Teva Hiking Sandels.

My wife and I made a impromptue trip to Colorado this past week, It was a Motorcycle touring trip. We visted Rocky Mtn.Nat Park, Cripple Creek, Pikes Peak etc. While in Estes Park we stopped at a little fly fishing and outfitter store. We both bough a Pair of Teva Hiking sandels. Most comfortable shoes either of us has ever worn. Next day we did some day hiking up a rather steep slope ,and very rocky. The grip on these sandels is amazing! I bought them for wading but they are awsome for hiking, The onley downfall I see is you do occasionly get a small rock or pine needle in your sandel.a little shake removes this problem quick! Happy Trails

I love these sandals. I bought a pair for 20 bucks about 4 years ago...they are still alive and well! Just the color is extremely faded and dirty hah. I recently spent 60 bucks on a better/new pair of Tevas and they are incredible. I love how I can get them wet, they dry off quick, the grip is awesome, and they last for a very long time even when beating them up. I wear them 3/4 of the year

I did lots of hiking in Tevas, loved them, but "upgraded" to Keens some years ago. A bit more protection, from the toe box, some models have more "hold" on feet, good support and confortable. Cons are: still slippery when wet, as you can't lace them very tight like Tevas, not so good grip on wet ground.

I've been thinking about trying these for a while now. I like my Montrail shoes because they are extremely breatheable, dry quickly, and don't have too much padding or support to interfere with what I consider to be natural functions of the foot. So why not go all the way and try a sandal?

Which model do you guys or gals use? My instinct would be to try something like a Hurricane 3 (http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?...del=Hurricane+3) because it's open and simple and looks washable to prevent odor. Or do you go for the more shoe-like Omnium (http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=m&categoryID=759&productID=6148&model=Omnium) which I assume would gather less debris?

It's been a while since I've had a pair of Tevas, but I would guess that the sole is good for avoiding pressure blisters/injuries from sharp scree or gravel. (Which is something the Montrails don't do so well, but I'm a heavier guy.) Do you find that to be true?

Thanks,
camelman

Well, I've been on the REI site reading reviews for Chacos, which are expensive but everyone seems to love them: http://www.rei.com/product/733943

If anyone has any suggestions or experiences please let me know. Of course I understand I'll have to go to a store an actually try some on... ;-)

Peace,
camelman

I used to have a model similar to the Hurricanes http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?...del=Hurricane+3

Now I use Katavi
http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=m&categoryID=422&productID=4144&model=Katavi

The Katavi I feel have much more of a support feel, the grip is way better than the Hurricane's and the straps just feel way sturdier. They get wet and I can still scramble rocks, I do a lot of hiking on the coast of Maine where you have to scuttle over rocks and boulders from time to time. No slipping. Also I feel that since the side has so more material than the Hurricane there is much less debris getting in and pricking my foot, and there are a bunch of small pine needles by me.

These sandals are definitely not for people who worry about dirty feet, and the sandal tan, well I wear as a badge of honor lol. I hate going in to my sleeping bag with dirty feet, just a peeve of mine, so I always carry a pair of socks for me to wear at night to put over my dirty feet.

Oh also, I have seen people wear a brand called Birkenstock. My room mate wears them all the time and they seem tough and durable as well. I cant say anything about their performance, but he wears them in the same situations I wear my Teva's.

Also a girl I know used to have a pair of chacos. They are pretty much the same thing as Teva's, just with a more expensive price tag.

My Tevas are the Dozer model. Very supportive. Most comfortable sole to ever hit my feet and wifes as well! Laces lock via a closure and velcro flap at top very fast light and amazing grip!

I love open toe sandals when hiking. Toe protection comes by just buying the sandal about ½” longer.

I started in a Teva Hurricane 2 (which is now a Hurricane 3). Those are fine for backpacking. Just keep the sandal cinched tight when walking, and loosen them up when resting (for the slipper feel). You will probably get a pebble about once/hour but that idiosyncrasy is worth the blessings of sandals:
1. no more hammer toes
2. no more foot rot (aka athletes foot)
3. no more blisters; i.e., heat, moisture, friction are brought under control (I could write several paragraphs on this).
4. no need for camp slippers. Just loosen the strap and they become as comfy as slippers.
5. no heavy footwear.
6. no cracked prune skin; occurs during extended trek through wet marshes.
7. no slowing down the team when crossing rivers. Just plow through the river!
8. no new-shoe break-in period.
9. no shoestring breaks.


Since I’ve moved to a Tera Fi2 (now a Tera Fi3), I have got WAY less pebbles in the sandal. That model uses a different design. It is a great backpacking sandal IMHO. Also, be it noted, that a coolmax sock, worn with the sandal, make the walking experience even more comfortable. The foot stays dryer and blister-free and stink-free with a sock than without. However, there are a few people that don’t need socks w/ their sandals but my feet aren’t that way.

“It's been a while since I've had a pair of Tevas, but I would guess that the sole is good for avoiding pressure blisters/injuries from sharp scree or gravel.”

That is absolutely true. The Teva has good cush (new word) yet provides good rigidity when climbing that mountain. And the foot does not get tired from walking across scree all day. I better clarify that: this is true in a TeraFi2 or 3. The Hurricane is not as rigid so the feet could tire out sooner unless your foot muscles are used to walking 12 hours/day.

“… Chacos… If anyone has any suggestions or experiences please let me know”

My wife and I have tried the Chaco Z2. We could never get used to the big toe squeeze. This past 12 months, and some of it in Spain, my wife has been using the Chaco Z1. She likes the arch. However, for long distance walking and standing, she says her Teva Tera fi2’s win hands down. She says the strapping and softness/cush is much better and they’re easier to maintain/clean.

After a year, she has now switched back to Terra Fi 2’s (now the 3’s).

I’ve also tried a couple dozen sandals and I still prefer the Teva Tera Fi 2’s for an abundance of reasons which I have covered in other posts.

My wife does not use socks, but she will don them when backpacking. I always, and stylishly of course, wear socks with my sandals to prevent blisters, and to keep my feet from burning up in desert weather.

Another reason I like Teva TeraFi2 is because I can wear any thickness of socks--- even a down booty--- without squishing it. Thus I make sure the straps are the right length to handle super thin socks to super fat socks. This makes the Hurricane or Tera Fi ideal for weather from 20F to 120F.


Good luck on your sandal choice.

-Barry

Sandals are fine when the land is flat. Had someone bring some skookum hiking sandals (just about as heavy as trail-runners) on a 12 day trip in the Colorado Rockies and they were slowed down quite a bit while sidehilling as there was less support from the sandal than even the lightest weight hiker. Also, they slipped worse on the snowfields we passed.

Sandals might be fine for flat or semi-open desert or rock trails but they don't fly so fast on anything with varying slopes or pass the slippery test very well. I'm doing the North Coast Trail next month and despite the mud problems, they would be not that great balancing on slippery rocks even when beach hopping and the sand abrasion on the beach would make them useless for any distance on sand. I used Chacos in Mexico for some short hiking (up to 5kms) but wouldn't consider it around where I live. You can make way better time in shoes, and even Keen's don't do slopes or slippery very well.

I traversed some very steep rocks day hiking with teva dozers. I have three pair of hiking boots and none of them compare to the grip and traction of my sandals. As for support I was just day hiking. All I can say is try em! I think you would be surprised. Im not saying I will pitch my favorite boots. But I will not be wearing the boots as often!

Thanks for your opinions. I figure I can't really go wrong getting a pair because if I decide they are not for hiking or for certain types of trails, then I can always wear them elsewhere.

If the grip was similar to my Montrail Sabinos then I'd be more than happy.

--peter/camelman

1) “…Colorado Rockies and they were slowed down quite a bit while sidehilling as there was less support from the sandal than even the lightest weight hiker.. Also, they slipped worse on the snowfields we passed.”

2) “…but they don't fly so fast on anything with varying slopes or pass the slippery test very well.”

3) “…they would be not that great balancing on slippery rocks”

4) “..even when beach hopping and the sand abrasion on the beach would make them useless for any distance on sand.”

They definitely had the wrong sandal. All this stuff is where a cinched tight Teva Tera Fi2 sandal with coolmax (or wool) socks excels. A lot of my backpacking has been in the conditions you described. I am very impressed with these types of Teva’s with sand, mountains, wet granite, etc.

Joe Valesko has some cool sandal picks in snowy CO: from http://www.zpacks.com/about.shtml

Decked out and ready for snow: http://picasaweb.google.com/valesko/CDT_4_Colorado#5407827163716694786
Blizzard: http://picasaweb.google.com/valesko/CDT_4_Colorado#5407840797992793810


-Barry

BarryP I agree that some terrain is suitable for sandals, and perhaps the Tevas work well for you. I just haven't found that leaping up on rocks or logs is all that great, you don't get the same level of torsional support from a sandal in long stretches of difficult terrain such as sidehilling, muddy or snowy slippery stuff, and such. I also own Tevas and at 190lbs I also don't get the same level of footbed support while climing on rough rockwork as my Merrell Chameleons or the Keen Targhees.

Do you hike off-trail with your Tevas? We went on a little bushwack over logs and through thick rough coastal forest last weekend and sandals would be less functional there too.

If you find they work well for the terrain you cover, more power to you! I do a lot more off-trail and rough thrashing than many others on this site so I'll stick with the hiking shoes for now. Sure you can do all the things I mention, but there is more foot strain and muscle wear and tear because you are less certain of your footing and have less lateral support over rough and changing terrain. Another example, coming up a very steep scree slope on a "route" through the Tombstones was tough even with the mountaineering boots I had. At the end of the day, more time and less physical problems have been my experience with low, exceptionally supportive hiking shoes.