Teva Gnarkosi

I've been waiting for a water shoe that didn't look like a shapeless mesh sack or come with weird cinch straps and buckles, and Teva came through. The Teva Gnarkosi (women's model) looks and wears like a skate shoe--Teva designed them in conjunction with professional wakeskaters--and are finally bringing style to the amphibious shoe game. I contacted Teva and they were kind enough to send me a demo pair to review.

They're hard to leave in the closet. Here's why: If they were into boxing, the Gnarkosi would be competing in the super-flyweight division, and there hasn't been such water-shedding, quick-drying action since duck feathers came along. These shoes also grip like an all-weather tire. What more do you want in a water shoe? Durability, I suppose. I haven't had them for very long, but so far they're holding up like a bank robber, and I usually destroy shoes seemingly overnight. If you want the the technical specs, it's patented Spider Rubber providing the high-friction grip, and the Drain Frame's monofilament mesh screens that let the water out (and air in) through the sole. There are also some conveniently placed holes along the bottom of the uppers near the heel that act like a self-bailing boat floor. Pretty slick design.

 I've only got a couple complaints. The first time I wore them sans socks (I've been using them for hiking and biking in addition to fishing and beach activities) I got some gnarly Gnarkosi blisters where they rubbed just below my ankle bones. I suppose my feet just need to toughen up and build a couple of calluses. The other thing Teva could improve is rock-in-shoe prevention. I haven't had any problem with sediment coming in from the bottom port holes, but it's fairly easy for grit and gravel to come in over the top where you slide your foot in. Because the Gnarkosi isn't a conventional water shoe, there's not the air-tight seal--they lace up and fit like a regular shoe. I think it'd be fairly simple to add in something similar to a kayak skirt around the foot-entry area for future versions of the model.

Overall though, hats off to Teva for making a great water shoe that doesn't suck to look at. Thanks for the demo pair. Don't forget to hit up Teva.com if you're interested in a pair--they're selling for $100.

--Jens