I walked 103,000 steps in Columbia’s summer-ready hiking sandals — and I have zero blisters, zero aches, and zero regrets

I was wrong about the Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal. When I first unboxed these sandals, I thought, “Oh, no. I can’t wear these out in public.” But I’m happy to announce I was severely mistaken. I will gladly wear the Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal every summer for the rest of my life.

Are these some of the best hiking shoes? You bet. Thanks to the supremely grippy rubber sole and the fabric-cushioned straps, I wore these sandals on long, arduous, sweaty trails without getting a single blister or ache. I don’t think I can live without this traction sole and ball support again.

So, want to find out more about these affordable hiking sandals? Of course you do. Keep reading this Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review.

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Specs

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Price & availability

The Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal (say that ten times, fast) is $70 for the men’s style and $70 for women’s, both from Amazon U.S. In the U.K., the women’s style is £65 at Amazon, as is the men’s.

Columbia makes a lot of shoes under the Konos moniker, so double-check you’re definitely buying the right style before clicking “purchase”. I tested specifically the 2-Strap model, but Columbia also manufactures a 3-Strap model, a platform “Elevate” model, a Teva-like “Globetrot” style, and a “Konos TRS Hiking Shoe”, among others.

$70 is relatively affordable for a hiking sandal. I also own the Teva Flatform Universal, which cost around $80, but different colors have a different MSRP. Keen hiking sandals cost a little more — $139 for the Targhee III open-toe and $119 for the Keen Hyperport H2.

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Design

When I first unboxed the Columbia Konos 2-Strap sandals, my heart dropped. I thought they were utterly hideous. I didn’t want to look at them, let alone wear them.

But my opinion completely changed throughout my testing period. Now, I actually love how they look. Yes, they look like the shoes your parents used to buy for your summer vacation. No, I’m not mad about it. They match all my hiking apparel without question.

Appearance aside, the Konos Hiker 2-Strap are also pure function. The Velcro straps mean you can adjust them to the perfect width for your feet, and the fabric strap cover means you don’t get a single blister, even after wearing them on long, sweaty hikes.

I love my Teva hiking sandals, but I have to be smart about when I wear them. The plastic triangular strap anchor rubs my pinky toe if I wear them for too long. The Columbia sandals? None of that nonsense — comfy from day one.

I wore these for ten hours one day and experienced zero blisters, zero rubbing, zero pain. If you need reliable hiking sandals for long treks, I wholeheartedly recommend these.

Columbia notes the Konos 2-Strap run small. While they fit me relatively well, sometimes I found my toes sneaking over the edge, so it’s worth being aware of if you’re between sizes. Size up!

The sole is also super cool. Columbia says the sole is inspired by pine cones. Weird, I know, but it actually checks out. The soles are textured, with 3mm lugs for extra grip.

The sole has Columbia’s trademarked “Omni-GRIP” rubber sole. In real terms, this made the sandals incredibly grippy. I scaled stony paths and dusty declines with zero wobbles or slips — and coming from me, the clumsiest person in the world, this is a major plus.

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Performance

In general, the Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap perform excellently. I’ll go through my experience with both hiking and wearing them as everyday summer shoes, but before I do, I need to discuss the only flaw — and the only reason why these sandals didn’t get a 4.5 or even 5-star rating.

The minor trip hazard.

As the Konos Hiker 2-Strap have a flexible sole, sometimes the sole folded in on itself while I was walking. Personally, I would still buy these sandals, as the folding didn’t actually trip me up. Even so, it’s worth noting if you already have mobility issues. I would recommend a sturdier sole like Teva Universal or Keen Hyperport H2 in this case.

Hiking

I wore the Konos Hiker 2-Strap on a number of summer hikes. Thanks to a U.K. heatwave, it didn’t rain once during my month-long testing period, so I was unable to test mud performance.

During a particularly steep, dusty decline, I was able to anchor myself with the grippy rubber soles and didn’t slip on the sandy trail once. I felt secure, stable, and supported even with the dusty path underfoot.

I also wore the sandals on a stone-path incline — and ended up speeding ahead of my hiking buddies, who were both wearing Adidas Spezial sneakers. The Columbias are incredibly grippy. Seriously, I couldn’t’ve fallen even if I’d wanted to.

On flat surfaces, the Konos Hiker 2-Strap performed just as excellently. I walked around 30,000 steps in one weekend while wearing the sandals and my feet barely ached. If you’ve read my other shoe reviews (wishful thinking), you’ll know my left arch aches after a few hours of walking. With the Konos Hikers? Nope. No aching at all.

I’m so impressed with this performance — I just wish they didn’t try and trip me up every so often.

Everyday

I also wore the Konos Hikers as everyday shoes for two weeks during two consecutive heatwaves. Again, I have nothing bad to say here. The shoes are flexible, supportive, and grippy, and made me feel energized even after a long day of walking. I never needed to take them off due to rubbing, aching, or catching.

The grippy sole is supportive on all types of terrain, and the cushioned sole prevented my toe ball joint from aching.

They’re much more comfortable than the Teva Flatform Universal due to the lack of plastic strap anchor. They’re not as bouncy, but this is something I’m willing to sacrifice for no blisters.

These seriously are some of the best hiking sandals I’ve ever tested. Again — just wish they didn’t trip me up.

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Maintenance

I didn’t need to clean the Konos Hiker during my testing month at all. As it was the height of summer, there was no mud or rain to dirty up the sandals. I brushed off dust every now and again, but no major cleaning.

If you need to clean them, I’d recommend using a dry cloth for dry dirt like dust or dried mud. Columbia recommends using a dry bristle brush and warm water for tougher stains.

Columbia offers a 2-year warranty as standard, which is better than Keen’s one-year warranty, but the same as Teva’s warranty.

Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal review: Verdict

I love the Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap Hiking Sandal. I admit, when I first unboxed them, I dreaded wearing them. I didn’t want to be perceived in public wearing them. But honestly, they’ve grown on me. I now look forward to wearing them. How the turn tables, huh?

While it’s worth being aware of the folding-over issue, this never actually tripped me up. I sometimes stumbled, but always caught myself before falling. I would happily look past this due to the general comfort and grippiness of the soles.

So if you need a (mostly) reliable, comfortable, and grippy hiking sandal for summer, or a blister-free emergency shoe to throw in your hiking backpack, definitely check out the Columbia Konos Hiker 2-Strap.