Teva  Strata Universal Sandals - Men's

Like a few of the other reviewers, the height of the side strap support dug in to my ankle bone. If this was not the case, I would have been thrilled with the rest of the sandal. As I've gotten older, my skin has needed more and more padding. This has even better padding and a softer sole than the Terra-Fi, so I was looking forward to making it my new shoe. Unfortunately it just didn't fit my foot, so I had to return them and I bought a new pair of Terra-Fi's instead.

I just received a pair of these today. I had to buy them directly from Teva because REI was out of my size. They were just what I wanted for hiking in the Escalante except... The outside buckle for the heel and arch straps were too high on the pair of size 9 that I bought and both buckles dug into my ankles. I was not even able to take 10 steps on carpet. Oh well back to my old float 2 sandals. They must have assumed that it could be a problem but...

Very comfortable. Rear strap doesn't adjust as much as it appears, but you can still make the sandal fit well.

I tried out several pairs sandals made by Teva, Chaco, and a couple other brands. I alway ran in to the problem with the forefoot being too narrow (velcro straps barely attaching) or rubbing at some point. Not so with the Teva Strata Universals. Wide forefoot. light padding in the right places, good arch. So comfortable I dont want to take them off.

I had similar pair of TEVAS for almost 15 years. I used them for beach shoes, kayaking, and fly fishing. When it was cold and I needed waders they came in handy when backpacking, their flexible fit allowed me to use them with my waders so I would have to talk my heavy and large wading boots. They finally fell apart. I was happy to find these a great improvement, they are lighter, and provide better grip in the water when I am wading in the streams. It’s a relief when newer turns out better in all respects.

I wanted to like these because there is a lot to like - rugged build, Vibram soles, Teva strap design. However, the components add up to much less than their constitutive parts. Firstly - as many have noted, these sandals run seriously small compared to standard Tevas. I'm a 9 and could easily have taken the 11 had it not been for the fact that the 11s were oversized in other areas like straps. And the 11s looked ridiculous on my feet (other than for length). I compromised and ended up with size 10 but the tips of my toes were still poking over the top and I was constantly worried about catching them on rocks and boulders. So, there's something wrong with the sizing here. I suspect it's a combination of Vibram sole measurements and the added padding on the heel forcing the foot forward. Then the buckles and straps: I thought folks had imagined the issues with ankle blisters and cuts. Someone other reviewer has a photo of an open sore under the inside ankle bone. Standing up in the sandals, I couldn't even see how it was possible, particularly with the neoprene padding. But a 15 min walk along a flat path was cut short by the dreaded ankle rub and exact same open sore. I was stupefied - I've never had any shoe do that in such a short time and I'm still not sure how the Strata pulled that off. The heel rub was an added bonus problem - another problem my other Tevas (XLT2s) have never even hinted at. I could kinda accept the heel blisters were a risk but they still cut the walk short. It is possible that the "plush" neoprene is actually abrasive and rubs skin right off. That's literally what happened to me. I can't complain about the Vibram soles - they are killer soles and they gave that confident grip on slippery, wet and odd-shaped surfaces you'd find fishing along the shore. Sadly, they're attached to sandals that just aren't ready for showtime.

I got these for a two week trip through Guatemala. Can't imagine a better sandal for hiking in a variety of conditions and terrain.

Nice looking and very comfortable. Seem very durable.

Very comfortable sandal with a decent sole and arch support. I have been a long time user of the Teva Terra Fi. I like the Teva Universal sandal better as it is better looking for going out and it does not have the hard plastic pieces that tend to dig into one's ankles at the end of a long day. Good all around and comfortable sandal for universal use.

An essential piece for your camping closet. Aerodynamic and exquisitely comfortable pair of shoes. Whether you want to be a speed demon or chill fat by the campfire, these are the shoes for you.