So, it is fair to say that there was still a niggling hint of doubt right at the back of the more conservative part of my brain upon discovering I was to review a pair of sports sandals. Was I too long a city boy disconnected from an active past? Was I going to be able to challenge my preconceptions: the snipes made at sandal wearing, stereotypically bearded lefties? My juvenile sneers at strappy sandal wearing Europeans on the beaches? How would my aesthetic snobbery cope with the true test of function over form?

We would, it seemed, soon find out. So. Deep breath: Bring on the Teva's...

Teva, the Hebrew word for ‘Nature' was the brainchild of an American, Mark Thatcher working the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon during the seventies. Two things led to Thatcher's inspiration. Firstly, clients would complain of waterlogged and reed ridden trainers and cast envious and longing looks at the uncomplicated thongs (flip flops) of their river guides.

Secondly, that despite covetous advances from the paying customer, the guides were frustrated that their footwear, whilst drying quickly, was equally fond of slipping off and floating down the rapids at inopportune moments and was poorly suited to the craggy slopes on the way back to the boat house. And so, in 1984 Thatcher developed a prototype signalling the birth of the sports sandal and the bridging of the gap between durability, comfort and a design fit for purpose.

And that is exactly and immediately what the pair I receive does (Teva Volterra). Straight out of the box, they are pretty much ready to go. A simple, intuitive system of durable plastic clasps and sturdy Velcro straps mean that you can get it on and firmly secured in seconds. Part of Teva's patented Universal Strapping System, your heel fits snugly into a specifically curved and padded heel strap at the back, and the Velcro attachments are easily adjusted to fit the top of the foot and also over the toes to ensure that the shoe is positioned on the foot correctly. It's a design that works well; once secured there is absolutely none of the wobble or slide that you might expect from a standard sandal.

Teva's philosophy is underpinned by three strands. Go, Do and Be. ‘Do' targeted squarely at the outdoor athlete - kayaking, rafting, fast-packing. Then, on the other side of the scale is ‘Be' - the relaxed and laid back brand for those who like to lounge. And in the middle, where the Volterra brand sits is ‘Go': Versatile, rugged and intended for light activity and leisure. It was time to get moving... After following the advice on the return form and testing my footwear on a clean carpeted area for at least one hour to "ensure you have the right size" the first test involved a fair paced jog alongside my usual route round the local canal path. A normal circuit of approximately two miles. I was particularly interested in the protection to the heel which was, I had been assured by the literature, to be adequately covered by an ‘Encapsulated Shoc Pad' in the heel.

And what a pad! I have suffered in the past with injuries to tendons as a result of low grade running gear but can unequivocally say the tough EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, science fans) mid sole and the dense heel section really do give you a solid durability. The Shoc Pad is intended to evenly redistribute the impact throughout the foot bed. This energy is then redistributed, so theorem dictates, actually providing a bigger push off on the forefront (as you complete the running/walking action).

Now I have no mathematical data with which to quantify this but I can confirm that the shoe dealt with various paces, changes of terrain via embankments and towpaths and the odd hop over obstacles with great aplomb.

There was only one issue with this first run out. The nylon strap along the front part of the foot had begun to chafe somewhat after two thirds of the way round. A quick amendment to the quick release strap had alleviated the discomfort somewhat but when there were definitely the makings of a fair sized blister appearing. However, this was my first go test and I hadn't gone at a particularly leisurely pace. Further, more languid, tests (such as several hours in the garden preparing the vegetable beds) followed, and after dropping the pace and realigning the strap the chafing issue seemed resolved.

However, it was in the wet and the mud that these shoes really came into their own. A weekend trip with my mountain bike was arranged in order to take these shoes out of the city and into the environment they belong. It was wet and it was muddy in Nottinghamshire. The Teva's loved it and so did I!

The key to this is the grip on these shoes. Thatcher's initial design was inspired by water and you can see that this has focused lots of thought on the bottom of a shoe that needs to perform well in the wet. The traction rubber outsole has deep angled tread that wouldn't look out of place on a Pirelli and I was able to cycle and be active on the dismount very efficiently with less fear of loss of balance than I have experienced with other footwear. This was also corroborated by previous tests (on road and track) where stopping and turning was very effective.

And given the minimal nature of the sandal all that is required afterward by way maintenance was a quick hose down and a quick airing. Brilliant. (And don't forget the patented Microban zinc based anti-microbial protection designed to ensure that the various moulds and fungi that enjoy the damp are kept from making home on your favourite action sandal).

Downsides? Well, I hate to come over all urban sophisticate or anything, but I'd be forced to confess that I don't think the styling on the shoe would fit in with an urban environment: Go with jeans they don't! Still, get your three quarters on, slip a fleece over your head and find yourself a rural idyll and you're all set.

And if more proof were needed of the conversion of a city boy then let me advise: I'm going on holiday to the Dorset coast in late spring. And my Teva Volterra sports sandals? They're coming with me. It looks like Teva's nature has challenged my preconceptions after all.

Verdict: So, not the essential edition to the stylish part of your wardrobe. Who cares?! Get them off road, to a beach, or even for a potter round the garden and these sandals are a comfortable, extremely functional and proudly durable pair of shoes.

Check out more of the Teva range as featured here at http://www.teva.com/

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