Teva’s Women’s Aventrail R2T Trail Running Sandal – Reviewed & Tested

Teva’s recently released an updated version of its first take on trail running sandals, and Amy has put her trail running nightmares behind her to put them to the test.

When Teva shared its newest collection and said ‘take your pick’, my eyes sparkled at the gorgeously chunky and blue Aventrail R2Ts. Then I read that they’re made for trail running and my heart sank a little. Damn, I’m gonna have to run to properly test these out, aren’t I?

Why am I the right person to do this review?

Now you’d think that my lack of running desire would make me an illegitimate candidate for this role. But actually, what kind of pro-runner would be caught dead hitting the trails in shoes that don’t cover your toes?

As someone who lived in Darwin for almost five years and owned essentially one pair of closed-toe shoes in that time, trust me when I say, I live in sandals. I also now live minutes away from the beach, and during summer, sandals are my everyday footwear, taking me from the front door to the sand, into town, through the bush, and back again.

I know what I like in a sandal and I’m gonna tell you about it.

That’s me, the one in socks and sandals at the end of the Overland Track

Quick Specs

Weight: 190g per shoe (Women’s size 7)
Drop: 8.5mm
RRP: $200

Performance

Despite being marketed as a trail running sandal, even Teva knows that these shoes aren’t for long-distance running. The product page specifies that the Aventrail R2Ts are ‘Best for: everyday running, light trail running’. Emphasis on the light. The description goes on to say that the sandals are ‘built to go from the front door to your local trail and back’.

I wore the Aventrail R2Ts for a few weeks before I first ran in them. They quickly became my everyday shoe around town, giving me plenty of support and grip for my afternoon walks.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks of wear and before I’d run a step in them, the stitching from the back strap came undone.

Although possible to fix with a restitch, no heel strap rendered the shoes pretty difficult to wear, even just to walk in. I put it down to a manufacturing issue and let the Teva team know. They apologised and sent out a fresh pair and I started my trail running career.

And by that I mean, I started running the 1.6km bush trail behind my parents’ house. I’d walk out the front door in the morning in the R2Ts, walk 400m to the trailhead, run through towering gums and to the backing track of whipbirds for ten minutes, then reach the road again and walk the 500m home.

‘From the front door to your local trail and back.’ Tick!

Despite worry from my Dad that the shoes aren’t supportive enough, I’ve never felt like my feet were moving around within the sandal or that something was missing. The neoprene mesh under the W-strapping system keeps my feet stable and surprisingly secure. In reality, almost half my foot is covered at all times, and only a few times did I start to feel the slightest amount of rubbing on one heel.

The W style strapping means the sandals can be adjusted at three separate points for a precision fit, which is essential when you need a shoe that’s locked onto your foot.

The lugs are deep, 3.5mm in fact, and I haven’t even questioned their ability to grip to the trail as I’ve navigated sand, fallen branches, washouts, and stones.

The LITE-COMF midsole is plush but solid and combined with the Spider Rubber outsole, makes for a tidy combination of propulsion and durability.

Having open toes on a trail covered in debris does induce visions of sticks catching and getting caught in awkward places, but this hasn’t happened yet. The sandals are incredibly lightweight and breathable, with the added bonus of not sweating through a pair of socks on every run.

In fact, more recently I’ve ran in the sandals them in the tropics – I’m talking 28ºC and 86% humidity – and at the end, my feet were the least sweaty part of me. I think this is their spiritual home.

However, my old gripe with the stitching is rearing its head again. The stitching on the exact same heel strap is once again coming loose on this second pair of sandals. It’s not yet come undone, but during my more recent runs (I’m up to 2.5km now guys) I can feel myself being more cautious and not striding as widely out of fear the stitching will pop undone at any moment. I’m not keen to see how I go down if that blows out on me mid-stride.

For a sandal that relies on snugly holding onto your foot, the fact that the same stitching issue has occurred twice is a worry. I think a redesign or at least a reinforcement is on the cards.

Comfort

As someone who wears sandals every single day, I don’t want to be getting around in a pair that aren’t comfy. I happily wear the Aventrail R2T on all manner of occasions, and I can feel that they’re more technical than your average pair of Tevas.

The upper sole is bouncy and supportive and the rocker is pretty dramatic for a pair of sandals, meaning the flat and hard sole that can make walking long distances in some sandals is non-existent in the R2Ts.

The extra mesh and straps makes it tricky for me to just slip my foot in, which could be part of the cause for the loose stitching. I find I’m pulling at the straps and padding a bit to get my foot inside. Although, as I mentioned, I’ve experienced very minimal rubbing, despite how much more shoe there is touching my foot than other sandal types.

Design

The first thing I noticed when I pulled the sandals out of the box was the heft of the sole. These shoes are chunky. Cover up the top half and just pay attention to the sole and you’d believe they belonged on the base of a pair of runners.

But it was the colour that drew me to them. The combined shades of Pool Blue and Dusty Blue make a statement without looking over the top. And the minor pink details complement the blues beautifully. I actually think this shade of Pool Blue is very on trend right now and will tell anyone who’ll listen.

The same R2T style comes in three other, somewhat questionable, colourways in the women’s: Phantom/Raspberry Coulis, Seagrass/Pale Lime Yellow, and Thistle/Papaya.

And there are three choices of colourway in the men’s: Deep Lichen Green/Pale Lime Yellow, Dark Olive/Peridot, and Black/Sunflower.

The sandals feature the classic W strapping style we know and love from Teva, but with lots of additional padding that covers much of the top of the foot and heel. The practical reasons are obvious, but design-wise, it certainly makes the sandal attention-grabbing, for those who aren’t afraid to wear shoes that make a statement.

I also appreciate that Teva has added plastic tips to the ends of each of the straps to increase durability. On previous pairs of Tevas I’ve owned, this area was often the first to wear.

Sustainability

The Aventrail R2T product page mentions the recycled materials within the sandal, including the REPREVE® recycled polyester straps and the recycled nylon and polyester within the mesh upper.

When searching for info about Teva’s sustainability practices, very little info is available on the Australian site, but the UK Teva site was much more helpful.

It gives a deeper explanation about the REPREVE® 100% recycled polyester straps, which became the standard across Teva’s entire range in 2020 and has kept over 24 million plastic bottles from going to landfill.

Teva also tracks and sets reduction targets for its water usage and greenhouse gas emissions on a per pair basis.

Based on 2019 levels, Teva aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% and its overall energy use by 30% by 2030. Uniquely, Teva actually shares its cumulative reduction for these goals year-on-year, however, the latest update was from 2023.

As for water, the brand is aiming to reduce the amount it uses by 45% per pair by 2030, which it states, it’s on track to hit. Similarly, the year-on-year cumulative reduction is available to see online, but the latest stats shared were from 2023.

When it comes to waste, Teva doesn’t have a specific reduction target, but has more general statements about working to reduce waste generation and improve diversion across its supply chains and offices.

Teva is also working on creating and using more sustainable and ethical materials in its products. Currently, the brand offers a range of vegan styles, and where it does use leather, sources it from tanneries that are certified by the Leather Working Group, which aims to promote sustainable business practices in the leather industry.

Teva also supports the Better Cotton Initiative, the world’s largest sustainable cotton program.

Teva is doing a solid amount of work to make its products more sustainable on a number of fronts, and seems like it’s having great success with it. However, I would like to see some more recent data and a more solid target around waste. Also, it should add it to the Aussie website so Australian customers can find it!

Price

At $200, the Aventrail R2Ts are nearing the top end of Teva’s price scale. If sandals aren’t a regular in your shoe collection, this is probably a bit steep for you.

If, like me, sandals are the shoe you reach for most days whether you’re heading to the shops or the campground, then $200 is a pretty standard price to pay for your go-to shoe.

For the tech that’s gone into the Aventrail R2Ts, I think it’s worth spending that bit more compared to Teva’s base sandal range which wouldn’t offer the same level of support and grip. They’ll take you more places comfortably.

But considering they may not take you more than running 20km before the stitching busts, I wouldn’t blame you for feeling a bit ripped off.

Final Thoughts

I see the Teva Women’s Aventrail R2Ts as the perfect hybrid sandal. The shoes that you can wear to the beach, get wet, walk trails in, and if the opportunity arises, feel confident enough to run in – once Teva fixes the stitching issue. Think about it, not many sandals allow you that.

I don’t see trail running sandals coming for the trail runners market just yet, but there’s certainly a place for them with people who want to try their hand at picking up speed confidently on the trails, in between all their other outdoor activities.