Developed in collaboration with the Peak Performance Project over course of the past four years specifically for outdoor fitness and rugged off-road adventures, the Tevasphere Trail eVent trail shoe my look somewhat ordinary at first glance, but this new addition to Teva’s active line-up sets itself apart from the pack with a truly unique spherical heel and pod-arch system. This new “TevaSphere technology” is said to deliver a more natural point of impact, efficient transition and superior stability on varied terrain. Making these shoes an ideal candidate for trail hiking, off-road training and Tough Mudder/Warrior Dash style obstacle events.
Photo Credit: Teva on Facebook
Here in the Busted Wallet offices we’ve been big fans of Teva for their ever evolving active sandal line since the 90’s. In recent years the company has been pumping out some very impressive shoe designs for water sports, biking and running. So when we were approached to take on the challenge of reviewing the new Tevasphere Trail eVent‘s we couldn’t wait to hit the trails. Our review period took place over the course of three weeks, during which we hiked, ran, jumped and stomped trough gravel, mud and everything in between.
For the full scoop on what makes these trail shoes tick, check out the embedded video below – in which Chris Hillyer from Teva explains the ins and outs of the new Tevasphere Trail eVent…
Key Features:
- Spherical heel = reduced impact & smooth transition
- Support pods = increased stability
- Spider365 rubber = superior grip
- eVent waterproof breathable mesh = cool dry feet
- Synthetic and Mesh Upper = a comfy ride for miles
- Weight: 12.1 oz = low resistance
– Tevasphere Trail eVent Review –
COMFORT:
(8.5 out of 10) Comfort can either make or break your experience with a new shoe. In this department the Tevasphere Trail eVent did not let me down. Straight out of the box the shoe was surprisingly comfortable and even preformed well on my first run (2.2 mile break-in session). After 5 miles is when these shoes truly become comfy though. I call it the “butter zone.” TIP: I would suggest fully breaking these shoes in before signing up and jumping straight into your first Tough Mudder. The comfort factor only gets better with time with these shoes in my opinion.
Throughout testing I experienced no blistering or additional pain. The the pod-arch system proved to be fantasic on un-even ground to provide additional support. Sprains and injury are a real concern when running on trails and through the mud, but the Tevasphere Trail eVent has me sold as an ankle saver!
DESIGN:
(9 out of 10) Overall the look and styling of the Trail eVent is quite nice. Nothing too flashy, which I like. Some design aspects that stood out while testing were support pods, eVent waterproof mesh and Spider 365 rubber, but first and foremost the spherical heal is what we’d really like to focus on. This design is ideal for heal-strikers who find it painful to run for extended periods. The shape of the heal is rounded and creates a more gentle landing and transition. This design looks good on paper, but it’s even more impressive in-action. Throughout testing I found the rounded heal to be a great help at the end of my runs when my legs are tired. Traditionally I am not much of a heal striker, but I do find that when my legs are tired I begin hitting the ground much harder and far closer to my heal. The spherical shape of the Tevasphere Trail eVent helped me immensely while closing out my sessions on the trail.
Working in conjunction with the spherical heal to keep your feet firmly in contact with the ground is the pod-arch supports. In my opinion they’re a bit bulbous and make the shoes look somewhat clunky, but they’re necessary and really work. With a rounded heal your foot will tend to stray right or left depending on your running style. Before your foot has a chance to over rotate and cause injury the pods on either side of these shoes spring into action to flatten your steps and provide tremendous support. On packed trails and street runs this technology is helpful and noticeable, but it’s only when you take them fully off-road into the rocky, muddy environments where you truly come to appreciate the Tevasphere’s overly stable design.
360° View:
TRACTION:
(10 out of 10) I found the Spider 365 rubber that covers the sole of these shoes to be exceptionally “grippy.” The tread is fairly aggressive and designed for trail running. Rarely was there a moment when slippage was on my mind. No matter the conditions (wet, dry or in between) these shoes kept me up-right without any fear of injury. For an up-close look of where the rubber meets the trail click on the images below…
DURABILITY:
(8.5 out of 10) I found the stitching, materials and overall build quality of these shoes to be excellent. All of the seams are bonded tightly without any visual flaws. The stitching is immaculate throughout and the materials actually feel like they can take some abuse. Over the course of three weeks I pounded these shoes down dusty trails and when the testing was all said and done they were a little bit dirty, but they cleaned up nicely and still look good as new today. It’s my opinion that due to their waterproof protection and rugged build quality these shoes will last through several years of off-road use and abuse.
Durability Close-up:
Leave a Reply