Sport Sandals: Sneakers Minimized

In the 1960's, the folk troubadour Bob Dylan told us in his song Subterranean Homesick Blues, "Don't wear sandals, try to avoid the scandals..." Well, they didn't make sandals (or scandals) like this back when Bob wrote the song....

Teva: the originator

Mark Thatcher invented the Teva sport sandal rather than wear soggy Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers river rafting. It is built on a light, thick platform (so that it floats in water). The design has a strap at the front of the foot and two around the ankle. One side strap connects the front and back strap systems. The front and back straps secure with "hook and loop" fastening systems.

Example: All Terrain (multi-colored scheme)

Example: All Terrain ("Pepsi Stuff" color scheme)

Example: Sci-Fi

Example: Storm Universal (brown color scheme)

Example: Stratum.

Example: TerraDactyl.

Example: Terra-Fi.

Example: Valkyrie. (A winged creature from Norse mythology, a character in Wagnerian opera, or a really wicked looking North American Aviation high-speed flight research airplane of the 1960s.)

Example: Unknown style with hexagonal nub sole

Several other companies have copied portions of the Teva design, while others have gone on to make improvements. Among the companies that have improved the classic Teva design are:

Nike: the Innovator

Umpqua

(Named after a river and city in Douglas County, Oregon.)

Nike, more so than other athletic shoe companies, is likely to improve upon a design.

The pictured example, the Umpqua sport sandal, shows some improvements over the classic Teva design:

There are two stiff back "outriggers" in the Nike design, as compared to most Teva models. (This helps keep the foot centered on the sandal.)
The Nike design uses stretch bands instead of "hook and loop" closures. The stretch bands stay on better during heavy activity.

Air Deschütz

As a guess.... this is the German spelling of the Deschutes River in Deschutes County, Oregon.

Nike has continued adding improvements; the Air Deschütz features the Nike AIR cushioning system.

The pictured Air Deschütz Pro from 1997 features a different closure system.

This is the Air Deschütz PR 2 from 1998; the major difference is the closure.

Yet another iteration of Air Deschütz, the 1999 model. Probably my favorite so far.

Yet another iteration of Air Deschütz, the 8^th in all, the 2000 model. (The name is the same, only the sandal has been changed to confuse the innocent.)

This is the 2004 Air Deschütz model. This version is black with gold trim, I have also seen it with red trim.

Air Spin Cycle

Two of Nike's 1999 model names, "Rinse" and "Air Spin Cycle," sure imply to me that somebody in Beaverton was looking at a washing machine and was desperate for a name. There was a "Rinse II" but only one "Air Spin Cycle."

Straprunner

The Nike Straprunner has done well enough that it is in its fourth iteration for 2003.

This is an example of the "Straprunner III."

Other Western Rivers and Mountains...

For those who wonder about the naming of the Nike sport sandals: they seem to be named after rivers and mountains in the West. The following come to mind:

The Selway is a river in Idaho.
The Wasatch is a mountain range in Utah (as well as the name of a beer made there).

adidas also makes sport sandals...

Back to "Charlie's Sneaker Pages!"

Last Updated: 29 March 2008 22:59

Wouldn't you just love to have a new pair?

Also, take a look at Emergency Preparedness Kits - everyone needs one!

Click here to send E-mail to Charlie.

READERS PLEASE NOTE: Names of athletic shoe manufacturers, shoe styles, and technologies may be trademarked by the manufacturers. Charlie's Sneaker Pages uses these names solely to describe the shoes with the same familiar nomenclature used by the manufacturer and recognized by the reader.