Adventuridge Men's Trekking Sandals

I hate soggy feet.

I have a history here. When I was in middle school, my mother purchased season passes to Six Flags in St. Louis, and we’d spend days there. Invariably, on a hot day, we’d line up for Thunder River.

You may or may not have ridden Thunder River yourself, but if you’ve been to an amusement park, you know the kind of ride I’m talking about. Big round boat, people sitting in a circle, rapids, and one or more nasty water plunges. Disney World’s Animal Kingdom has one called Kali River Rapids. Silver Dollar City has Mystic River Falls. King’s Island has White Water Canyon.

When you emerge from a ride like this, you will have squishy feet. It’s inevitable. You accept this. That’s why my family tried to wait until later in the evening to ride Thunder River. It meant less time trudging through the park with soaked socks.

In adulthood, I’ve encountered plenty of situations where I need shoes built for water. I’ve hiked on trails where mud is all over. I’ve waded onto rocky beaches where going barefoot is less than ideal. I’ve been at campgrounds where I need to tear down in a downpour. I have waterproof hiking boots that work in some situations, and I’ve used water shoes in other situations.

Trekking sandals, though, are nice because they’re all-purpose. I can use them in all kinds of weather, rain or shine, and they can get wet without fuss. They’re good for hiking, for wading, and, yes, for Thunder River.

Aldi has been selling trekking sandals for a long time, and I’ve been wearing them for a long time. When they came back recently, I purchased a new pair.

Let’s take a look.

Adventuridge Men’s Trekking Sandals are an Aldi Find. Each store gets one shipment, and once they’re sold out, that’s it for now, until they come back. These seem to be an annual summer buy, so if you can’t get them now, you’re probably out of luck until next summer. You can’t order them online if they’re out of stock at your local store.

At the time of this post, the sandals cost $14.99. That price has been unchanged since 2019, when I last bought a pair. That’s way less than any sandals like these I can find online.

According to the packaging, these are made in China. Aldi has never said specifically who makes these. This year, they came in sizes 9-12 and in a couple of color variations. There is not, and never has been, any kind of warranty with these or any other Aldi footwear.

The sandals have a polyurethane (PU) and textile upper. They also come with a protective toe cap and a “durable traction outsole.”

As I mentioned, I bought these to replace an older pair of Adventuridge Men’s Trekking Sandals that I owned. The 2024 version is mostly similar to the 2019 version, save for some small stylistic changes as well as one more adjustable element I’ll talk about momentarily.

Putting them on is as easy as slipping into them and adjusting them. To adjust, you can use a pull tab with a release button to tighten things down on top, and you can use a Velcro strap to secure things at the heel. The Velcro strap is something my previous pair did not have.

My old pair fit to size, and the new pair did, too. They slipped right on, and they stayed on as I walked with them. The sole was comfortable, as were the surrounding materials. While I probably wouldn’t go sprinting with them, they feel just about right for walking.

The big question, naturally, is durability. How long will these last? I can’t say for certain, but I do have an old pair that offers some insight. I’ve had that old pair for five years, and I’ve worn them to beaches, on hikes, and places in between. I’ve made it through without blisters or foot pain. Nowadays, they’re definitely long in the tooth and not as comfortable as they used to be, but they’re still serviceable. In my opinion, that’s big praise for budget grocery store shoes.

The Verdict:

I’ve been using Aldi’s trekking shoes for years, and they’re better than I would expect. They’re comfortable and they work for trekking shoes-style work like walking on rocky beaches or foraging through mud. While there are no doubt better shoes out there, these do pretty well for the price point, and they are worth a look if you need sandals like these on a budget.