Gear Review: TevaSphere Trail Shoes

Teva released the brand new TevaSphere trail shoe in early 2013.  Known more for their water shoes, this was, in some ways, Teva’s return to the trail running market.  Teva picked small “specialty shops” to release the shoes.  This means that they weren’t available at any of the big box stores.  They were only available at specialty running and outdoor stores.  Country Squirrel Outfitters was lucky enough to be on the front line of this new release and we currently offer three model options: Men’s Speed model (in two different color options), Men’s Trail eVent (waterproof version), and the Women’s Trail.  To be honest, there really isn’t a lot of difference between the Speed and the Trail models, other than the Trail eVent, which features the waterproof and breathable membrane called eVent (think Goretex-like membrane).  The non-waterproof models retail for $120 and the eVent waterproof models retail for $140.

So what makes the TevaSphere different from any other trail shoe?  Teva markets the shoe as an “outdoor trainer” shoe.  A shoe that is “inspired by the unpredictable terrain of the world outside the gym.”  I think that is a pretty good description of this shoe.  It really is a multi-purpose shoe.  Trail running, light hiking, taking the dog for a walk, or competing in the latest Tough Mudder.   This shoe is at home in any of those scenarios.  What this shoe is not is a road running shoe (more on that later).  At first glance, the thing that is most noticeable is the distinct “support pods” on the sides of the shoe.  This is designed to provide stability on uneven terrain.  It’s different than the standard stability shoe, because the pods are on both sides of the shoe where the standard stability shoe is geared more toward the overpronator type runner.  Being that the support pods are on both sides of the shoe, the TevaSphere is really designed for any type of runner.  The shoe also features a rounded heal, which helps to promote a more natural stride (i.e. minimalist type running shoes).   Other features of the shoe include Teva’s SpiderRubber 360 on the bottom, quick drying materials, and a nylon shank.  All of this comes in a shoe that weighs less than 10 ounces (9.45 ounces for the men’s size 10).

Three of the staff at Country Squirrel Outfitters (Steve, Miranda and Bill) have been wearing the TevaSphere shoes for most of the summer.  Collectively, we have over 500 miles on the shoes and we’ve tested the TevaSphere shoes in a variety of different terrain.  We’ve logged many miles on the Clarion-Little Toby Rail Trail, Laurel Mill Trail, State Game Lands 44 and even a trip to New England (Maine and New Hampshire).  We’ve used these shoes for trail running and for day hiking.  The support pods are surprisingly unnoticeable.  This is a good thing.  The pods look a little bulky and you would think that they would feel awkward while running.  This is not the case at all.  They don’t feel awkward at all and they really do provide a lot of support on uneven terrain.   The rounded heal provides a nice feel with every stride.  The shoe is also noticeably light.  When you compare the ~ 9.5 ounce weight of the TevaSphere to the 12+ ounce weight of most trail running shoes, you can certainly feel the difference.  The shoe is very comfortable, but that is to be expected from Teva as all of their shoes are crazy comfy. 

 

Now for a bit of criticism.  This shoe is NOT a road running shoe.  The TevaSphere is clearly designed for off road use.  (I’m not sure that is really a problem.  I’d choose trail running over road running any day).  The shoe doesn’t provide much cushion and it feels a little hard when running on paved surfaces.  This is even noticeable when running the 100 yards from Country Squirrel Outfitters to the trailhead of the Clarion-Little Toby Trail.  I would not recommend this shoe for anyone that primarily runs on paved surfaces.  If road running is your thing, there are much better shoes out there for you.  Steve, Bill and Miranda all have average to narrow toe box requirements and the TevaSpehere seems to fit us all fine.  If you have a wide foot and need a big toe box, then you might not have all the space you need.  (Note: I believe Teva is releasing a model with a slightly wider toe box.  It should be available in Spring 2014).  Although the SpiderRubber 360 seems to grip most surfaces pretty well, we did experience a little slipping on the wet rocks while doing some hiking in Acadia National Park.  This might be in part due to my next criticism – the traction isn’t real aggressive.  I would prefer to have a shoe with a little more aggressive traction on the bottom.  There really aren’t any big lugs or anything to grip in wet or muddy conditions.  I like challenging terrain (i.e. Boulder Dash, North Face Endurance Challenge, Hyner View Challenge, etc.) and I like a shoe with a lot of bite.  For me, the TevaSphere was a little lacking in that area (although Bill doesn’t seem to have the same complaint.  Perhaps it is a personal preference thing.) 

Summary:

I’ll give the TevaSphere 4 out of 5 stars.  (I would give it 5 if it had a little more tread on the bottom).

Pros: Comfort, light weight, great stability, rounded heal, good all-around shoe, versatile, nice colors

Cons: Not real aggressive, a little slippery on wet rocks, not for road running

Overall, this is a great shoe.  If you are a serious runner, this is a good shoe for you to put into your shoe rotation.  Most runners have different shoes for different types of terrain.  This is a nice shoe that you can use for all but the most hardcore of trails.  You won’t be disappointed with the comfort and stability this shoe provides.