Article by Jeff and Allison Valliere
Teva Aventrail ($145)
The Aventrail is a purpose built sandal aimed at the trail running crowd, with a more supportive, comfortable upper (straps with additional engineered mesh for comfort/support), a deeply cushioned Hyper-Comf midsole that combines the response of super critical foams with supportive EVA to provide great all around cushioning.
Teva is under the Deckers/Hoka umbrella and to quickly summarize, the Aventrail is a Hoka running sandal. They have become our favorite sandals, read on to discover why, and yes they do have their limits on the run but otherwise we both thought they are the best sandals we have ever worn..
Pros: secure and comfortable straps/upper, deep cushion, overall comfort, versatility, traction - Jeff/Allison
Cons: midsole is not particularly supportive for running (though great for hiking/casual use), style - Jeff/Allison
Specs:
Sample Weights: US men’s 10 12.5oz/355 grams, US women’s 9:10.3oz/295 grams
Stack height: 33.5mm heel / 27.5mm toe (6mm drop)
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Jeff V:The Aventrail is far and away the best sandal I have ever owned. It is the most cushioned, comfortable and well treaded sandal.It is perrfect for day to day use, travel, light hiking or just about anything you can conjure up where one might use a sandal AND where one may not expect a sandal to be reasonably used.
Initial step in is pure joy and the confort far exceeded my expectations.
The upper consists of a familiar looking W cross strap velcro closure system over the forefoot, midfoot and heel, but then there is a mesh, booty style collar that extends around the heel, midfoot and down to the toe strap. This mesh is designed to add comfort and protection to your foot, while adding a little bit of structure to the “upper”.
This system makes for an exceptionally comfortable feel (with or without socks), provides good security for most typical daily use and light running on flat, non technical terrain, is breathable and easy to adjust. When running (and even hiking to a degree) on steeper grades and technical terrain, the upper shows its weakness and I am reminded that this is still a sandal.
I have a somewhat narrow, low volume foot, but the straps on the Aventrail cinch plenty snug enough for me to achieve a secure fit (not always a given on some sandals).
Fit is true to size in my usual size 10 and the straps have a lot of leeway to accommodate a wide range of feet.
Allison: I am overall impressed with the Aventrail and find them to be exceptionally comfortable, versatile and practical for day to day use and light hiking on a wide variety of terrain. The straps with integrated mesh material offer a high level of comfort and good security for casual everyday use and light hiking. Fit is true to size in my normal size 9 and the straps snug up nicely over my thin, low volume foot. While the straps/upper secure my foot well, I quickly found their limits when on steep hills and technical terrain.
Midsole:
Jeff V: The Hyper Comf midsole is soft and plush, combining the response of super critical foams and supportive EVA. This works exceptionally well for long days on your feet for casual wear, travel and hiking.
While the Aventrail is marketed as a running sandal and the nylon plate helps for stability, I still find the midsole to be a bit too soft overall and not stable enough underfoot for extended running, especially in technical terrain. I will say however that they are more runnable than any other sandal because of the cushion, protection and somewhat rockered design. The footbed is exceptionally soft, conforming and forgiving.
Allison: I agree with Jeff on all of the above, the midsole is very comfortable and plush, great for long walks, hikes, or a full day of casual use. They offer overall good support, but they can feel a little soft and unstable if trying to go fast in them or on technical trails, so I most prefer them for short hikes and casual wear.
Outsole:
Jeff V: The outsole is fantastic, with grippy Spider Rubber, deep (5mm?) tiered traction lugs that provide great traction on a wide variety of terrain. I have worn them hiking in Colorado, Oregon and California and find grip to be very good on just about any surface and anywhere you might take a sandal. Durability thus far after an entire summer of daily use has proven to be very good, with minimal wear.
Allison: The Spider rubber and tiered traction lugs provide very good traction on just about any surface, wet or dry, loose dirt, etc…. I have also used them in Colorado hiking in the mountains (short hikes), along the coast of Oregon and California and I always feel confident in my footing, as I might in a really good running shoe. As Jeff mentions, durability seems good, as I am not seeing much for wear and have used them a lot.
Conclusions/Recommendations:
Jeff V: I have been wearing the Aventrail essentially all summer and have used them for day to day use, light hiking in the mountains and foothills of Colorado and a family trip to Oregon/California where I wore them along the coast, beaches, redwoods, etc…
I am impressed by the overall comfort and versatility that they offer. With such a high level of cushion, comfort, upper security and traction, I feel like I can go just about anywhere in them.
While they are marketed as a running sandal, I do not find myself ever wanting to run in them though, as I personally do not see the need to run in a sandal. But, you could if you have to, as they are much more capable than any other sandal because of the attributes I listed above. If you do choose to buy these for running, keep in mind that they perform best on flat, non technical terrai. The security and the soft midsole are not best suited to any trails that are steep or technical.
The styling is a bit polarizing, as some really like the look, while others raise an eyebrow. I don’t mind the look of them in my subtle gray and black, but could do without the red accents. A few more color options would be great (just 2 colors vs. 3).
I have tested with and without socks and they are comfortable either way, but like any sandal, unless you are in the water, they are much more comfortable and temperature regulating with a nice pair of socks (controversial I know, but I am 100% function over fashion when it comes to sandals). I can say with confidence that these are far and away the very best sandals I have ever used.
Allison: I agree with everything Jeff says above. The Aventrail is the most comfortable, versatile sandal I have ever used. Though they are pitched as a running sandal, I don’t really feel the desire to actually run in them, but appreciate the deeply cushioned midsole for comfort and the very well treaded and sticky outsole, and relatively secure and comfortable straps/upper.
Allison Valliere is a 5th generation Coloradan who is passionate about the outdoors and has been hiking, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing and running in the mountains since she was young. She has completed all but 5 of the Colorado 14ers (a dozen or so in winter), has many hundreds of year round ascents of 14ers, 13ers and other peaks in Colorado and the West. Allison has also traveled the world and trekked to over 18,000 feet in the Himalayas, to high altitudes in Ecuador and has worked for the National Park Service mapping plants in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California . Her almost daily routine involves runs/power hikes in the foothills above Boulder, or 4-5 mile flatter runs at 8-10 minute mile pace if schedule necessitates. But what really keeps her on her toes is working as a nurse and taking care of her 12 year old twin daughters who are also growing to share her love for the outdoors.
Jeff Valliere loves to run and explore the mountains of Colorado, the steeper and more technical the better. He has summited all of the 14ers in the state, many 13ers and other peaks in Colorado and beyond, plus, he has summited his local Green Mountain over 2,100 times in the past 20 years. He can be found on mountain trails daily, no matter the weather, season, conditions or whether there is daylight or not. On the side he loves to ski (all forms) bike and hike, often with his family, as he introduces his twin daughters to the outdoors. Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire, but has called Colorado home for over 25 years. He is 5’9” and 145 lbs.
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