The mighty Colorado, the gentle winding South Platte, the aptly named Blue. The wild wide wonderful state of Colorado doesn’t lack rivers, but in 1989, it did lack proper footwear for those brave enough to spend the day wandering these waterways. Chaco’s founder and inventor, Mark Paigen, tired of wrinkled feet, decided to create an outdoor sandal that allowed his feet to dry between breaks as a whitewater and fishing guide here in Colorado. That invention, was a named the Z/1 because it was “zee one.
More than thirty years later, Chacos are still “zee” sandal for anyone looking to spend the day outside and on the water. But nothing gold can stay, and likewise no well-used Chaco is immune forever to the adventures they go on. Recently the ReChaco bus made a pit-stop in Mappy Hour Denver’s backyard. Several members, including yours’s truly, made the trip to check the bus out. I got the chance to inspect the bus, talk to the wonderful people who travel with it, and see several pairs of Z/1’s being made or repaired.
The ReChaco bus is the mobile version of Chaco’s repair program. Any Z/1 sandal can have the soles replaced and the webbing repaired or replaced. What if you do not currently own a pair of Chacos? No worries, the bus can also make you a custom pair on the spot! Choose from a variety of straps, buckles, and even threads to make the Chacos your own. Check the tour schedule for the ReChaco bus and you might be lucky enough to watch your favorite sandals get repaired right in front of you!
By repairing and reusing your current Chacos instead of asking you to rebuy, Chaco keeps more waste out of landfills, uses less resources from the planet and uses less water from the rivers we love. You can learn more about the ReChaco program here: https://www.chacos.com/US/en/sandal-repairs/?icid=101_rechaco. Want to pick up a pair or get your current lovelys repaired? You can check the current tour here: https://www.chacos.com/US/en/tour/.
