Gear Review: Bedrock Cairn 3Ds

Bedrock is on the forefront of something spectacular with the development of the Cairn 3Ds. These new sandals are going to be available for sale beginning March 1st, 2018, and they’ll be rocking some new and improved engineering changes.

Think of the Cairn 3Ds as Chacos’ better looking step sister—they’re sturdy, durable, beautiful, and very adjustable. Many Bedrock advocates take these trail running because they offer a minimalist approach. Others use them as hiking or day-to-day sandals. And the Vibram sole promises that your kicks will live a very long life.

MSRP: $110
Weight: 10.5 ounces

Pros: The Cairn 3Ds are relatively lightweight and yet very durable. And they’re more supportive than previous models.

Cons: None.

Cairn Highlights:

Cool colors
Adaptable sole
Versatile
Very Grippy

What’s New With the Cairn 3D Sandals?

The Carin 3Ds are $5 more expensive than Cairns. They’re 1.5 ounces heavier, due to the added focus on the molded footbed. Plus they’re built to cup your feet and offer some additional support. While the Cairns are meant to be a minimalist sandal, the Cairn 3Ds offer a more aggressive build.

The Cairn 3Ds Rock a Meatier Sole

Why opt for sandals?

Some hikers like to rock sandals over trail runners, feeling that they offer a minimalist alternative. I wouldn’t personally take them on an extended backpacking trip because I’m really clumsy and would end up losing a toe to an angry stick. But for car camping or less extensive adventures, these sandals offer a really nice footwear option.

Sandal Comfort:

The elasticity and support of these sandals makes them incredibly comfortable. In addition to the comfort, the graded surface of the sandals makes them very grippy. There should be very little slippage with these sandals.

How reliable and durable are the Cairn 3D Sandals?

These sandals have pretty nice-looking tread. They’re a very well-made sandal, which hopefully means they’ll live a long life. Vibram soles are known for their dependability. A friend of mine has been rocking the Cairns religiously for nearly a year, and they’re still in terrific shape. I suspect that the Cairn 3D will perform just as well.

Epic Adventure Sandal Tread

Sandal Fit and Sizing:

In my experience, they’re pretty true to size. As someone who has medium to high arches, they don’t completely accommodate my feet. But most shoes don’t. And I suspect that as I wear them more, they’ll mold to fit my feet even better.

Are these adventure sandals right for you?

I’d argue that it depends on what you’ll be using them for. For instance, if you wear Chacos in your regular life, you’ll definitely like the Bedrock Cairn 3Ds. The Cairn 3Ds are comparable to Chacos in terms of their rigidity and adjustability, but they weigh less. The Cairn 3Ds, then, offer the best option to someone with low to medium arches who favors a lightweight yet rigid sandal.

Bedrock Cairn 3Ds

Final Thoughts about Bedrock’s Cairn 3Ds

These sandals are incredibly well-made. The advances that Bedrock is making in engineering are spot on, and really efficient. Competitive products are going to have a hard time keeping up. I’ll definitely rock these sandals as every day footwear.

The Cairn 3Ds will be available for sale on Bedrock’s website beginning on March 1st, 2018.

Disclosure: This product was donated for the purpose of this review. But the generosity in no way affects my analysis and overall opinion of the product.

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Comments 7

  • Chris G. : Feb 14th

    The trek getting to try things before they are even available to the public? That’s awesome. I loved my bedrock earthquake sandals but they quit making them. Do you think these sandals would last on a hike? I have always wanted to try them during the summer and would go with Bedrock to try them.

    Reply
    • Mouse : Feb 15th

      Yeah they’re super solid. If Chacos can hold up on a long-trail (they can. I’ve seen it), these probably will too. But I do think the tread isn’t quite designed for the terrain you see on the AT.

      Reply
      • JS Leonard : Nov 14th

        Actually a guy just completed a thru hike of the AT solely in Bedrock Cairn 3Ds as well as part of the PCT. He isn’t sponsored and said tbe Bedrocks had ZERO issue on tbe AT.

        Reply
  • Mettaman : Mar 15th

    Hi there,

    I have the original Bedrock Cairns and love everything about them except for one thing: I find the sole doesn’t provide enough shock absorption. I’m used to going bare foot, but when I walk in the Cairns on hard surfaces I find them jarring. Can you say whether the Cairn 3Ds provide a little more cushioning and shock absorption? How soft are the soles?

    Cheers

    Reply
    • Mouse : Mar 18th

      Hey Mettaman,

      Yeah I’d say that’s the case with these as well. They fit well and they’re super durable but they haven’t been very shock absorbing in my experience either.

      Reply
      • Mettaman : Mar 19th

        Hmmm. Not much more shock absorption? That’s a shame. Are they ANY softer than the original Cairns, or is it basically the same foot-bed, just thicker?

        Thanks for the reply.

        Reply
      • Joe : Jul 11th

        I second this, are they any softer?

        Reply

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