Teva’s White Mountaineering collab shows why techwear sandals are a must

The days to expose your toes will soon be upon us, and you’ll have a hard time finding a better sandal to do it with than White Mountaineering’s latest collaboration with Teva. The Japanese outdoor brand has made over Teva’s Hurricane, a versatile sandal beloved by granola types that’s been adopted by the fashion crowd in recent years.

Technical sandals are just one of many categories that have been made stylish as gorp has become more popular, and they aren’t just for looking like you’re about to hike to a waterfall. The do-anything footwear will hold you down through whatever summer has in store for you. Beach excursions, barbecues, city strolls, tossing around a frisbee, or just getting off a fit pic — Tevas and the like are good for it all.

You won’t see these in a drum circle — White Mountaineering elevates the Hurricane from precocious to badass and gives the sandal a dynamic zigzag pattern across the straps. No one will mistake you for a hippy when they see these black-and-white sandals, but you may just be tempted to spend more time outdoors once they’re on your feet.

This particular pair of Hurricanes has more structure than usual with mesh paneling reinforcing the straps atop the foot. Down low is a comfy polyurethane insole that’ll allow you to wear them all day, and a Durabrasion Rubber outsole will handle most rugged terrain you could come across. The whole sandal is also quick-drying, which spells good news if you plan on hitting any bodies of water or merely have sweaty feet.

Sustainability is also accounted for, as the straps are made from 100-percent recycled polyester provided back in the States by Unifi.

Put in a little work —  While Teva’s Hurricane is widely available, this particular pair from White Mountaineering will require some mild legwork to acquire. The Japan-exclusive is slated to release March 26 through Teva’s regional site, and a proxy service is all you need to bypass the barrier between you and some killer summer sandals.

And if you’re still worrying about baring feet, don’t. The men’s sandal landscape is too good these days to continue passing up.