I did a Chaco training a few days ago, and I thought I would share some of what I learned with you. Chaco was founded by Mark Paigen, a Gunnison river guide, in 1989. His goal was to create a great-fitting, high performance sandal for river guides. They enlisted the expertise of a pedorthist to make sure the shoes fit and support the anatomy of the foot, and they are accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Pronation is the natural flexing and rolling as you step. About 80% of the population overpronate. This means that your foot rolls too far inward, with the arch collapsing under your weight. It is commonly know as being "flat footed." Overpronation can lead to Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spurs, Metatarsalgia, Post-tib Tendonitis and/or Bunions. Also, about 77% of knee injuries are related to bad foot mechanics. Chaco's Love Seat footbed helps control overpronation. The footbed may feel a little aggressive at first since the support will be pushing up on the fallen arches, but this should quickly go away as your feet relax. When you try on Chacos, make sure they fit the arch of your foot. This is more important than the length. Try a size up and down from your normal size just to be sure they fit properly.
One common complaint about Chaco sandals is that they stink. Chaco makes some recommendations for "funk-free feet." First, wash your non-leather sandals in the washing machine about once a month. Just throw them in with a load of jeans or towels. Use regular detergent but no bleach. Do not put them in the dryer. To kill bacteria on the straps, turn the straps inside out and dry in the sun. Scrub between washings with baking soda and water. "Floss" the straps to remove dirt from under the footbed. This will help keep the straps from wearing and allow them to be adjusted easily. If you have trouble adjusting the straps, you can spray a little Armor-All, diluted with water, into the strap channels.
Speaking of straps, most styles of Chaco sandals feature a pull-through strap system. This allows them to fit all feet as loosely or tightly as desired. It also leaves the cool tan marks on your feet that tell the world you've been wearing your Chacos.
Chaco has always been concerned about the environment. They wanted to build shoes that last. For a small fee, you can send your sandals back to Chaco to have them re-soled or re-webbed. Of course, we'd love to sell you a new pair in the latest color every season, so just pass them on to someone rather than putting them in the landfill.
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