Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Teva Wraptor Shield eVENT > Test Report by Edwin L. Morse

TEVA WRAPTOR SHIELD EVENT trail shoes
TEST SERIES BY EDWIN MORSE
LONG-TERM REPORT
July 30, 2008

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TESTER INFORMATION

I started backpacking in 1979 with two weeks in northern Michigan along the Lake Superior shore. My gear was cheap, heavy and sometimes painful. My starting pack weight was 70 lbs (32 kg) with food but no water. Since that first time I have made one and two week trips in Michigan, Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Late last summer I did a 2 week hike on Isle Royale. My starting pack weight was 32 lbs (14.5 kg), including 10 days of food and 3 qt (2.8 l) of water. I am slowly learning what lighter gear works for me.

INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Teva
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's Website: www.teva.com/
MSRP: US$ 140
Listed Weight: 14.5 oz (411 g) average weight
Measured Weight: 14.6 oz (414 g) for my size 10 1/2

Description from the Teva website:
"The Men’s Wraptor® Shield eVent®

The Scoop:
All of the security, stability and rapid fit adjustment we know and love from Wraptor®, now available to trail runners. A softshell gaiter keeps out debris and unzips to gain access to the lacing system.

Expertise:
Lightweight, protective upper featuring eVent® seals out the elements for continuous comfort when the weather turns ugly. The Wraptor® Shield eVent® is versatile enough for trail running, snowshoe running or winter adventure racing.

The Ride:
Tuned from a runner’s perspective to offer a stable and responsive ride; enough cushioning to absorb the impact without being so soft that it accentuates excessive foot movement or slows you down. The right blend of cushioning, flexibility, and protection.

The Fit:
The men’s Wraptor® Shield eVent® utilizes a new running last which is designed to fit securely in the heel and across the instep with a fuller toe box, allowing the forefoot to expand as you move. A simple upper is housed under the gaiter to provide support and additional warmth for winter conditions.

Materials:
- eVent® waterproof membrane and breathable lining

Features:
- Patented Wraptor™ Fit Technology
- Softshell gaiter provides additional protection from the elements
- Medially posted for mild to medium pronation
- Visible Shoc Pad™ in heel to reduce impact

Outsole:
- SpiderXC™ rubber maximizes traction and durability
- 3.5 mm lugs

Weight:
- 14.5 ounces (approximate weight of one shoe)

Wraptor Fit System
Teva's patented 360-degree continuous strapping system wraps completely around the foot through an innovative and unique channel in the midsole. Wraptor integrates the upper with the outsole by securing your foot directly over the cushioning platform to provide unparalleled support and stability.

Shoc Pad
A blended polyurethane/EVA unit in the heel cup that evenly transfers the energy of impact throughout the footbed and away from the heel. This energy return actually provides greater spring with each forefoot push-off.

Spider XC
Teva's Spider Rubber goes cross country with extra durability and performance in rugged terrain without sacrificing traction around the river.

eVent Fabrics – Direct Venting™ Technology eVent fabrics get their unique properties from a proprietary and patented waterproof membrane. Its unique composition allows millions of tiny pores to breathe at their full potential. Sweat vents directly to the outside of the fabric in one easy step. We call ths Direct Venting™ Technology. Its genius is hidden in its simplicity. eVent fabrics simply let the sweat out™."

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Inside the shoe box lid was a description of the different technology used in the Wraptors.

Label inside shoe box

My first impression was that this is one odd looking shoe. My second impression when I tried them on is that the odd looking shoe is very comfortable.

Front view

This front view shows a lot of detail. Instead of the standard lacing there is a 4 step fastening system. When I put the Wraptors on, first I tighten the inside laces, then pull up the zipper, then fasten the hook and loop over the top of the zipper, and finally hook and adjust the strap which also has the hook and loop fastener for adjustment. The left shoe, on the right, is opened in an attempt to show all the fastening system. The right shoe, on the left, is all fastened as if I were wearing it. The zipper appears as if it might be waterproof. I will be testing this in the next few weeks. There is a loop at the bottom of the zipper that should work well with either my high or low gaiters. I will be trying both soon.

Back view

This back view again shows the left shoe unfastened and the right is fastened.

Sole and side view

I always think about traction when I consider a new hiking shoe. I think this image shows the lug sole on the left shoe about as well as a picture can. Also visible is the strap that goes through the sole under the instep. The Wraptors are a little higher than other trail runners I've used. The lowest point of the top is 5 1/2 in (14 cm) from the floor.
I would describe the Wraptors as a very smooth shoe, both inside and out. There seems to be nothing on the inside to irritate my feet. The outside has very little to catch on brush when I'm bush whacking.

I took an afternoon hike today and found that the Wraptors do grip well on hard packed snow. This is not the kind of terrain and surface on which I expected to test but it is all I have available now.

TRYING IT OUT

I've been wearing the Wraptors in the house for a few days. I wore them on one shopping trip to town.

Today I went for a quick 7 mile (11 km) hike on a nearby snowshoe trail. We still have about 2 ft (61 cm) of snow in the woods. The temperature was about 38 F (3 C) and the snow was getting soft on the edges of the trail. The Wraptors were comfortable and seemed to have a good grip where the trail was well packed. I went deep into soft snow several times. When I got back home the Wraptors were slightly damp inside from sweaty feet.

They also felt wet around the edge of the footbed in the fore foot. Now I'm wondering if the Wraptors are really waterproof or not. I will be checking for this more on wet muddy trails in a few weeks.

TESTING STRATEGY

During the test period I will answer the following questions:
How will the Teva Wraptors feel when I start hiking distances?
Will the Wraptor Fit System allow me to comfortably wear different weights (thickness) of socks as the weather changes over a 4 month time period?
Will this interesting design fit more comfortably than the traditional trail runner design?
The website shows a quick picture of the bottom of the sole.
Will the outsole tread pattern provide good traction both on sandy or rock covered trails and off trail?
Will the Teva Wraptors be comfortable for me to wear hiking 10 miles (16 km) to 15 miles (24 km) daily for several days at a time?
Are the Teva Wraptors Shield eVent trail runners truly water proof?
If they are water proof how high can I wade in water without getting wet feet?
Will the Teva Wraptors Shield Event trail runners be breathable enough for comfort when the temperature gets up to 80 F (27 C)?
Will the seams and material endure several months of hiking, trail work and backpacking?
How durable are the Teva Wraptors?
Will the Teva Wraptors stand up to my frequent hiking off trail?

In addition to the above questions I am sure I will think of more questions as I use the Teva Wraptors.
I will describe my experiences with the Teva Wraptors, including any problems I find. Since the Teva Wraptors Shield Event trail runners appear to be new for the product line, I will also include several pictures, both to show little details but also to show the Teva Wraptors Shield Event trail runners in use.

SUMMARY

The Teva Wraptors Shield eVent trail runners are an innovative and impressive shoe, with my limited experience with them. At this time there are a few things I like and don't like:

The lug soles seem to give very good traction. The loop at the bottom of the zipper should allow me to use gaiters without pulling on the laces. The shoes present a smooth surface both inside and out. The fastening system does not need to be adjusted or retied after a few hours of walking.

At this time I haven't found much to dislike. The fastening system is a time consuming process. The color looks like part of a Halloween costume.

This concludes my Initial Report.

FIELD REPORT

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

I have worn the Teva Wraptors nearly everyday for the last two months. I have worn the Tevas on nine day hikes, one over night backpack trip and a four day backpack trip.

The day hikes were in the Manistee National Forest (MNF), the Sleeping Bear Dunes or the Pere Marquette State Forest, all in Northwest Lower Michigan. The overnight hike was also in the MNF. The 4 day hike was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan starting at Tahquamenon Falls and going north then west generally along or near the Lake Superior shore line.

The weather has been variable as always. Hiking temperature has been as low as 27 F (-3 C) and as high as 68 F (20 C). There have been a few sunny days and a few days of all day rain. The terrain has been as varied as the weather from sand beaches along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior to forested sand dunes to the swamps between the dunes. I've hiked on dry sand, wet and melting snow, mud and the edges of swamps while wearing the Teva Wraptors.

One of my first hikes after getting the Tevas was on March 19, 2008.This was a wet, snowy day hike. The temperature stayed around 42 F (6 C) and there was about a foot (30 cm) of snow in the woods. I was wearing the Teva Wraptors over Bridgedale Ventum socks. I tested these socks for BGT last summer. They are still my favorite socks and seem to fit the best in the Tevas. I had trail runner gaiters over my shoes and pant legs.

I followed the North Country Trail (NCT) for about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the Trail Head, before I turned back. The trail had been used some by both snowshoe hikers and skiers so it had been somewhat packed. I frequently stepped into softer snow and my feet went down into the wet snow.

I stopped a few times to take pictures. The first time I discovered I had left my small tripod home. I had to get creative to get pictures of the shoes.

Hiking in wet snow

In my past experience, walking in soft wet snow is one of the 2 quickest ways to get wet feet. The other way is to hike in wet grass. My feet were not wet at all after this 3 hour hike in wet snow. When I got home I took off the shoes and felt all around inside where I would expect shoes to be wet the quickest. The Wraptors were NOT wet inside at all.

On April 11 two of us hiked 1.3 miles (2 km) along the Hodenpyl Dam Pond marking the NCT reroute then back to the car. This hike was all on Consumers Energy property, between the Manistee National Forest and the Pere Marquette State Forest. This was relatively easy walking for an all bushwhacking hike.

Then we hiked about 2 miles (3 km) along the Manistee River in the Pere Marquette State Forest and back to the start. We were exploring for a reroute for the NCT. The temperature was about 44 F (7 C). We were hiking down and up the high river bank. The slopes were often muddy and slippery. We were looking for a combination of the most scenic route possible and a route where the new trail would best fit the terrain. Of course we also found many areas that were not scenic - just wet.

Wet & muddy hike

I was wearing the Teva Wraptors with low gaiters.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

When the weather is wet or the ground is snow covered I have been wearing short trail runner gaiters over the Tevas, which has been about half my time hiking. This is mostly to keep my pant legs dry. When it is relatively dry I leave the gaiters in the pack.

I've tried three different insoles in the Wraptors since I nearly always replace the original insoles in my hiking shoes. I finally, after three days of very tender feet, decided that the stock insoles that came in the Tevas were the best for me.

The single most important point about hiking shoes, for me, is comfort. If I have to think about my feet it spoils the hike. The Tevas have been comfortable in all conditions where I've worn them. I can just forget about the shoes and hike. The second important feature of good hiking shoes is grip. I hike in any weather we get. I frequently hike off trail. When I put my foot down and shift my weight I want my foot to stay and hold where I step. I have been very pleased with the grip of the Teva Wraptors. Whether crossing creeks on logs or climbing steep forested oak leaf covered sand dunes the Wraptors have gripped the surface very well.
The 4 day hike in early May tested the grip of the Teva Wraptors in several ways. Much of the hike was off trail because of high water and down trees. Some of the low areas between ridges had standing water and we had to find the best way through or around the deep parts.

Ed at the bottom of 2 hills

The surprise for me with the Teva Wraptors has been that they still seem to be really water proof. I did not know what to expect from the eVent fabric. My feet have stayed dry. The nearest I came to wet feet was during an all day rain while bushwhacking through woods. The gaiters were completely soaked which doesn't happen very often. The Tevas were wet for about an inch (2.5 cm) inside down from the top.

The Teva Wraptor Shield eVent shoes have treated me much better than I have treated them. I've only cleaned the shoes once. Most of the time when they get muddy the dirt is washed off by the time I get to the truck. They have protected my feet and kept me dry and comfortable and don't slip when I depend on my footing.

SUMMARY

What I like:
Comfort - I've worn the Tevas on 8 mi (13 km), 12 mi (19 km) and 16 mi (26 km) hikes and my feet were fine.
Grip - The shoes stay where I put them whether climbing hills covered with a thick layer of leaves or crossing creeks on wet logs.
Waterproof - My feet have stayed dry in wet snow or wet grass or wading water.
No laces to tie - I have not had to stop and retie my shoes while wearing the Tevas.

What I don't like:
Fastening system - a 'mixed blessing', there are so many steps to go through but they stay fastened. Also the strap across the instep is not as adjustable as I would like.
I have low volume and nearly flat feet. This creates two problems for me. With many trail runners I've worn (but not all) I can tighten the laces so my toes don't hit the front of the shoe on steep downhill sections. The second problem is that the Tevas are just a little loose around my heel. If I could fasten the "over the instep" strap tighter it would eliminate both problems. I think I see a fix or modification to solve the problem. I will try to explain in the Long Term Report.

I have no real complaints about the Teva Wraptor Shield Event shoes. I will continue testing with more hiking and backpacking.

This concludes my Field Report.

LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

All my experience with the Teva Wraptor Shield Event Trail Runners in the last two months has been in northern Lower Michigan. I've worn the Tevas while shopping in town, while hiking on easy and well maintained trails and while bushwhacking searching for property boundaries on Land Conservancy property. I have also worn the Tevas on two backpacking trips: one short overnight mostly to see if my ankle could stand to walk with a backpack again, and a seven night hike on the High Country Pathway (HCP) in northeast Lower Michigan.

The weather has varied from a low of 45 F (7 C) to a high of 85 F (29 C) and from bright and sunny to driving rain. The hiking and backpacking terrain has varied from sandy hills with pine and oak forests to wet swamp and thick underbrush.

The overnight trip was on the North Country Trail in the Manistee National Forest, starting July 10, 2008 and ending July 11, 2008. I've had problems with not being able to tighten the Tevas enough for all day hiking comfort and when I tighten the cross strap as much as possible and still fasten the Velcro the end of the strap is loose. I did some experimenting this time. I put a piece of stick on Velcro type tape on the cross strap from the top of the arch to the heel.

My suggestion

This worked very well. I could adjust the tightness of the shoes and the end of the strap was not flopping loose. The Velcro type tape came loose in a few days and fell off.

The eight-day hike on the High Country Pathway was the biggest test yet on the Tevas and, I felt, my hardest hike ever on my out of shape body with a still healing ankle. I've done harder hikes but I was always in better physical shape when I started. I tried the Velcro tape experiment again this trip with industrial strength Velcro. The first three days were very wet. The first day I started hiking after a hard rain and it rained again for an hour just after I started walking. I wore rain pants while it was raining and took them off shortly after the rain ended. Since the brush and heavy ferns were wet, my pants were soon wet nearly to my waist. When I set up camp the first night the Tevas were damp inside, but not wet from soaking through. The next 2 days were about the same. It rained hard sometime during the mornings and left the brush and ferns wet. I was often wading in swamps where the boardwalks either did not extend far enough, or were rotted and broken. The industrial strength Velcro tape came off both shoes during the third day. The second and third nights my socks and the Tevas were completely soaked inside. I was able to wring water out of the wool socks each night. The Tevas, and my socks, were nearly dry by the fourth morning.

During the rest of the trip there was only one brief rain, but I was hiking through wet swamp muck with missing board walks several times each day. My feet did NOT get wet again during the trip.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

Overall I think the Tevas did very well. I had wet feet for three days. After the Tevas finally got dry they did not wet through again even though I was frequently hiking in wet muck and shallow water. I think the Tevas were wet through the first three days because my pants were soaked and my socks became soaked from the pants. Capillary action carried the water down and soaked the inside of the Tevas.

Wet trails to hike

Here is a picture of the wet trails I was hiking. The brush is wet from rain over night and earlier in the morning. From this point the trail goes down into a swamp where I waded through wet muck and water.
I got a small blister on the bottom of one foot the third day and the same place on the other foot the next day. This was the first time I have had a blister in over 15 years. Both blisters formed after the industrial strength Velcro tape came off. Since I could not adjust the volume of the Tevas as much as with the temporary tape Velcro they were just a little loose. The Tevas still felt comfortable to hike in.

I hiked just over 18 miles (29 km) on the next to last day of my trip. This included going up and down Rattlesnake Hills. Most of this day I had no good fix on my location. When I started climbing some steep hills, I thought I had at least 3 miles (5 km) before I got to Rattlesnake Hills. I started dreading the thought of climbing Rattlesnake Hills if I was getting so beat on these smaller hills. I stopped for a 20 minute lunch break and rest at 11:30. When I got to the top, 15 minutes after I started walking again, I finally knew for sure where I was. I could have eaten lunch on the breezy top with great views.

I had planned to camp at a road about 2 miles (3 km) past Rattlesnake Hills. There are very few road signs on the roads crossed by the HCP. Roads that looked like major paved roads on the map were often narrow gravel roads on the ground. Except for going up Rattlesnake Hills I was walking much faster than I thought. The two factors made it difficult to determine my location most of the time. I finally knew my location for certain when I crossed a creek identified with a sign. When I finally stopped to camp for the last night my whole body felt beat and my ankle was hurting. On the other hand my feet were relatively comfortable just very tired.

SUMMARY

The Wraptors are showing very little wear after 4 months of use in all the conditions I've walked in. There is a little wear noticeable on the sole tread. The elastic loop for a gaiter hook on the right shoe is slightly frayed on one side. The Tevas are a water proof and very comfortable shoe for my hiking. I think the Wraptors are more breathable than I expected waterproof hiking shoes could be. My feet sweat hard regardless of what shoes I wear.

Likes:
Comfortable - I can wear them hiking all day,
Fastening system stays fastened and adjusted,
Water proof in snow, muck and shallow water,
Breathable,
Good grip - so my feet stay where I step.

Dislikes:
The fastening system - very slow to fasten and unfasten,
The fit Technology - I think it could be improved.
MY SUGGESTION:
Move the Velcro(?) from the adjusting strap over the instep to the beginning of the strap closer to the heel. This is where I put the Velcro tape and it makes the shoe much more adjustable. Please see the first picture in the Long term report section labeled "My suggestion". I will have this change made to my shoes once this report is approved and uploaded. I have checked with the local shoe repair shop and they thought this was a good idea and relatively easy for them to change.

Would I have bought these shoes if I had seen them in a store? Not a chance!

Will I buy them when my test pair finally wears out? Yes, I absolutely will! If the manufacturer does not make my suggested change I will have the change made to the new shoes before I wear them very much.

This concludes my Long Term Report. I have really enjoyed testing the Tevas!
I would like to thank BackpackGearTest.org and Teva for giving me the opportunity to test the Teva Wraptor Shield eVent trail runners.

Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Teva Wraptor Shield eVENT > Test Report by Edwin L. Morse