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Teva Arrowood Mid Waterproof - Women's Review

If you are looking for a hiking boot that is really more like a running shoe, the Arrowood is a great choice
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Teva Arrowood Mid Waterproof - Women's Review
Credit: Teva
Price:  $150 List
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Manufacturer:   Teva
By Jane Jackson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 11, 2018
62
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Support - 20% 4.0
  • Weight - 15% 10.0
  • Traction - 15% 4.0
  • Water Resistance - 15% 6.0
  • Durability - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Teva Arrowood Mid Waterproof - Women's is Discontinued as of Spring 2018.
REASONS TO BUY
Light
Breathable
Fairly water resistant
REASONS TO AVOID
Lack support
Narrow
Took time to break in comfortably
The Teva Arrowood Mid WP is a lightweight, sneaker-like version of a more traditional hiking boot. These boots are composed of both leather and mesh, allowing for breathability and stability. At first, the Arrowoods were a bit snug, but over time, they broke in and were reasonably comfortable. That said, these boots lack the support underfoot, as well as the traction, that more substantial boots provide. We liked the design and idea of these boots, but they fit and performed more like a sneaker. This makes them a less ideal option for extended hikes, especially while carrying heavy loads.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Hands-On Review of the Arrowood


In our testing metrics, the Teva Arrowood was an average performer across the board. When it came to comfort and support, they were harder to break in and didn't provide all that much support underfoot. They were also quite tight for a wider foot, which resulted in an uncomfortable feeling. As far as weight goes, the Arrowoods rocked, but their smooth soles made them fall short in the traction category. They are durable and very water resistant, though they don't cover much of the ankle, so water can still get inside the boot.

Comfort


At first, the Arrowood Mid were fairly painful on our wide-footed testers. Over time though, they did stretch a bit to become more comfortable. Much like the Oboz Sapphire Mid and the Ahnu Montara, these boots lack adjustability in the toe box. This makes it difficult to make room for a wider foot, which boots like the Salomon X Ultra do very well. The Arrowood felt very thin underfoot, especially on the ball of the foot, which was painful when walking on hard surfaces. The Keen Terradora Mid has a similar sole design, and also felt painful after a long day.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - the arrowood is best suited for moderate hikes, since it lacks...
The Arrowood is best suited for moderate hikes, since it lacks support and traction required for more extreme outings.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Support


You can tell by looking at them that the Arrowood has a different design than a traditional hiking boot. The front of the boot is rockered so that the shoe propels you forward as you walk. This rocker shape adds cushion and support in the heel but falls short in supporting the toe and arch of the foot. Similar to the Keen Terradora Mid, the Arrowood does not have very much support the midsole or toe. A boot with much more support in this area and a similar rockered design is the Hoka Tor Ultra.

Weight


The Arrowood is one of the lightest models in our fleet. This boot weighs in at 1.33 pounds, which is nearly a pound lighter than our longstanding favorite, the Lowa Renegade, which are incredibly durable and supportive. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Arrowoods, which are lightweight, but fall short regarding support, traction, and durability. For a lightweight boot that offers a bit more, we like the Ahnu Sugarpine WP, which weigh 1.46 pounds and have better traction and more support.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - from the trail to the streets, the teva arrowood look fresh.
From the trail to the streets, the Teva Arrowood look fresh.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Traction


The tread pattern on these boots shows that problems with traction may arise when walking on rugged terrain. Unlike the majority of the boots in this review (think Keen Targhee II Mid or the La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX), the Arrowood lacks an aggressive tread pattern or significant lug depths. This means that when the terrain gets serious, these boots tend to skid out and lose traction. They work much better on flat ground and dirt trails, rather than talus, similar to the Vasque Monolith UD in this way.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - the mesh toe box makes the arrowood a light shoe, perfect for hot...
The mesh toe box makes the Arrowood a light shoe, perfect for hot days on the trail.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Water Resistance


The partial leather upper and gusseted tongue on the Arrowood make it a reasonably waterproof shoe, but the mesh fabric that makes up the majority of the upper is not very water resistant. In the end, we found these boots to work fine in moderately wet conditions, but if you are planning on walking through water, an all leather boot like the Lowa Renegade is a better bet.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - the arrowood's lack the support underfoot that most traditional...
The Arrowood's lack the support underfoot that most traditional hiking boots have, making them a better option for light to moderate hiking.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Durability


The boots became more comfortable with time and wore in well to fit our feet. We saw minimal signs of wear and tear, even on the sides, where our wide feet seemed to press into the uppers. The only downside we saw in the design is that the toe box is mesh, rather than leather. This area is often where wear shows first, and leather tends to last longer than mesh. An example of this is the La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX, which has a full leather upper and was one of the most durable boots in our lineup. Since the Arrowoods do not have very aggressive tread, the soles are another place where we could foresee wear to show up. The Arrowood's soles are fairly thin and lack the heavy-duty lugs of boots like the Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof, which make them more susceptible to wear.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - the tongue on the arrowood does not allow for a ton of adjustment...
The tongue on the Arrowood does not allow for a ton of adjustment width-wise, making these shoes a better fit for narrow-footed hikers.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Best Applications


These boots are best used for light to moderate hiking. The soles are not designed for rugged terrain, though the uppers are waterproof enough to endure wet conditions. These boots are some of the more stylish models in this review; they would make a good shoe to wear both in town and on the trail. The Ahnu Sugarpine and the Ahnu Montara have a similar design and function.

teva arrowood mid waterproof for women - the tread pattern of the teva arrowood is low profile and suited...
The tread pattern of the Teva Arrowood is low profile and suited more for flat terrain, rather than steep, rugged trails.
Credit: Eric Bissell

Value


For $150, the Arrowood Mid is a fairly affordable option for a waterproof, leather boot. They are well-made and showed minimal signs of wear. For perspective, the Keen Terradora WP are around the same price and are a much less durable boot. This shows the relatively good value of the Arrowood.

Conclusion


The Teva Arrowood Mid proved to be a decent, lightweight hiker that comes at a reasonable price. These boots will keep your feet dry in wet conditions, provide some support while still feeling light, and look stylish as well. For a boot that can transition from the trail to the streets with ease, the Arrowood do the job.

Jane Jackson