*These sandals were gifted. I am under no obligation to share. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recently I was lucky enough to be gifted a pair of the infamous Teva’s to try! I’ve been eyeing them up for a while but couldn’t make up my mind so needless to say I was absolutely stoked with this opportunity!
Teva, pronounced teh-vah not tee-vah, yes I only recently learned this– palm to face– was born in the Grand Canyon back in 1984! It started when a river guide rigged up a few straps to a flip flop so his shoe wouldn’t float away. Thus creating the world’s first sport sandal.
When I was choosing which style, I wanted to go for something that I could walk in for both short and long periods of time either while exploring, travelling or running errands. My feet have changed a lot since running so support and stability was most important. I ended up choosing the Teva Hurricane XLT2 in the Mosaic Crown Blue colour. The ‘XLT’ did remind me of my last 4×4 Chevy truck in Canada but I chose them based on their description of being a versatile, supportive sport sandal.
Here is a screenshot of the product description for the sandals from Teva New Zealand:
I wear these sandals pretty much on a daily basis. I’ve walked on flat, rocky, gravel, and sand surfaces for short and longer durations.
My verdict:
The Teva Hurricanes XLT2 are comfortable and highly versatile. The footbad is made of EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) which is a flexible foam material. It’s very popular for insoles and footbeds because it’s shock-absorbing properties and responsive feel.
The EVA footbed translated into a springy cushiony feeling underfoot from heel to forefoot. It has a good arch support, especially for a sandal and also a cushioned heel piece. The 3-strap system is uncomplicated and does a good job of keeping the foot in place even on the downhill. You can probably see why these would be great for long distances.
I do prefer a closed-toe shoe or boot when hiking and getting some vert but they do say they are made for day hikes and short tracks. I would consider wearing these in summer on tracks with low elevation or river crossings. Tracks like Hawdon Hut in Arthur’s Pass, Cass Lagoon track or even walking across the Hog’s Back track in Craigieburn. For me, these sandals would offer the same support underfoot and they have a really good tread giving good traction over various terrain.
It’s too soon to comment on their durability but looking at their construction, I am not worried and expect these will last a very long time.
The only disadvantage I could think of for some is that these sandals (not all Tevas) do not come in half sizes.
What I love most: How comfortable they are! I need footwear that has good cushion especially in the fore-foot and arch support. These sandals definitely tick both boxes and are in my ‘regular gear I love’ line-up.
Check out the range of colours here
