Chaco Torlan Bulloo Review

by Kevin_Fonger · Published October 5, 2012 , 10:29 am · Updated December 23, 2019 , 9:27 pm

As we are seeing more and more these days, outdoor and athletic companies that make sport specific products are pushing further and further into casual product lines. For Chaco, they started out making high end performance sandals for rafting, hiking, and more. As the company has progressed and started to develop a dedicated following, they have developed a few casual products so their tried and true customers would have something to wear outside of rafting and hiking without looking like a granola raft guide.

The Chaco Torlan has been introduced as a shoe that works better in casual situations, but can also take on the light hike here and there. I’ve been wearing the Torlan for the past month or so as for casual instances such as going out for dinner, grabbing a drink with friends, and general bumming around the streets of Boulder and Denver. I often wear running shoes around because I usually wear running shoes around, but it’s nice to step it up a little and not look like I’m ready to go running 24 hours a day. For the most part, I feel that the Chaco Torlan goes best with jeans, but it also goes good with varying colors of khakis. I personally think they look a little goofy with shorts, but that’s my own style preference.

For performance, I’ve taken these shoes out on a few light hike in the foothills and while they stepped up to the plate and performed, I would not use these as my everyday hiking shoes. The Chaco Torlan’s have a non marking Vibram outsole that is sure to last many years and miles. For those not familiar with Vibram rubber or outsoles yet, Vibram makes some of the best rubber compounds for outsoles. Visit https://us.vibram.com/

The outside of the upper is made of Nu-buck leather which provides a nice suede look and feel while offering long lasting durability. Compared to fabric, leather usually last a little longer. It’s the midsole that usually breaks down fastest. In the toebox and around the heel, the designers from Chaco added a brushed rubber which offers additional abrasion protection and it also offers water protection. This also adds a little flair to give it more of an outdoor look.

For the person that loves the fit of Chaco’s in which the arch is well pronounced and sits a little further back in the foot, you will be happy to see there has been no change here. As an added bonus, the Chaco Torlan is well cushioned under the foot, so you get a soft cushioned ride while walking. The fit of the upper in the Torlan is somewhat roomy, so wearing a heavier sock is suggested when wearing these shoes to get a snug secure fit. If you have a narrow foot, this might not be the best shoe for you. Wider feet should be ok. In the toebox and around the heel, the designers from Chaco added a brushed rubber which offers additional abrasion protection and it also offers water protection.