Granola | “A new age/more civilized hippie who can usually be found journaling in an Eno in the middle of the forest, wearing Chacos… always ready to hike or go on an adventure at any moment” — Granola Head, Urbandictionary.com.
It's no secret that we’re keen to hop on board a weekend adventure with a group of buddies if the phone rings, and over the years one piece of gear has solidified its ever ready position by the front door, prepared to answer the call of the wild at a moment’s notice—the ol’ trustiest of the trusted, the beloved pair of Chacos. They’ve been in our personal summer kits for years, so when we first started chatting with the folks on their team it quickly became obvious that we should collaborate on a limited run of special TS x Chaco sandals together. Let’s just say it felt like the will of the universe, and we were compelled to answer the call.
While we wanted to preserve the functionality, practicality, and durability of the tried and true, rock solid, Z/1® Classic, imbuing this pair with some distinctive TS DNA was a top priority. So we hit the drawing board and put our heads together on a fresh iteration of a hard-wearing favorite.
Our waffle finishes have become something of a brand calling card over the years, so we sent a swatch over to the team at Chaco and mashed up the fan favorite textured approach of our classic waffle weave with their hard wearing recycled poly jacquard webbing to create a fresh take on their proven Z strap layout. The result: A tasty trail hopper for all the flips without the flop—and after countless miles of wear testing, it's safe to say the finished product has sufficiently surpassed our expectations; once again showcasing the ingenuity and attention to detail that’s been behind everything Chaco has done for the last three decades.
The Z/1® USA Classic in Navy Waffle strikes a perfect balance between the timeless all-terrain footwear that we grew up with (and still love today) and the functionality of the menswear roster we’re aiming to build for the road ahead. Built in the USA with Chaco’s legendary ChacoGrip™ outsole, LUVSEAT™ midsole, and fully adjustable Z strap layout, they’re designed to move effortlessly from the trail, to the river, to an afternoon coffee run with ease, and keep your dogs from barking through a full day of wear.
The versatile colorway and design along with the unmatched capabilities of The Z/1® Classic come together to achieve what we think is the most important attribute of any outdoor gear—namely, that from the moment you throw them on your feet, you’re invited to forget they’re there. Can you wear ‘em with shorts? Yep. Can you wear ‘em with pants? Indeed. Can you wear ‘em with socks? Sure enough, and you should. After all, the less you have to think about what you’re wearing, the more you can focus on what you’re doing. For Granola Heads like us, that’s having fun with friends on fresh adventures to come.
Maybe we’re hippies at heart, or maybe we just like having a good time outside—whatever the case, we don’t intend to spend too much time pontificating on it and you shouldn’t either. Just do what you do and have a good time doing it.