GEAR | Teva Arrowood Lux Mid Walking Boot Review

December 22, 2016 Shell Robshaw-Bryan

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What I tested

Teva Arrowood Lux Mid WP
Available in 3 colours: Grape Wine, Cognac and Black
£120 Buy them here

Product features

Full-Grain Waterproof Leather Upper
Waterproof Construction
Float-Lite™ Midsole and Outsole
Rubber Outsole Inserts
PU Removable Sockliner

The verdict

Although they aren’t really meant to be a rugged all-season walking boot, we thought we’d put the Teva Arrowood Boots well and truly through their paces to see exactly how well they would perform. Described intriguingly on the Teva website as an “adventure sneaker” I was looking forward to seeing exactly how far I could push them.

So last weekend, the week before Christmas, we headed out to the Peak District and set out on a 10k walk. Although it was a dry day, the ground was very muddy and boggy in places which lead to lots of climbing over slippery rocks in Dovedale Wood, walking down wet grass on Bunster Hill and even splashing through streams close to the popular stepping stones in Dovedale.

The colour of the boots matched perfectly with my Karrimor walking jacket – yay!

I went for the grape wine colour, as most of my walking gear is a similar colour, and chose the mid top, ladies size UK6. They provided a good true to size fit, with enough room for me to wear my thick Merino walking socks, but not enough room to use my usual custom orthotics, though the inner liner is removable, I decided to keep them in for the walk instead.

Splashing through streams at the start of the walk

Despite ditching my usual orthotics, I am happy to report that the boots were comfortable and kept my feet warm and dry throughout our 4 hour walk. On the flat, they felt stable and thanks to their cushioned sole which benefits from FloatLite™ technology, they were a pleasure to walk in. On slight gradients, paths and flat wet grass they performed well, but on downhill sections in mud and on slippery rocks, they didn’t perform quite so well. In fact, I slipped several times, and even slipped so badly on a small rock traverse that I fell flat on my bum, ending up with a bruised behind, and a slightly bruised ego.

The boots performed well on the flat and when walking through woodland

To be fair, the kind of conditions we were walking in, it was obvious from the oustet that a sturdier walking boot with better grips would be needed, so as always, it’s all about choosing the right kit for the conditions. I’m glad I tested them hard though, as understanding the conditions the boots did not work well in made it easier to determine the necessary conditions needed to get the most out of them.

Close up detailing of the Arrowood boots

Pros

Extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear thanks to their FloatLite™ technology
Good waterproofing which kept me dry and snug on a winters walk
Funky/urban good looks; more trainer than walking boot
Sturdy lacing system
Their light weight makes them ideal for taking on holiday without maxing out your baggage allowance

Cons

Moderate grip, so not well suited to walking in the winter on steep slippery terrain
Minimal ankle support

Boots after our walk with most of the mud wiped off

Summary

If you consider these more as a summer hiking boot you won’t go far wrong, so think of them as a hybrid trainer/walking boot. Indeed when worn, they feel more like wearing high-top trainers than a pair of walking boots, though they do provide more support than your average pair of trainers. Due to their light weight and comfortable cushioning, they are perfect for walking in the summer or when tackling easy to moderate, predominantly flat walks in dry weather whatever the season.

Thank you to Teva who supplied the boots for me to review.

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Shell Robshaw-Bryan

Editor & Owner at Camping with Style

Shell loves all things travel and outdoors and is a nature-loving, comfy-camping kinda girl. Shell started the Camping with Style blog after a serious snowboarding accident which left her with a broken back. Despite this she used the outdoors and healing power of nature to aid her recovery and she continues to spend time outdoors whenever she can.

From open water swimming, snowboarding and kayaking to hill walks and meditation, Shell shares her travels and microadventures here on the blog and in various publications she's written for, Shell has a particular interest in promoting wellbeing and the many benefits of nature therapy.

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