Great Gripper Traction, Roomy Toe Area, Waterproof
UPDATE AFTER 3 Years:I just bought my second pair after 3 years use. This above ankle hiking shoe did its job well. Again, I’m not a fan of the insoles and use a better insole. The old pair has left a lot of mud, gravel, and snow behind them. The mesh on the right broke down after this use and caused the nearby seam to rub on my foot if any lateral terrain were crossed. But the tread is badly worn, so it was time for new ones anyway. Still they gripped quite well for this much wear. If Teva would put a much better insole with excellent arch support and cushioning, these would be unbeatable for anything. I still am happy with buying 1/2 to 1 size larger than normal, using the alternate lacing technique at the top (see photos) to keep the heel locked back and spacious toe-room to save the toenails on downhill treks.Traction: These waterproof Ridgeview Teva's grip incredibly well. These replaced my Teva Arrowheads which I loved, but which had much less traction and were below the ankle. This mid-ankle Ridgeviews offer some ankle support, a little more protection from water height, and I am so happy with the traction. I just finished hiking moderate 1,000 elevation gain with areas of shallow mud over clay. With my old Arrowhead Teva's that I had totally worn the soles out, this hike was a challenge to do without slipping and falling (again, totally worn out tread). Today, I purposely walked where it would be the slipperiest, even where others had left skid marks. I stepped purposely onto wet roots and large rocks that would normally be extra slippery. The Ridgeviews held like they were tractor tires.Sizing: The Arrowheads tend to run small and people often order a half-size larger. But, these Ridgeviews run more normal. Compared to the Arrowheads, the Ridgeviews run about a half-size larger. You may want to order these in your normal hiking boot size. While the 9.5 Arrowhead fit me well in length but were a tiny bit narrow at the widest part of my foot users of these Ridgeviews advised to order your normal size. I ordered the 9.5 (half higher than I often use). When they arrived, I almost returned them for a 9.0. But, I decided to keep them, and I'm happy with a bit of extra room. The somewhat extra toe area wasn't enough to cause any heel slippage, at least the way I laced them. (A hiking-shoe salesperson had shown me how to better lace hiking boots to keep the foot from sliding forward during descents. She had me NOT cross over to the last upper lace holes. Instead, the laces are run vertically through the upper two holes. This allows the bottom to be cinched better to hold the foot back and the upper has a little more freedom. I had lost large toenails before.) This tying method worked wonders and the extra room provided good insurance against losing any more toenails.Insoles: The removable Teva insoles are okay, but I have a favorite insole, the PowerStep Pinnacle, that is a little more cushion with good arch support is what I use in all of my walking/hiking shoes. I used them today in the Ridgeviews as well.Waterproof: I've never had any issue with the Arrowheads leaking water and I believe the same technology is used in these Ridgeviews. Both models have gusseted tongues to near the top. The Ridgeviews are mid-ankle vs the below-ankle Arrowheads to offer some ankle support, have an incredible traction sole and plenty of toe area room to protect your toes during descents.