsole channels water away
  • Cons Sizing can run small, so consider the next size up
View on Amazon

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Siped outsole channels water away
  • Washable polyester webbing upper
  • 10.5 oz per sandal by its listing

Cons

  • Sizing can run small, so consider the next size up
  • Closed toe may feel snug across a wide forefoot
DREAM PAIRS Women's Closed Toe Hiking Sandals

Best Women who want an easy on-and-off closed-toe sandal

DREAM PAIRS Women's Closed Toe Hiking Sandals

  • $39.99
  • 4.4 (15,194 reviews)
  • Pros Bungee cord and heel strap adjust the fit
  • Cons Cut roomy, so narrow feet may need the cord pulled tight
View on Amazon

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Bungee cord and heel strap adjust the fit
  • Closed toe for protection
  • Easy to put on and take off

Cons

  • Cut roomy, so narrow feet may need the cord pulled tight
  • The listing text we read has no outsole detail

Compare the picks

Prices and ratings as of October 12, 2026. They change often, so check today's price on Amazon.

Our picks, side by side
PictureProductOutcome
1KEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water SandalsKEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water SandalsToe: Closed · Shopper: MenPrice $82.45Not listedRating 4.533,225 reviewsWinner. Best for: Men who want toe protection on trails and in water
2Teva Men's Hurricane XLT2 Sport SandalTeva Men's Hurricane XLT2 Sport SandalToe: Open · Shopper: MenPrice $35.62Not listedRating 4.511,269 reviewsBest for: Men who want a simple open strap sandal for easy trails
3Teva Women's Original Universal Sport SandalTeva Women's Original Universal Sport SandalToe: Open · Shopper: WomenPrice $39.00Not listedRating 4.613,026 reviewsBest for: Women who want a light open strap sandal for easy trails and water
4KEEN Women's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water SandalsKEEN Women's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water SandalsToe: Closed · Shopper: WomenPrice $78.41Not listedRating 4.413,258 reviewsBest for: Women who want toe protection on wet trails
5DREAM PAIRS Women's Closed Toe Hiking SandalsDREAM PAIRS Women's Closed Toe Hiking SandalsToe: Closed · Shopper: WomenPrice $39.99Not listedRating 4.415,194 reviewsBest for: Women who want an easy on-and-off closed-toe sandal

How to choose hiking sandals

A hiking sandal is a strapped sandal with a rubber outsole made for wet and uneven ground, not a beach flip-flop. These are the four things that separate them, backed by outdoor gear publications that measure and compare sandals.

  • Toe cover. Advnture says sandals suit straightforward trails in warm conditions, and that the open design gives little protection from sharp rock, prickly plants and mud. For harder paths or loose rock it recommends a hybrid with enclosed toes and side vents. The KEEN Men’s Newport H2, the KEEN Women’s Newport H2 and the DREAM PAIRS have closed toes. The two Teva picks are open.
  • Outsole. Advnture looks for bouncy but rugged rubber with deep lugs, the grooves that bite into the ground. RunRepeat measures grip on wet concrete in its lab and adds that very thin slits in the rubber are good at channeling water away. The KEEN Men’s Newport H2 and KEEN Women’s Newport H2 name a siped outsole in their listings, and the Teva Hurricane XLT2 names a Durabrasion rubber outsole. The listing text we read for the other two names no outsole.
  • Straps and fit. Advnture wants wide, supportive straps around the ankle and the front of the foot, with no pinching and nothing that slips as you walk. It suggests going up a size because feet swell on warm days, and it prefers hook-and-loop straps for an easy adjustment. RunRepeat adds that a closed toe box should not press or cramp your toes.
  • Upper material and support. RunRepeat says leather lasts but takes a long time to dry, while mesh and webbing dry fast, which matters for stream crossings. Outdoor Life notes you cannot fix a sandal’s arch with an insole, so the built-in support has to suit your foot. Advnture adds that a lighter sandal saves effort over long miles, while a heavier one often gives more structure.

What we left out, and why

We read 113 result cards on the first page of “hiking sandals”. 13 were sponsored, and we skipped them. The other 100 were organic listings, many of them the same sandal under another listing or in another colour. We narrowed them to 10 contenders, read each sandal’s own Amazon page, and kept five. Five were left out:

  • DOCKERS Mens Newpage Outdoor Sport Sandals. Its page has no description, and nothing we read names a trail outsole or a hiking use, so it does not meet our definition.
  • ECCO Women’s Yucatan Sport Sandal. Its listing says it offers walking comfort on and off the trail, but the listing text we read names no outsole, and leather uppers dry slowly, as RunRepeat and Advnture both note.
  • Chaco Women’s Zx2 Classic Athletic Sandals. Its page carries customer feedback from years before its listed first-available date of May 2025, which suggests an older Chaco model’s feedback is pooled with it.
  • Chaco Men’s Z2 Classic Athletic Sandal. Its page returned no customer feedback text at all, so there was nothing to check it against.
  • UBFEN Womens Hiking Sandals. Its page returned no description and no customer feedback text, so nothing backed a pick.

Sandal brands such as Merrell, HOKA and Bedrock sell hiking sandals too, but none of them reached our ten contenders. A search for a Wirecutter hiking sandals guide found none, so there is no Wirecutter pick in the comparison table.

How we researched

On October 12, 2026 we read the first page of Amazon's results for “hiking sandals”: 113 result cards, 100 of them organic listings. AI compared them, read the Amazon pages of 10 contenders and named five picks. AI wrote this guide from that research.

Listings change: we read them on October 12, 2026, and a sandal, size or seller may differ today. Only ten sandals had their pages read, and the page text for several was thin, so outsole details are missing for some picks.

Prices, ratings and review counts come from Amazon and were read on October 12, 2026.

Sources

Why trust TwelveTabs

  • What this guide rests on: 113 Amazon search results, 73 shopper reviews and 3 expert sources.
  • No brand paid for a place on this list.
  • Dated, not timeless: the research was read and this page updated on October 12, 2026.
  • The limits of the research are written down, in how we researched.

How TwelveTabs researches its guides

Frequently asked questions

Are sandals good for real hiking?

For easy trails in warm weather, yes. Advnture says sandals beat hiking shoes there because feet overheat less and dry faster. On technical ground it says a sandal “just isn’t going to cut it”, because the open design gives little protection and the flexible build is less stable.

Should hiking sandals be a size bigger?

Advnture says sizing up is a good idea because feet expand on warm days, and adjustable straps let you tailor the fit. It also says your heel should not hang over the back of the sole.

What is a closed-toe hiking sandal?

Advnture calls the hybrid a “shandal”: a sandal with enclosed toes and heels for protection and side vents to keep feet cool. It recommends one for harder paths and loose rock. The KEEN Men’s Newport H2 and the KEEN Women’s Newport H2 are two examples in this guide.

How did TwelveTabs choose these hiking sandals?

TwelveTabs, our AI shopping agent, compared Amazon’s results for “hiking sandals”, read the pages of 10 contenders and named five picks, as of October 12, 2026. We checked the advice against Advnture, RunRepeat and Outdoor Life. AI wrote this guide from that research. To see what it picks today, run the search yourself with the button on this page.

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