Here’s a quick look at the new Teva Zilch sandal which will be available March 1, 2011 mid-April retailing for $80. It is being billed as the “thinnest, most minimalistic sport sandal” that Teva has ever made. It is designed to be very thin and flexible while offering great traction and protection. The hardy straps and big toe loop should securely lock down your foot too. Could this be a high-tech alternative to the primitive huarache? We haven’t tested it yet, but a pair is on its way to us so we can bring you a more detailed review.
Here are a few more design highlights from Teva:
- Sole designed to grip like crazy in wet and dry environments.
- Topsole with slow recovery material to give everyone a custom feel.
- Outsole slightly wraps up for a secure fit.
- Minimal 10mm total sole from foot to ground.
- Rolls up making it a great travel shoe.
Below is an image gallery of all the photos we’ve got to date. Click thumbnails to Zoom.
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Whatcha ya think? Is there a need for a barefoot friendly sandal? Are sandals barefoot friendly already? Anyone think you can run in these puppies? What say you? Sound off in the comments!
HT: KayakShed.com
25 replies on “Teva Zilch Preview – Barefoot Friendly Sandals”
10 mm seems a bit thick to me. Unless you’re doing heavy trail running in them I think that’s too much material between you and the ground.
I would actually be really curious to try these out, actually…and yes, I think there is a need for a solid sporty barefoot sandal.
I have been a big Chaco fan for a long time, because of their comfort and durability, but have actually been wondering what it will be like to wear them again this summer after having transitioned largely to barefoot or neutral shoes. Chacos are very solid and heavy, and have a fairly pronounced arch. I am wondering what it would feel like to go back to them…and these intrigue me.
Things like huaraches and flip flops are already barefoot-like, but as far as sport sandals go, this could potentially be a nice alternative. As for running, who knows…
Not to sure about the support around the toe area…I feel like your feet might slip out of the side while hiking or even making a quick turn…but I love Teva so look forward to the review.
I love these! But as far as running in them, the straps look like they could cause some irritation.
I think that a sport sandal with a minimal sole is a great idea. I’ve made my own outa tires and paracord but would love to try these out. As long as the sole is not to thick and there’s no arch support, by the looks of it they might fit that.
Sole on these looks far too thick for my taste! Think I’ll wait on Terra Plana’s Achillies running sandle, those things look to have a true minimalist sole.
I’ve been looking for a flexible, minimalist sandal for the past couple of years, and this new Teva Zilch (great name, btw) might just fit the bill. Most sandals look flat, but still have a raised heel. Plus, they’re all very rigid, most more so than sneakers.
My only concern is the styling: they’re way too sporty for the casual sandal. I’d love a flexible “thong” sandal that you can wear with khakis, jeans, shorts, or whatever, just for walking around. This is definitely a step in the right direction…
I am Dan I will be getting a pair of Terra Plana’s Achillies. These don’t look minimal at all 10mm sole??? They are really showing off how flexible they are but there is way more to a minimal shoe than just being flexible. I loved Teva but I think this is a bit of a sad attempt to jump on the minimal bandwagon. Would love to see these with 3-5mm sole.
I’ve used and loved Tevas for years but have always wanted them to make a minimal sandal that retained some semblance of style. Looks like they’re taking a step in the right direction. They are definitely thinner than my Terra-Fi’s but it’s still a little thick – 10 mm is just over 3/8 inch. The only style issue that would cause me to NOT buy them is that stupid big toe strap. Will the front of the sandal “flap” if that were not there?
The Zilch will be available mid-April, not March 1 as stated here.
Would be great for my summer job as a camp counselor at sea world… cant wear vibrams there and the tevas i have right now are really bulky in a back pack, now just need minimalist shoe that can get approved by HR.
i might actually buy these, they look like such cool futuristic huaraches!! the only time i wear huaraches instead of my enless collection of VFFs are in the rain, and these look like they would get the job done!…in the summer of course hahaha
I think these could me huge. We’ll be queuing round the block to get them. While the soles do sound on the thick side, they’re way better than the current offerings on the market for minimalist sandals.
They’ll be hard to get around launch.
Sounds good! That said, something so flexible is probably not going to fit the form of the foot all the time so I hope some thought was given to keeping stuff out from under your foot inside the sandal, it’s the main reason for the whole KSO line for VFFs. If it can’t fit that situation then it’s too thick possibly for normal running and too open for trails so ends up impractical…
Looks interesting. I’m not too sure about that toe loop though; such things are why I do not like VFFs. I’m not bothered by the 10mm sole. My experience is that after a few tens of miles the soling material gets quite flexible if it’s not bulked up by a lot of crap such as today’s marshmallow-soled running shoes. If Teva has kept to the “zero-drop” concept, I will probably lay down my $80 and give them a try.
Hmmm….I don’t know about these. I do think it’s interesting that they travel well, but as some others have pointed out, running in them? Yikes!
I am a fan of Teva products though and if anyone could pull something off in this segment of product, they could probably do it. I’m looking forward to a review on the product when you eventually get your hands on them.
I will sure buy these, and so is my girl friend. I’m not scared running with them. Look at this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnizzgzyzu8
In the hot summer, dry trail, you just gotta love ’em for sure! 80$ is just worth the try and squeeze it in your pack.
I guess with the use the sandal will fit better and maybe loose some thickness. I prefer they last longer!
Received a pair yesterday. So far they are great! Soles are a little thick so you don’t feel the ground as in thinner soled shoes (Merrill, VFF). There’s about 1/8in of padding which is nice for strolling around. Heel strike is soft, can walk for hours like this. Toe loop takes some getting used to but better than between the to flip flops. Straps are secure and not irritating on short runs. When looking at the foot bed you can see a little arch but my flat feet did not notice it. Slight toe spring but it doesn’t effect toe off gripping or splay.
Hey am I the only one who’s actually been in a pair of these so far??? I tried them on the other day and I was about to jump for joy – did anybody see me?!!
These are incredibly comfortable EXCEPT I thought the toe ring would chafe eventually, so opted for the merrells. I will go back and buy these however just to wear around. The strapping fit my foot perfectly: very secure and comfortable.
The photos above show different colors, so maybe I’ll wait and see if they come in others than the two the store had.
Hello there, has anyone considered how these may perform in wet environments? I’ll be working as a raft guide this summer and would love to pick up a pair. How well do you think they’ll grip the wet rocks?
Just got my first pair of Teva Zilch delivered today from the company distribution center. Customer service was excellent and shipping/returns are free. I am an avid barefooter and also have several pairs of FiveFingers shoes as well as a homemade pair of Huarache sandals and New Balance Minimus. The Zilch is a great alternative to flip-flop sandals and Huarache’s because of the toe loop. My wife and I can wear the same size and we both find the Zilch very comfortable. I was skeptical of the toe loop but it is made of two components. The outer loop is for stability and the inner ring is a spandex-like material that is very soft. We had no trouble getting used to the feel. Due to the soft inner loop and stretch I don’t think it will irritate the toe. The shoe is very light weight and flexible. Agree that the sole is thicker than FiveFingers, Merrell or even the New Balance. Nevertheless, it is a very comfortable and stable alternative to the normal heavy weight sandal. The sole looks like it will do well on wet surfaces. In my viewpoint, this is not a running shoe but who knows… if may be fun to try it! Teva did a great job on this and it will hopefully lead to some similar designs from Merrell, Keen and others. Am thinking about ordering a second pair of another color. I am recently retired from a medical field related to occupational health and safety. There is no connection with Teva though I do like their products. Good overall value.
As an owner of these here are my comments: 1) These are waterproof, so awesome for water and have a spider rubber outsole for traction, 2)I have been wearing mine for 5 days and they are like being barefoot, so perfect thickness and minimal arch on them. 3)My favorite feature is there are little felt like nubs under the straps so no rubbing at all. I always get blisters with new sandals, and on these they were like second skin, 4)This is not a running sandal. It is to wear all the other hours when you are not running and just want to be barefoot! Also, these come in half sizes too so you can get a really good fit. I own the Womens in dusty olive and they blend in with your skin tone-perfect. I even wore them with a little tan T-Shirt Dress!
I just ordered a pair and am very excited. I agree that 10mm is thick compared to barefoot, but I need something for when I need to meet a dress code (such as at work) and barefoot or flip flops won’t do it. This looks perfect for those occasions!
HI ,
Where could I buy teva zilch in AUstralia (Brisbane)?
Cheers
These look like something I might consider. It would be nice if the sole were thinner. I saw pictures of the Terra Plana Achilles and they are too ugly for me to wear. I know comfort and function are important but I refuse to wear anything I think is ugly. It would be bad for my self-esteem. Can’t wear things like thongs and huarches as certain places have dress codes.