Teva Sandals Review After 2 Months of Hikes, Swimming & Walking New Cities

About a mile into our 7-mile hike to a secret waterfall, my beloved hiking boots broke. Like, the sole literally fell off. It was also pushing 90 degrees out and my feet were burning up in boots anyways. I took it as a sign to finally pull the trigger on a pair of Teva sandals.

I see all my travel blogger peers endorse Teva shoes but I’ve been hesitant to pull the trigger on the hiking sandals (I’ve been burned by pairs in the past.) But I finally did and I’m here to give you my honest Teva sandals review after 2 months of wear (pros, cons, and buying tips!)

I think it’s important to note that I live in San Francisco and low-key addicted to running around this state. Any given weekend you can find me hiking National Parks, swimming in a waterfall, soaking in a hot spring, exploring a mining town, wandering the desert, kayaking a Bay, camping lakeside… basically, if I’m getting a pair of adventure shoes they need to be super comfortable, sturdy and versatile.

Teva Sandals Review 2021: Pros & Cons After 2 Months of Hiking, Swimming & Walking All Over New Cities

After way too much time comparing Tevas online, I bought the Teva Universal Trail sandals in black. My husband bought the Teva Hurricane XLT for men. I also chatted with my female friend who wears the Teva Original to bring you a comprehensive review on the best Teva sandal to pick if you choose to!

First things first…

Are Teva Sandals Worth It?

Jumping right to the kicker here: are Teva sandals worth the price point? YES but only if you get the best Teva sandals that’s right for your adventures. I’ve been sporting my Tevas all over since getting them and have yet to get sore feet or slip.

But, as someone totally new to buying Teva sandals I was really overwhelmed with choices. That’s a major downfall of Teva – if you can’t get into a store to try things on, it can be really overwhelming to figure out what shoe you need. And they aren’t all created equal in my opinion. Here’s some start points:

Important Tip: Size Down On Teva Sandals

How should Teva sandals fit? I found you needed to size down a full size. I originally bought a 9 sine I usually wear a 9.5, but there was way too much toe room in the front that I was tripping in my apartment. So I returned those and got a size 8, which fit perfectly.

Not all shoes may need this hack that’s why it’s important to read the Teva reviews from past customers as they’re a good way to crowdsource any potential sizing issues. But remember, if they mean size down a size that doesn’t mean a half size, it means a full size!

Teva Original Universal vs Teva Universal Trail vs Teva Hurricanes

I oped for the Teva Universal Trail since I needed Teva hiking sandals that could replace my hiking boots on hot days or for water adventures. As I mentioned before, my husband has the Mens Teva sandals in Hurricane.

Teva Original Universal Review

This is probably the most commonly found shoe in stores as it’s the OG Teva fashion style. It’s also the lowest price point at around $50 a pair and can be found not just on the company website but at lots of stores like Madewell or Zappos.

I love the colors that the Teva Original Sandal comes in (like this rainbow pair!) so they make a great everyday summer sandal. The cons are they aren’t great for hiking. They don’t have the same arch support as the Universal Trail and don’t have the same grip on the bottom, either. This is the sandal you get for casual hangs and everyday summer wear (like errands or a lazy beach day).  

Teva Original Universal Trail Review

This is the pair I got and I LOVE them. I’ve worn them on long hikes, swimming under a waterfall, swimming in a cavern, at the airport, to sunflower fields — seriously. All. Over. I think these are the best Teva sandals for walking AND hiking, so your true jill of all trades. The white stripe on the sandal also stays really clean, it’s magic.

The downside is they are more expensive at $100 a pair and don’t have many color options. They also don’t have an adjustable back strap so it’s best to order a few sizes to get the best fit. Again, I originally got a size 9 but the room at my toes was too long so I had to return them and get a size 8. 

Mens Teva Hurricane Sandal Review

My husband is the kind of guy who picks a sandal and a pair of shoes and those are his two shoes. He runs them to the ground. When his old pair of sandals literally fell apart in his hands, I bought him the Teva Hurricanes XLT2 so he could keep up with me easier on our hikes around the Bay Area.

He had no complaints about his sandals, though he did giggle and tell me “the only con is they aren’t slip ons” (his usual choice for sandals.)

So, I hope I’ve convinced you to give Tevas a try. I for sure was in that stubborn bandwagon where I was like “they can’t be as good as everyone says, this is just really good influencer marketing” but alas, here I am, totally unsponsored and signing their praises. 

Got your own Teva sandal reviews to add? Drop a comment below so everyone can see!