Posts Tagged water shoes
Teva Churn: An All-Purpose Sport/Travel Shoe
Earlier this season I went on a hunt for the lightest possible all terrain shoe. I wanted something that I could walk in all day but I didn’t want the weight of hikers. I wanted something well ventilated for hot weather. I wasn’t planning on wet feet, but should that happen, I wanted shoes that would dry quickly or at least not hold water. Lots of research and many web clicks later, I landed on the Teva Churn, a shoe that met all my requirements.
The shoes have a mesh upper that doesn’t hold water — or sweat, for that matter — and is great for hot days. The shoelaces have a quick release shock corded closure, so they’re easy to get in and out of. The heel cup is designed to collapse so you can wear the shoe as a slide; that’s handy for airports and shuffling around your campsite. They’re super light weight, they won’t add a load to your luggage if you’re packing them as a second pair of shoes. I picked up a pair for travel but found I was wearing them at home, too, for running errands, for walking to the beach near my house, for just about anything where I could get away with wearing sneakers.
They’re not designed for super rugged terrain, so I wouldn’t substitute them for a shoe with a heavy Vibram sole if I needed something for camping, but for general city walking, or parks, or very light hiking, they’re perfect, especially if you’re doing those activities on a warm day. I’m not a runner, so I can’t comment on their suitability for that sport, but I’d recommend trying them out first before committing to them as the running shoe you take on your trip. Because they dry quickly, they’re great for creek hopping and tide-pooling and walking on the sand when the surf is a little unpredictable. I’ve found them very comfortable and kind to my feet; they needed no breaking in.
Teva’s Churn shoes come in four colors and yes, there’s a men’s model too. The Churn is a versatile, all purpose shoe that travels light and dry. It works well for light sport and long walks, and it’s comfortable after hours of wear. While it won’t replace the sturdier shoes I wear for longer hikes or outdoor activities, it’s nearly perfect for that lazy beach vacation, car camping or spa trip, or as the shoes you where when your navigating the TSA, your flight gate and everything in between.
The Churn is $80 for men or women if you buy directly from Teva. Prices on Amazon came in quite a bit lower, you may see them for as low as $40. If you’re interested in something sturdier, check out Tim’s review of the Tahoe from Ecco or Kara’s on the Teva Dalea eVent or GoLite Trail Lite.
Posted by Pam in General Gear, Travel Light on October 21st, 2011
Keen Whisper Water Sandals for Kids
Hey, how come Mom and Dad get all the cool shoes for playing in the water?
Well, they don’t outgrow them so fast, for one thing. These Keen Whisper sandals, like miniature adult versions, come in at a miniaturized price too though: they list for $45. If he or she can make it through a season or two of fun with them, that’s bearable.
My daughter has two pairs of shoes like this: a private label brand pair from a big box store and these Whisper ones. There was a $14 dollar difference in price, but these feel far superior. There’s a stiffer, non-marking sole, a footbed that feels like it won’t squish down to nothing in two weeks, and a nice lace adjustment system with a cinch that works well to ensure a good fit. The construction feels solid and the strap system works well, plus there’s a tab loop on the back for pulling them on.
Being sandals you can wear in the water, naturally they dry quickly and feel good dry or wet. The two-layer construction feels good against the skin. So she says anyway—there hasn’t been any whining.
My daughter has given these a good workout in normal circumstances just playing around as a kid, avoiding any banged toes with the rubber toe guard. But she also wore them on a kayaking outing we took lately. She skipped around the surf and scaled wet rocks with them with ease. They still look good and haven’t gotten stinky.
After they were dry again, which took a couple hours in the sun, she could romp around on land with them again. They’re sturdy enough for trail hiking or kicking a ball around. So if you were packing for a trip, you could definitely get double duty from these.
We’ve got plenty of shoe reviews from this company on Practical Travel Gear because Keen Footwear is a quality brand that outperforms with a lot of different styles. They’ve got a good attitude about the whole work/play balance thing and they support a cause that’s near and dear to our hearts: more recess! It’s hard to lay out a lot of money for kids’ shoes, but these will outperform the cheapies for not a whole lot more.
Get the Keen Whisper sandals at Backcountry.com or Altrec.com.
See more travel shoes reviews or more kids and family gear.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family on August 24th, 2011
Adidas Outdoor Hydroterra Shandal
No, that’s not a typo, it’s “shandal,” not sandal. It’s a water sandal, but with the cushioning of a shoe.
This Hydroterra Shandal is one of the initial product releases from Adidas Outdoor, a branch of the company wanting to make a big splash in the outdoor apparel space. You can splash all you want with these on your feet, no matter what you call them. They’re mesh water shoes that fit like sneakers, but are made to work well on slippery rocks and dry quickly when you’re done.
I haven’t had the chance to go white water rafting or anything else super fun like that lately, but I did do some walking on rocks in a stream and on wet paths when I was visiting Las Pozas in Xilitla, Mexico last month. These shoes worked well on land and in the water, holding fast on the algae-covered rocks in the stream and not being making any squishy sounds when I returned to dry land.
So the soles are reliably grippy, plus the shoes fit a variety of feet well, thanks to the adjustable laces secured with a locking clasp on the elastic. They’re not too narrow, the idea being that you can pull them in tighter if needed. The back heel part folds down, which serves two purposes: you can slip them on in a hurry if you just pop to the bathroom or something. 2) The shoes fold down flat when you pack them, so they’re not as much of a burden to bring along as some shoes.
The only thing keeping me from completely loving these is the plastic-feeling uppers, made from one piece of something called “Airmesh.” Sure, the shoes dry quickly and that’s important with water shoes, and they were comfortable to walk in for hours each time I wore them. They just feel kind of funky with all that semi-hard plastic and mesh. Water shoes I’ve tried out from Keen and Teva have just felt better against my bare feet than these do. Would I notice that if I were kayaking or rafting? Probably not, and I’d be glad they dry in an hour or two if I were camping with limited luggage. Putting wet shoes on in the morning is a drag.
There’s a women’s version too, pictured here to the right. It’s basically the same shoe, but in more girly colors. Both have a list price of $90.
These new Adidas Shandals are just hitting the shelves. You can find them now at some sporting goods stores, Amazon, Altrec, and Backcountry.
See more reviews of travel shoes at Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on July 27th, 2011
Walk Like a Gecko: GoLite Flood Lite Sandals
Comfortable, adjustable, and with a great unique sole design, these Flood Lite sandals from GoLite are a great addition for travelers.
GoLite may not be a household name, but if I had to pick one shoe I saw more than any other on the feet of buyers at the last Outdoor Retailer show I attended, it would have to be the GoLite Lime Lite shoes I reviewed last year. I’ve since seem them on the feet of three different travelers in two countries, so I think it’s safe to say that when people buy them, they like them.
I’ve been just as happy with these Flood Lite sandals I’ve been wearing around since the cold weather said goodbye. From the top they’re not all that different from ones you’ve seen from the likes of Teva or Keen. They’ve got adjustable Velcro straps to make them conform to your feet, a comfy footbed, and a cover across the front to keep you from banging your toes on a rock. There are two tabs to grab to help put these on: one for the top of your foot, one behind the heel
The real differentiating feature on these Flood Lites though is the grippy rubber sole. It’s meant to mimic the feet of a gecko, which is kind of cool looking, but it also grips the surface incredibly well. You won’t be climbing the walls like a cute lizard, but you can cross streams or traverse slippery wet rocks without slipping and falling.
These sandals, with leather under your feet and a contoured EVA midsole, are super-comfortable. The stretchy nylon fabric against your feet is soft and dries quickly. These took no time at all to break in and have not produced anything close to a blister, even after 8 hours of walking around, up and down hills. With lots of leather on the top instead of multi-colored fabric, they look nicer than a lot of similar competing sport sandals.
The Flood Lite sandals come in brown, fossil, or black and list for $85. You may find them for a bit less online. There’s a more streamlined women’s version of this sandal called the Stream Lite.
Get the GoLite Flood Lite sandals at Altrec.com or at Amazon.
See more reviews of GoLite products and travel shoes.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on June 30th, 2011
Rugged Quick-dry Techical Ahnu Reyes Sandals
After two months on the road last summer, I found that the shoes I used the most were the wet-dry sandals that were good in the heat and offered plenty of support. After trying these out over a few weeks, I know this summer I’ll be spending a lot of days in these Reyes Technical Sandals from Ahnu Footwear.
These are set up a bit differently than the Teva Omnium ones I’ve worn so much I wore them out. The straps really weave across the foot with these, insuring a snug fit. There’s plenty of open space for circulation, with holes that go all the way to the bottom—appreciated when there are pebbles that need to shake out.
They’ve got anti-microbial properties built in to keep them from getting stinky and so far so good on that front. The footbed is comfortable and supportive, with a thick sole that made me feel like they will continue to hold up well for light hiking or my days of walking the cobblestone streets of colonial Mexico.
All the materials dry quickly—in my experience an hour in the sun was more than enough. The tough toe is good for banging against rocks and the sole gripped boulders well on a hike.Think of these as water shoes that can double as walking or light hiking shoes, great for a river rafting trip and then a walk through town the next day.
Be advised that these are sized generously, with the expectation you’ll pull in the straps if you have narrow feet, so go a size down if that’s you. For my E feet, they fit perfectly.
These come in two colors and list for $90. See more photo angles and info on the Reyes sandal at AhnuFootwear.com
Get the Ahnu Reyes Technical Sandal at Backcountry.com
Get the Ahnu Reyes at REI
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on June 23rd, 2010
