Gear Reviews
Teva Boots
Rugged and stylish, Teva's De La Vina boots are up to just about any task.
A few years back, Jorge relented from his life long hatred of all things boots and bought me a pair of Teva De La Vina boots for Christmas. We’ll call them his gateway boots.
Since then, I’ve been wearing these things pretty much non stop any time the temperature drops below 85°F. They’re made from waterproof leather and have seen everything from deep snow to sand. I feel like I can go anywhere in them and hopping out of the van at a moment’s notice because we saw something cool from the road or I need to help guide the van over an obstacle off road is never an issue no matter what the terrain.
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The De La Vina’s are calf height which is great because at 5 foot nothing, I’m a bit vertically challenged. I haven’t had the greatest luck in the past with taller than ankle height boots because they would always be too tall or have massive calf openings that made me look like I was a small child trying to wear my dad’s boots. None of that is an issue with these Teva boots. The height is just right and they’ve got a really clever design that keeps the top opening compact for those with small calves but allows for expansion for those with those with the magnificent calves that tall boots dream of.
The best part about these boots though is that they are extremely comfortable and hiking in them is a dream. I beat them up pretty well out on the trail but they seem to just get better with wear. It hurts to see that first scratch on the beautiful leather finish, but it doesn’t take long before they are badges of honor keeping a tally of your many adventures together. At $180 the price is a bit steep depending on your budget but if you’re in the market for some really well made, comfortable, and versatile boots it might just be worth the exchange.
While the leather is waterproof, if you walk through any streams or standing water deeper than the height of the bottom of the zipper you have to beware of water creeping in through the zipper seam. Jorge purchased mine from REI which was great because they offer a no strings attached year long guarantee on all the products they sell. Right around the year mark my original pair of boots had a failure in one of the zippers. REI replaced my boots no questions asked. As of the publishing of this review, REI is no longer selling this particular De La Vina boot though they are still offering a number of other Teva shoes as well as several other comparable boots for sale. Other than the zipper failure I haven’t had any issues. If you are someone who likes keeping your stuff looking like new, just keep in mind that the leather is very soft and scuffs easily.
These Teva boots come in three colors: Brown (the color I have), Black, and Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke is a very grayish brown that appears to have replaced the original third color of Bison, a more yellow brown. The Bison color is still available at online retailers such as Amazon.
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