This study presents highly stretchable and tough hydrogels composed of ionic and covalent crosslinked polymers. The hydrogels, made from alginate and polyacrylamide, can be stretched beyond 20 times their original length with a fracture energy of ~9000 J/m². The toughness is attributed to the synergy of two mechanisms: crack bridging by covalent crosslinks and hysteresis from unzipping ionic crosslinks. The hydrogels are also notch-insensitive, with a stretch of 17 achieved even with a notch. The hybrid gels demonstrate large recoverable deformation and self-healing properties, as the ionic crosslinks can reform after damage. The hydrogels are prepared by mixing alginate and polyacrylamide in a specific ratio, with alginate providing ionic crosslinks and polyacrylamide providing covalent crosslinks. The hybrid gel's mechanical properties are a combination of the properties of the individual components. The hybrid gel exhibits a higher elastic modulus, stress, and stretch at rupture compared to the individual gels. The hybrid gel also shows pronounced hysteresis and relatively small permanent deformation after unloading. The study shows that the fracture energy of the hybrid gel is significantly higher than that of previously reported synthetic gels. The high fracture energy is attributed to the progressive unzipping of the alginate network, which allows for energy dissipation. The hybrid gel's mechanical properties are influenced by the composition and density of the crosslinks. The study also highlights the importance of combining weak and strong crosslinks to achieve high toughness and stretchability. The hybrid gels have potential applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biomedical devices due to their high mechanical properties and self-healing capabilities. The study suggests that further research is needed to understand the relationship between macroscopic mechanical behavior and microscopic parameters. The development of hybrid gels with diverse molecular integrations presents a promising area for future research.This study presents highly stretchable and tough hydrogels composed of ionic and covalent crosslinked polymers. The hydrogels, made from alginate and polyacrylamide, can be stretched beyond 20 times their original length with a fracture energy of ~9000 J/m². The toughness is attributed to the synergy of two mechanisms: crack bridging by covalent crosslinks and hysteresis from unzipping ionic crosslinks. The hydrogels are also notch-insensitive, with a stretch of 17 achieved even with a notch. The hybrid gels demonstrate large recoverable deformation and self-healing properties, as the ionic crosslinks can reform after damage. The hydrogels are prepared by mixing alginate and polyacrylamide in a specific ratio, with alginate providing ionic crosslinks and polyacrylamide providing covalent crosslinks. The hybrid gel's mechanical properties are a combination of the properties of the individual components. The hybrid gel exhibits a higher elastic modulus, stress, and stretch at rupture compared to the individual gels. The hybrid gel also shows pronounced hysteresis and relatively small permanent deformation after unloading. The study shows that the fracture energy of the hybrid gel is significantly higher than that of previously reported synthetic gels. The high fracture energy is attributed to the progressive unzipping of the alginate network, which allows for energy dissipation. The hybrid gel's mechanical properties are influenced by the composition and density of the crosslinks. The study also highlights the importance of combining weak and strong crosslinks to achieve high toughness and stretchability. The hybrid gels have potential applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biomedical devices due to their high mechanical properties and self-healing capabilities. The study suggests that further research is needed to understand the relationship between macroscopic mechanical behavior and microscopic parameters. The development of hybrid gels with diverse molecular integrations presents a promising area for future research.