Back in high school, my friends would laugh when I’d manage to break a shoe within weeks of buying it. None of us quite knew why it was happening. Were they too cheap? Was there something wrong with my feet? Was I jinxed?
This curse followed me into college, until it was lifted by a pair of red Keds. Finally a shoe I could wear hard all day, every day. After finding the Keds in my college and post-grad years, I’ve discovered other shoes that have served me well through later chunks of my life too: from the day-to-night-to-hike leather Clarks of my late-20s to my long-walk pandemic Nikes. I learned to be loyal and less frugal, repurchasing identical pairs every year or two.
This year I entered my Teva era with the Hurricane XLT2 sandal—and I’m never looking back. Comfortable, versatile, and flipping cute, these are my go-to shoes for spring, summer, and beyond (seriously, I’m deciding if I can get away with the socks-and-Tevas look come winter). Here are all the reasons you may find yourself enamored with these sandals too.
How the Teva Hurricane XLT2 Fit and Feel
Courtesy of author
Boy, oh boy, are these comfy. I can walk all day in my Tevas without my feet feeling achy. I have high arches, and ever since my fave Clarks were discontinued, I’d been looking for another sandal with arch support. The Hurricane XLT2’s footbed is made from lightweight and flexible ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, which provides good cushion and support—as well as effective shock-absorption that keeps my right knee brace at home. The wide velcro straps are adjustable at three points for a snug, blister-free fit, and my toes are free to wiggle around and splay out (perfect for hikes with wet or rugged terrain).
It took a day or two to really break in and get the straps just right, but once they’re set, so are you. Now all I have to do is release the velcro at the ankle in order to slip my foot in and out. Finally, the neoprene cushion in the heel strap is my favorite little touch since it prevents that annoying chafing above the heel common in a lot of outdoor sandals.
Style
Tevas had their moment in the ’90s, another resurgence back in 2018, and a current surge thanks to everyone’s love of the ugly shoe. For me, Tevas will forever embody Colorado cool girl vibes because of my college best friend, who rocked permanent Teva and Chaco tan lines (one of the few drawbacks of the shoe).