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Reviews > Footwear > Sandals > Teva Itunda Sandals > Test Report by Nancy Griffith

TEVA ITUNDA SANDALS
TEST SERIES BY NANCY GRIFFITH
LONG-TERM REPORT

INITIAL REPORT - April 04, 2010
FIELD REPORT - June 21, 2010
LONG TERM REPORT - August 21, 2010

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Nancy Griffith
EMAIL: bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 44
LOCATION: Northern California, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
WEIGHT: 130 lb (59.00 kg)

My outdoor experience began in high school with involvement in a local canoeing/camping group called Canoe Trails. The culmination was a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since my college days in Pennsylvania. I have completed all of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. My typical trip now is in the Sierra Nevada in California and is from a few days to a week long. I carry a light to mid-weight load, use a tent, stove and hiking poles.


INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Teva Itunda
Photo courtesy of Teva website

Manufacturer: Teva
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.teva.com
MSRP: $100 US
Listed Weight: Not listed
Measured Weight: 1 lb 5 oz (590 g) for pair
Size Tested: Women's 8.5 (39.5 EUR)
Available in Women's sizes 5-11
Color Tested: Tender Greens (also available in Ashley Blue and Wood Rose)
Available in a Men's version
Made in China



PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

top view
Photo courtesy of Teva website
sole
Photo courtesy of Teva website
side view
Photo courtesy of Teva website













The Teva Itunda sandals are a solid pair of water shoes. The toes are enclosed and have a black guard across them which extends up over the big toe area. The top portion of the sandal upper is made of a stretchy material with a mesh covering on top. This section has a non-stretch nylon strap that is adjustable to snug the sandal against the top of the foot. There is a similar non-stretch strap at the ankle which is adjustable and has a buckle to make it easy to get the sandals on and off. The heel strap, the main strap across the top of the foot (at the ankle) and the topsole is made of a one-piece injection molded EVA plastic.

The footbed feels cushiony along the entire length when I push on it with my thumbs. The heel portion of the footbed is embossed with 'Shoc Pad' and refers to a layer in the sole below the heel. It can be seen in green in the side view. The footbed has 4 holes at the heel area which are drain holes that drain out the side of the sole. There are channels along the length of the footbed which lead to the drain holes.

The sole is thick and almost reminds me of a stiff running shoe sole. There are channels to divert water and the rubber is somewhat soft such that I can deflect it by pushing on it with my fingers.

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

TevaŽ Warranty:
'Our products are warranted to provide normal wear and be free from defective materials or faulty manufacturing for one year from the date of purchase. Any products beyond one year will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
For further warranty information please contact us at 1-800-367-8382.'

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS & TRYING THEM OUT

My initial impression was that these sandals are very sturdy and heavier than my old traditional-style Tevas. I tried them on and was happy that I ordered the larger size. I normally wear an 8 or 8.5 and chose the 8.5 which worked out well. Since the toes are enclosed, a size too small could have been a problem. There is a lot of adjustment available with the two straps, so I can still snug them to my feet. I would say that these sandals run true to size.

Secondly I was surprised that there isn't much about the sandals that is green. The body of the sandal is a taupe color with green adjustment straps and some green highlights (logo). I actually like the color a lot and am glad that the entire sandal is not green.

Lastly I noticed how many features these sandals have that remind me more of shoes. They are solidly built with only a couple of small openings above the toes. When I wear them and look at my feet, there is very little of my feet showing.

SUMMARY

The Teva Itunda sandals are a sturdy pair of watersport shoes that seem solid enough for hiking. They are well-constructed and so far seem to be comfortable.

Initial Likes:
Sturdy solid construction
Toe/foot coverage for fording rocky streams
Adjustment straps at toe and ankle
Style
Comfort

Initial Dislikes:
Somewhat heavy to carry for backpacking


FIELD REPORT

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

wadingIt was a cool Spring, so things just started to heat up for wearing sandals near the end of the test period. However, once it got warm enough, I found myself wearing these sandals everywhere. They have become my go-to casual footwear. I have worn them for washing the car, going to the garden and for casual use. I took them on one 3-day backpacking trip where I wore them in camp, for fishing and for short hikes to the water source from camp. I wore them on a day hike for wading.

Backpacking:
Western States Trail, Sierra Nevada, California; 3 days; 1,800 to 4,365 ft (549 to 1,330 m) elevation; 45 to 72 F (7 to 22 C); clear to partly cloudy conditions; stream fishing, in-camp use and hiking to water source.

Hiking:
Bake Oven Trail, Sierra Nevada, California; 1,630 to 3,520 ft (497 to 1,073 m); 65 to 80 F (18 to 27 C); clear to partly cloudy conditions; stream wading.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

streamFirst of all, these sandals are very much like shoes and I would best describe them as water shoes. They cover a lot of my foot, so when wearing them in a stream they protected my toes and feet very well. In camp and for short hikes from camp, they kept my feet protected and kept debris from getting in and making my feet dirty. One night we camped where the pine straw and leaf litter was very deep but I didn't have any problem with it getting into my shoes. This is one drawback for me with wearing sandals in camp. I usually end up with little sticks or debris under my foot which is annoying and I end up having to often stop to dump out my sandals.

The traction of the soles was good when climbing around wet rocks while fishing. They also protected my feet while wading across rock-bottomed streams. I could walk without worrying about my toes hitting something. The straps were very secure and my feet didn't move around very much in the shoe. I never felt like the sandal was going to slip from my foot or that any part of my foot was going to slip out and be exposed.
stream
The sandals were comfortable to walk around in and were great for hiking 1/4 mile (0.4 km) or so to the water source from where we camped. The strap cushioning seems to be well-positioned and feels good on my feet. There has been no discomfort or irritation from the straps rubbing on my feet. The soles provide good support and cushioning such that I haven't felt any tiredness in my feet even after wearing the sandals all day.

The sandals dried out quickly after I wore them in the stream which made it nice for packing them up for the hike out. That brings up my only negative about the sandals which is that their weight is fairly heavy. While I'm carrying them everywhere for this test, I wouldn't normally find them to be worth the extra weight in my pack unless I knew that there would be serious stream crossings or stream fishing in the plan.

The sandals are stylish enough that they were also perfect for casual footwear to picnics and around town. They cleaned up well in between uses that I could wear them hiking/fishing one day and to a picnic the next. The durability is great so far. I was afraid that the black toe cover would be scarred from wearing them in the streams and on-trail, but despite being a bit banged up, they still look fine. The rest of the sandal still looks in new condition. The buckles are working fine. No durability issues have been seen to date.

SUMMARY

The Teva Itunda sandals are a sturdy pair of watersport shoes that are solid enough for hiking. They are well-constructed and comfortable. The style makes them suitable for casual in-town use as well as on-trail use.

Likes:
Sturdy solid construction
Toe/foot coverage for fording rocky streams
Secure straps at toe and ankle
Stylish
Comfortable

Dislikes:
Heavy to carry for backpacking


LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

RelaxingI wore these sandals nearly every day for casual use outside around the house. I wear them for washing the car, going to the garden and for general 'around town' wear when I want some quick shoes to slip on. I took them on three backpacking trips for a total of 7 days, a 4-day boat camping trip and for fishing on two day hikes.

Some Examples of Trips:
Backpacking:
Mumford Bar Trail, Sierra Nevada, California; 2 days; 6,327 to 7,000 ft (1,928 to 2,134 m) elevation; 55 to 90 F (13 to 32 C). I wore them for stream fishing, climbing up and over rocks to get to fishing spots and in camp.

Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California; 2 days; 6,560 to 8,220 ft (2,000 to 2,505 m) elevation; 48 to 80 F (9 to 27 C). The trail included several stream crossings and marshy areas. I hiked in them for 3 miles (5 km) up and down a steep rocky section just to avoid swapping shoes at every water crossing.

Boat Camping:
Loon Lake, Sierra Nevada, California; 4 days; 6,200 ft (1,890 m); 50 to 75 F (10 to 24 C). I wore them at the boat ramp for launching the boat, in camp and for fishing.

Hiking:
Forni Lake, Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California: 6,600 to 7,100 ft (2,012 to 2,164 m) elevation; 70 to 80 F (21 to 27 C). I wore them for fishing around the edge of the lake.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

Snow FieldsI wore the sandals in camp on backpacking trips and for short hikes around camp. On the one backpacking trip into Desolation Wilderness there was still a lot of water covering sections of the trail. We had to remove our boots for two major stream crossings. There were also multiple marshy sections and more minor water crossings. This led me to just leave the Itundas on for the last 1.5 mi (2.4 km) of the hike up and the same section on the way back down the next day. The upper 0.5 mi (0.8 km) was still snow-covered in many places and I wore the sandals across these snow fields also. They worked quite well in all conditions except that when a rock or stick would get inside it was difficult to remove it. The enclosed toes seemed to keep things from getting in, but it also kept me from easily kicking things out of my sandal. I usually had to remove the sandals to get debris out.

After wearing the sandals for the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) hike back down, my feet were feeling worn as if I was walking on sandpaper. Between the small rocks and sand that had gotten in my sandals and the texture of the footbed, my feet were getting sanded down. When we put our boots and socks back on they felt like bedroom slippers. I also wore the sandals one evening for a walk around our neighborhood track. After about 1 mi (1.6 km) my feet were feeling tired.

The traction was good on granite rocks while scrambling around for fishing whether the rocks were wet or dry. Traction in the snow wasn't great, but then I wouldn't expect it to be. There still has been no discomfort or irritation from the straps rubbing on my feet.

The green on the side of the sole has cracked and looks a bit undesirable. The sandals are otherwise completely intact and working as new. The buckles are functional, the straps are doing well and there have been no durability issues.

SUMMARY

The Teva Itunda sandals are a well-constructed pair of watersport shoes that are solid enough for light hiking.

Likes:
Durability
Toe protection
Style

Dislikes:
Heavy to carry for backpacking
Enclosed toe makes it difficult to kick out small rocks

This concludes my Long-Term Report and this test series. Thanks to Teva and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to participate in this test.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

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