Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Review

Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Overview

The Teva Hurricane XLT line is a time-honored classic when it comes to open-toe, heavily-webbed active sandals. You’ve probably seen them on a foot (or two). Teva recently updated the classic with the new Hurricane XLT 2. This sandal has improved traction, a softer heel strap, and the same solid styling.

The Hurricane XLT 2 sandals are a great choice for light hiking, strutting around town, playing in rivers and lakes, or pretty much any post-hike activity.

While Backpackers.com doesn’t give footwear a Pick due to the subjectivity of individual people’s feet, the Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals are right at home with any Day Hiker, Car Camper, Urban Hiker. They’re plenty capable for shorter hikes over easy terrain and I found them to excel in the urban environment as well. I wouldn’t suggest backpacking in them, but some folks might find them useful as camp shoes, though I prefer something even simpler (and lighter) for that scenario.

See the full Teva Hurricane XLT 2 review below, and see where it ranks on our Best Hiking Sandals guide.

Teva Hurricane XLT 2 Specifications

Gear Review of the Teva Hurricane XLT 2

Origins: Easing You In

The Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals haven’t left my feet for the last month. From light hiking to packrafting to urban walks to casual camp shoes, they have handled my multi-varied life with style (if you dig their style), grace, and sometimes wool socks. I actually own a (now-defunct) pair of the original Hurricane XLTs, and was stoked to try see what kind of updates the line received.

The Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals with wool socks. Traction, warmth, and a casual style!

For my wife’s 30th we packed up and headed to Grand Mesa National Forest for some solid R&R. The Grand Mesa is an extremely diverse ecosystem, ranging from 9,000 to over 11,000 feet in places. It’s sprinkled with lakes, which provided an opportunity to accurately test the water capabilities of the Hurricane XLT 2.

During our time in the Grand Mesa, I racked up miles while cruising hiking trails to find a specific spot to use my fly rod, used the Hurricane XLT 2 as my primary shoes for packrafting — a real tricky sport for most footwear — and they served as my “I have to pee and it’s the middle of the night and I don’t want to put on real shoes!” shoes. In almost everything they were ideal.

Revelation: The Moment I Knew

During my time testing the Hurricane XLT 2, I realized it was a winner during the the Grand Mesa National Forest trip. My favorite thing about these sandals has been their ability to perform when wet, and then dry out quickly. It was dead summer during this trip and, to beat the heat, I really just wanted to spend our time exploring the various lakes in the area. So, with my pant legs rolled up, I’d wade knee-deep into the water and hop into my packraft. After paddling around for about thirty minutes I’d then hop out at the nearest shoreline and hike over to the next lake.

The Hurricane XLT 2 excelled as a packrafting sandal. They are built to get in and out of water, and I found they kicked up and chilled pretty hard too.

Needless to say, getting in and out of a boat is not so great on footwear. Yet the Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals stayed comfortable in the transition, and dried quickly. I guess with a name like Hurricane, I should have known they were suited for water.

I used my previous Hurricane XLTs in a similar fashion but found that traction when wet was greatly impaired and the sandal itself felt like walking on a wet washcloth. The XLT 2 seems to have gotten rid of this issue and I found it comfortable to keep them on the entire day, from the lake to the trail to camp.

Digging Deeper

It doesn’t come as a surprise that active sandals aren’t for everyone. There are tons of style variations, foot retention mechanisms, tread patterns, and overall uses — and these sandals, or sandals on the whole, don’t always jive with people. But, in my humble opinion, the Teva Hurricane XLT 2 should get universal love for the delightfully soft and supportive straps they use to keep your feet secure. They feel soft against the skin and don’t leave any chafing or marks. The heel strap even adds some extra padding to make sure blisters don’t pop up, a clutch feature when water is involved.

Added padding on the heel strap helps prevent blisters and makes for a cushy walking experience.

I also found the soles of the Hurricane XLT 2 to be comfortable and capable. While I wouldn’t use this sandal for trekking or heavy duty hiking, I found it was supportive when shouldering a light load and moving through easy-to-moderate terrain. The insole was comfortable enough and the outsole gripped the ground reassuringly. I had a few moments of hesitation around camp while downclimbing some boulders to find the perfect spot for lunch, but traction was excellent and the three-point strap system kept me secure.

Comfort 4 Stars

Comfort was acceptable both with and without socks on. I have used these for morning errands in the mountains with temps hovering in the 40’s (F) and during blistering summer days upwards of 90 (F). In warmer temps it seemed that sweat was a bit of an issue with the insole and my foot would slide around a bit, thus docking a point.

Durability 4 Stars

In my month-plus of testing, they have held up quite well. The outsoles appear to be brand new, the straps haven’t frayed, and all seams are in order. I’ve docked it one point due to a bit of the insole melting onto my foot on the warmest day I wore them. The high altitude sun and 90 degree (F) weather proved to be a bit of an issue. I was left with a bit of black goo underneath my big toe. This hasn’t been an issue since the initial break in period.

Soles 4 Stars

Really, I’d give the outsole a 5 and the insole a 3. I found wet and dry traction to be fantastic, much better than I’d expect in a sandal. The insoles are comfortable enough and dry quickly, but lose major points for how they deal with sweat. I found my feet tend to sweat a bit in them even when driving, and once the sweat starts your feet really slide around. And somehow sweat reacts differently than water, because lake water proved no issue.

The updated outsoles have great traction and are super durable. The insole could use some work.

Strap and Webbing 3 Stars

The straps and webbing are built solidly and I’ve found them to be comfortable, the heel especially. The other straps could use a touch more padding and softer feel, but overall didn’t cause any issues (and I think they need more padding only because the heel has it!).

An overhead shot of the Hurricane XLT 2 strap system with three adjustable hook-and-loop closures.

I did find that there were a few bothersome pressure points, most notably on the forefoot near the pinky. This is why we always say “try the shoe” to see just how well it fits you. That said, the Hurricane XLT 2 sandals have a good amount of adjustability, which is good because I find myself tightening or loosening the straps fairly frequently.

To be clear, the tactile comfort of the straps is great and this never caused any problems. However, the position of the tensioner on the forefoot could use some adjustment. This is the cause of the pressure point. I have an extremely narrow foot so it could be specific to my feet. With all footwear, I really need to crank down the tension system, whether it’s laces, straps, BOA, etc.

Fit

Not a whole lot to say here, the fit was spot on! I’m not sure why these aren’t offered in half sizes, so I imagine that they won’t grant the perfect fit to everybody, but they sure did for me!

Grievances

I really do enjoy wearing the Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals. They look decent for any occasion and my wife doesn’t give me glaring looks when I use them with my fancy wool socks.

The only complaint I have is in regards to the insoles: they aren’t great with sweat management. The main reason I wear sandals is that it’s just too hot to wear anything else, therefore, I deal with this sweat problem a lot. It surprised me because the same insoles deal with water quite well, but for some reason the sweat seems to be completely different.

This has nearly caused a couple of falls, so I’m lucky my second occupation is ninja, or I may have been caught off balance and taken a dive — and not the off-the-boat-into-the-lake kind of dive!

The Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals were plenty comfortable, but the insole didn’t handle sweat well. You can’t see that in this picture, but it was an issue.

Final Word

The Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandals won’t break the bank, will perform in almost every scenario, and do their best to distance you from that AARP card. Comfortable for leisurely hikes in the woods or a long session of jury duty. I suggest hopping on the Teva bandwagon.

Where to Buy Teva Hurricane XLT 2

We tested the men’s Teva Hurricane XLT 2 sandal. This sandal is the newest update to the long-standing Hurricane XLT model, and we like the added traction and strap comfort. There is a women’s specific model, and it is the same in all aspects except for fit.

Teva also offers the Hurricane XLT 2 Cross Strap, which has the connector strap going across the foot, rather than to the side. This is a personal preference, and we found the cross strap provided a bit more support during upward movement. Teva also offers this model in many brand collaborations, like Snow Peak, but the sandal remains the same. Overall we like the standard Teva Hurricane XLT 2 model the best, or the Cross Strap if you need that support.

Compare Teva Hurricane XLT 2 prices below.

Jon Rosenberg

Hi, I’m Jon Rosenberg! I’m a mountain runner, entrepreneur, mountain lover, and enthusiast for just about all things outdoors. I’m based in beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado at the foot of the incredibly rugged San Juan Mountains. You can find me running single-track trails above treeline or backpacking the Colorado Trail. Gear is my thing. I even own my own gear company!