Known for making incredibly capable, rugged boots that might just outlast their owners, Danner has been making durable footwear for hikers, hunters, and general outdoors lovers since 1932. More recently, the Portland, OR-based company has begun exploring more “lifestyle” footwear designs, as exemplified by the all-new Danner Joseph Sandal, the brand’s first foray into men’s hiking sandals. Curious to see how the open-toe option would fair in the wild, I decided to test a pair. Read on for my full Danner Joseph sandal review.
First though, a quick history lesson for the sandal skeptics out there. Sandals were OG performance footwear long before Vibram and Gore-Tex. They are believed to be the first rigid shoe, with the oldest known example appearing almost 11,000 years ago. The Romans wore sandals to battle, and the Tarahumara tribe of Northern Mexico gained notoriety in Christopher McDougal’s celebrated book Born to Run for their ability to cover ultra distances through rough canyons in, you guessed it, sandals. The adventure sandal movement remains alive and well.
Danner first entered open-toe territory with the Shelter Cove recovery sandal, released in 2023. With the Joseph on the other hand, Danner enters the sandal wars taking aim directly at category favorites like Chaco, Teva, and Bedrock. But can it perform?
Danner Joseph Sandal Test Criteria & Review
I brought the Joseph on a few early summer adventures to test its mettle. Right away it was clear that the Joseph is a burly, capable sandal. Weighing roughly 1.81 lbs (29 oz) per pair—compared to 2.29 lbs for the Chaco Z/1 Classic and .97 lbs for the Teva Hurricane XLT2—the Joseph isn’t exactly lightweight.
But the one-piece midsole and footbed combined with the thick Vibram outsole—collectively responsible for the bulk of the build—provide comfort, support, and traction on a variety of wet and dry surfaces. Plus it's recraftable in Danner's Portland factory, extending the life of your sandals many times over.
Right away I appreciated the innovative FIDLOCK magnetic buckle on the ankle strap. My Chacos have accompanied me on many adventures, but sliding my feet through the webbing each time I put them on and off can feel like I’m threading with a very big needle. The magnetic buckle on the Joseph streamlined the on/off process, allowing me to slip my foot in and enclose it securely.
The straps, however, have been a matter of early controversy in online reviews. Whereas my Chacos are so adjustable there is a dangly piece of strap always flopping around, the Josephs do not come with much wiggle room to loosen or tighten. If they fit well out of the box, which was the case for me, you are in luck. However if you need to loosen these, as some users have, you don’t have much, if any, extra strap to play with. Hopefully this is something Danner fixes with the next iteration of the Joseph.
Once buckled, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do in these sandals. I took them to the beach for a SUP paddle, on bike rides, and hiked across Walden Pond with a packraft on my back—then I inflated the raft and paddled back across to see how the Josephs would function in and out of the water. Like true adventure sandals they were fine getting wet. And while the leather on the Danners might take a little longer to fully dry out—compared to the recycled nylon webbing Chaco uses—I found no discomfort when wet or drying.
The Verdict: Is the Danner Joseph Actually Capable?
Overall I was impressed with the details, durability, and versatility of the Danner Joseph, the brand’s first true all-purpose sandal. For warm weather adventure these would be the sandals to bring, as they work for a wide variety of activities, from hiking to paddling to evening beverages and local errands in the city. When it comes to performance sandals it appears there is a new player in town—and on the trails.
The men's Danner Joseph Leather Sandal is available now for $140.
Published 07-17-2024
