When I heard the name Teva, I conjured up images of cushy summer sandals and flip flops. Not necessarily the footwear I’d choose to tackle the trails here in the Wasatch; but, oh how our minds can betray us. After wearing the Arrowood Mid Waterproof Flash boots for many a mile, I’ll now associate Teva with rough and tumble technical footwear. They got the job done for me this autumn everywhere from the valley floor to the top of the Desolation Trail.
Arrowood Mid WP Flash Construction
These mid-height boots are very light, but it’s not for lack of technical goodies. Here are some of the details from Teva:
- FloatLite Midsole and Outsole
- Rubber Outsole inserts for added traction
- Waterproof construction (I couldn’t find exact details on the materials used)
- Reflective Mesh Uppers
What this all combines to create is a slimmed-down hiking boot with modern urban looks. Teva has three categories for their Arrowood footwear: Swift, WP, and Utility. The WP family are made to transition seamlessly from the sidewalk to the trail (thus the fashion-forward styling on them). Lots of brands claim two-way versatility from their gear, and in this case Teva has pulled it off.
Arrowood WP Performance
The first miles I put on these boots weren’t in the woods, but around my neighborhood. A new puppy in the house means lots of walks around the block for pee breaks. My chocolate lab and I circled the hood in all types of weather: warm days full of sunshine (where the Teva boots didn’t make my feet overheat), to drizzly, dreary and chilly nights (the exact conditions these boots were made for). The Arrowoods are very light, very comfortable, and more than enough boot for any urban adventure. It was time for some real testing, so off to the trails of the Wasatch I went.
Despite their slight appearance, these boots are tough. I am very impressed with the sturdy construction on the uppers. For a minimalist boot, the Arrowood is certainly bomber. I crushed mile after mile of rocky, uneven trail while wearing them. During ascents, the outsoles had enough traction to get me anywhere I wanted to go. As it turned out, getting back down was more of a trick.
Gripes with the Arrowood WP Flash
Going up trails: no problem. Going down in dry conditions: no problem. Going down in wet or slick conditions: problem. The main downfall with this boot is descending performance on sloppy trails. I slipped numerous times while heading down rocky routes in a rainy Neff’s Canyon, and had similar experiences on other hikes. I’m not saying that there are any boots on the market that are slip-proof, but I’ve tested many pairs that perform better than these Tevas.
The Verdict
Light as all get out, as tough as leather, and fashionable enough to wear around town? Yes, that is the Teva Arrowood Mid boot. The WP stands for waterproof, and they certainly check that box. Toss in the fact that these are very comfortable on any terrain, and have more than enough support for scrambling, now that’s a day hiking boot I feel good about lacing up.