Initial Report: Teva Steep XCR Hiking Shoes
TESTER BIO
Name: Jennifer Williams
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m)
Weight: 120 lbs (56 kg)
Shoe size: 10 women (US)
Email: jensmail78 (at) yahoo.com
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: May 2, 2005
Backpacking Background:
I started backpacking about two years ago. All of my trips have been one or two night stays. My trips normally range from coastal trails in the redwoods to mountainous terrain in the Sierra Nevadas. I tend to hike where I encounter rain and dampness. This year I am looking forward to making some longer trips in northern California and gaining more experience. I am not a lightweight backpacker yet, but would like to reduce my current pack weight significantly.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Teva
Year of manufacture: 2005
URL: www.teva.com
Listed weight: not given
Weight as delivered: 1 lb each (0.5 kg)
Size: Women's 10 (US)
Color: Grey
MSRP: $110 (US)
Advertised Features:
* Adaptive Heel technology
* Gore-Tex XCR lining
* Dual-density EVA midsole
* Nubuck and High Abrasion mesh upper
Product Description:
The Teva Steep XCRs are lightweight, low cut hiking or trail running shoes. They are equipped with a waterproof Gore-Tex XCR lining that is advertised as being more breathable than regular Gore-Tex lining. The upper consists of nubuck leather with a gusseted, mesh tongue, and a rubber toe guard. The lace loops are made of nylon webbing. The last pair of nylon loops (closest to the ankle) differ from the rest in that they are actually one continuous piece of nylon that loops behind the heel and through an anchor on either side of the ankle (I describe this in more detail below). The soles are constructed with Teva's proprietary Spider Rubber. The shoes arrived in a typical shoebox and appear to be well constructed and look exactly like they do on Teva's website. Each shoe had a clear plastic insert to maintain the shape of the shoe. Printed on the inserts is information about the construction materials of the shoes and about the highlighted features (Gore-Tex XCR lining, Adaptive Heel technology, and Protection Web fabric).
Initial Evaluation:
I initially tried the shoes on with thin, cotton athletic socks and walked around my house. My first impression was that they are very light but feel very sturdy as far as lateral motion goes. The laces extend down to my toes, so it is easy to adjust the tightness of the shoes as far down as the balls of my feet.
The Adaptive Heel feature is interesting. The nylon webbing that forms the final pair of lace loops is about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) wide. From each side of the ankle it extends down to a firm piece of plastic that forms an anchor slot. The webbing passes down through the slot and then back up to form a V shape. The webbing then wraps around the heel where there are 2 more hard plastic anchors to hold it in place. *NOTE: There is a very detailed image of this feature on Teva's website. The Adaptive Heel webbing is not sewn to the shoe, so it is fully adjustable to accommodate wider or narrower feet. The openings in the anchor slots are very small and I was not able to pull the webbing through them since the ends are sewn together to form the lace loops. This means that if I did not want to use the Adaptive Heel feature, I would have to cut it or somehow remove the laces from that pair of loops and tuck the webbing out of the way (although I do not anticipate needing to do that). In addition to the wrap around lacing, the inside of the heel is lined with a grippy rubber or plastic material that seems to prevent heel movement from the inside as well.
I wore the shoes to work and walked about 2 miles (3 km) over the course of the day. Although they were comfortable, I noticed that they felt a little loose and did not offer much arch support. Upon removing the insoles that came in the shoes, I found they were very thin and not much more than liners. However, I have tried a few other brands of light hiking shoes, and in my experience this seems to be a common shortcoming for this type of shoe. The next day I added some Superfeet insoles and the shoes felt much better. This did not necessarily surprise me since I have very low volume feet with low arches and I definitely over pronate. I use insoles in almost all of my shoes to add volume and support. Consequently, needing insoles for the Teva Steep XCRs was not surprising and I do not think that it indicates that the shoes are unusually flimsy. Once I added the insoles I was able to tighten the shoes as much as I needed to.
Overall, the shoes fit well, were comfortable right out of the box, and do not appear to require much breaking in. The heel does feel nice and snug without being too stiff, although I have not done any uphill or downhill hiking in them yet.
Field Information
Central and Northern California Coasts:
Locations will include multiple state parks and national forests ranging in elevations from 0 to 6000 feet (1800 meters). I will go on multiple day hikes and two or three day backpacking trips mostly on maintained trails with gradual elevation gains. Trails will vary between dry and rocky to damp and sometimes muddy conditions with occasional stream crossings. Temperatures will be between 50 to 90 F (10 to 32 C).
Sierra Nevadas:
If the shoes prove comfortable and supportive during initial day hikes and light backpacking, I will try to use them on 2 or 3 short backpacking trips in Tahoe National Forest and Desolation Wilderness at elevations between 7000 to 9000 feet (2100 to 2700 meters) with steep elevation gains. Trails will consist of rocky dirt, slick rock, boulders, and a bit of mud and shallow streams. Temperatures are typically between 40 and 80 F (4 to 27 C). On these trips I will carry a pack that I try to keep below 20 lbs (9 kg).
I will also generally wear the shoes while running around town and during trail running at local parks.
Test Plan
Adaptive heel:
I am particularly interested in testing this feature because I have very narrow, low volume feet that often develop blisters due to heel slippage on uphill climbs. I will pay special attention to how well the heel cup of the shoe fits, whether I am able to lace the shoe so that my heel is locked in place, and if the fit adapts to different conditions when I am not hiking on steep uphill trails. I will be watching the webbing that wraps around the heel for fraying where it rubs against the hard plastic sections. I am also interested to see if the plastic heel anchors become brittle or crack after exposure to the elements.
Waterproof lining:
I will test the waterproof lining on many occasions to see if the mesh portions of the upper are just as waterproof as the rest of the shoe? Does moisture gradually build up while shuffling through wet vegetation? Do they stay dry after crossing shallow streams?
Breathability:
Does the Gore-Tex XCR lining make these shoes too warm during high speed hiking or running? Do my feet get sweaty during various levels of exertion? Do they stay breathable once they are wet?
Durability/Functionality:
With regards to durability, I will evaluate the shoes' quality of construction with regards to the attachment of the sole and of the seams and how well the lace loops hold up without fraying or coming un-sewn. The shoes should also be functional and provide good traction on wet or slippery surfaces, be easy to clean, and maintain their light weight and breathability after a long day on the trail.
Comfort:
Even though this is subjective, I think it is important that the shoes are not inherently uncomfortable due to some kind of design flaw. For instance, does the gusseted tongue bunch up and cause discomfort because it doesn't stay in place? I have narrow feet and I am always looking for shoes that fit just right. Are these shoes good for people with narrow feet (particularly women)? Given that it is a low cut shoe, is there adequate support of the ankles? Do they provide the right amount of arch support? Too much, too little? Is there a good balance between flex and stiffness?
Initial Likes:
* Light weight
* Adaptive Heel lacing
Initial Dislikes:
* Flimsy insole
Thanks to Teva and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these shoes. I can't wait to take these out on the trail.
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