4 min read OUR Style Team has established that sandals are still cool but, while I have my designated Birkenstocks as house shoes, you won’t convince me to bare my toes in New York City. The amount of uneven surfaces, construction sites, questionable puddles, and the fear of a rat traversing my feet keep my dogs in a cage: I’m talking closed toe and closed heel. Still, I appreciate some airiness, especially in the summer months. Flip flops were a no-go but that doesn’t outright exclude all sandals . Surprisingly, I found hiking sandals to be the answer. Not the open-toed Chacos or Tevas that probably come to mind, but instead the beefed up, closed toed versions from brands like Merrell, Keen, and Hoka. I’ve been a huge fan of Hoka’s running shoes for years now and looked to its Hopara 2 ; From Keen, I chose the Hyperport 2 . There was one clear winner for me.…