The 10 Best Garden Clogs That Look Good Enough to Wear Out

It was a neck-in-neck race on whether the EVA Boston or the funky Super Birk would win out here, but eventually I bowed to the Boston’s long reign on Birkenstock’s best-seller list. This EVA version takes the German brand’s essential DNA and gives it the Crocs treatment (but better). It’s light, comfortable, and waterproof, and if you’re lucky on sizing, you can still catch it in some fun, off-piste colors like this light purple.

Frustratingly, New England stalwart L.L. Bean also limits its traditional clogs to the women’s-shoe section. I’d pick up the warm gold colorway if I could squeeze my feet into them.

On the other hand, I don’t have to mourn those shoes, thanks to the shrunken-down, low-top version of its classic Bean Boot. This Frankensteined creation is somewhat mislabeled, hiding under the boots section of the website when it’s clearly more of a clog, especially if you go for the version that is completely without laces.

Gardening clogs owe a great deal to their predecessor: the kitchen clog. Here’s a secret. They work the same way. You can easily use this chef-approved Calzuro pick for harvesting homegrown tomatoes. I like it in this Matty Matheson–inspired hi-vis orange, which was the chef/actor’s signature color for a pizza oven and merch collab with Gozney. Buy them both and cook in the backyard, a true marriage of garden and kitchen style

I’m not sure Old Navy belongs in the hallowed halls of Esquire. But I am sure that this is a very cool silhouette, a fresh all-white colorway, and somehow under ten dollars with its current sale. That’s an outrageously cheap way to try out a new silhouette.

Gardenheir is a one-stop shop for the kinds of things that work both in the field and in a basement coffee-shop sketch. The site is a treasure trove of jackets, pants, and gardening tools, but the Italian Garden Clogs stand in their own category. They’re Italian made and fully waterproof, with a removable cork insole and suede lining. I like the olive-green color, but don’t be afraid to get a little funky.

If a brand makes a good pair of rain boots, you can bet they’ll make a good pair of clogs. Unfortunately, my favorite rain-boot brand, Alaska’s Xtratuff, makes only women’s clogs. I’d do the size conversion, but I’m a size 12, which means I’m out of luck. Thankfully, renowned British Wellington purveyor Hunter doesn’t have the same product limitation. It offers its neoprene garden clogs in both men’s and women’s sizes. Pair with a tweed sport coat for the full aristocrat-at-leisure effect.

Keen’s at its best when it makes intentionally ugly shoes. The Uneek is a woven testament to this, and the recently relaunched Jasper might be the exception that proves the rule. And nowhere is it truer than the Yogui clog, which is an abstract sculpture made for your feet. Yet somehow it works. And if you believe the litany of product reviews, it might also cure your back pain.

Seavees is a heritage American brand that flies under the plimsoll radar, thanks to the ubiquity of Vans. That may be a blessing in disguise for the California-based shoemaker, because it allows them to experiment beyond the realm of canvas. Its clogs are next-level—the Bodega in Dune has quickly become my go-to for rainy-day preschool drop-offs and bakery runs. When the weather fully turns, I’ll mix in the Tiburon Trekker in a nubby suede.

Is mule a garden clog? Not really, but they share enough DNA that 3sixteen’s sumptuous mule—made in Portugal from veg-tanned calf leather—deserve a spot on this list. Besides, 3sixteen builds these with a cork footbed and a rippled Vibram outsole, which makes them outdoor capable in my books. Who says you can’t wear leather in a garden? In case you’re looking for a vegan option, I’ve worn Malibu’s Men’s Thunderbird clog for two years running, and it’s still going strong.

If you’re harvesting zucchini in the morning and charging the crag in the afternoon, you’re probably already wearing Bedrock’s Mountain Clog. The newish sandal brand has taken over foot-share in the most granola places over the past decade, supplanting Chaco and Teva as the sandal of choice for river guides and thru-hikers. The brand’s zero-drop clog is just as good, and, IMO, looks much better off the trail than the brand’s minimalist strappy sandals.