Teva Hurricane Trailsetter Shoe Review

Gear Review: Teva Men’s Hurricane Trailsetter Shoe

Why Your Trail Footwear Matters

If there’s one piece of gear that can make or break a hike, it’s your footwear. Get it right and you’ll cover kilometres with confidence. Get it wrong and you’ll be nursing blisters, sore knees, and a bruised ego long before you reach the summit.

For most Australian hikers, the question isn’t whether to invest in good trail footwear, it’s which type suits your hiking style. Traditional hiking boots offer ankle support and durability for serious off-track work, but they come with weight and break-in time. Trail runners are lighter and more responsive but can sacrifice protection and longevity. The Teva Men’s Hurricane Trailsetter sits squarely in the growing middle ground, a hybrid trail shoe designed to blur those lines and deliver a comfortable, capable experience for the vast majority of day hikers who stick to formed tracks and well worn trails. It’s where I was keen to start testing.

How I Tested Them

I was provided with a pair of the Teva Hurricane Trailsetter to field test and review. Over several weeks, I put them through a genuine cross-section of Australian terrain, coastal walks at Pieman Heads on Tasmania’s wild west coast, rainforest tracks through the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area, a rugged 8km circuit at Werribee Gorge, 6–12km circuits through the Brisbane Ranges, and 10km loops through remote sections of Lerderderg State Park. That’s a fair spread of conditions: salt air and sand, dense rainforest humidity, volcanic rock, and dry Victorian scrub.

Beyond the trail, I also wore them as a hybrid lifestyle shoe, light enough for casual wear around town, but with the immediate capability needed for a quick 5km loop after work without a gear change. That versatility turned out to be one of the shoe’s quiet strengths, and something I’ll return to in the final thoughts.

First Impressions: Lighter Than Expected

My first thought when the parcel arrived was that it must have been empty. Compared to my hiking boots (my heavier technical pair weighs in at 680g per boot, my lighter pair at 500g), the Hurricanes felt almost comically lightweight at just 286g per half pair (size US9). That’s a noticeable difference the moment you pick them up, and even more so when you’re four hours into a hike and your legs are still feeling fresh.

They’re a smart-looking shoe, too. The Blue Opal Multi colourway I tested is striking without being over the top, a navy mesh upper with aqua lace detailing and orange accents that pop against the white midsole. For those who prefer a more understated look, the shoe is also available in Black/Grey. Either way, they look equally at home on a trail or in a café, which for a lot of hikers is genuinely useful.

Fit and Sizing

The Hurricane Trailsetter fits true to size with what I’d call a comfortable, middle-of-the-road fit, not too snug, not sloppy. The toe box offers enough vertical room that your toes aren’t cramped, and I had no pressure points anywhere across the foot, even after extended wear or steep descents.

For anyone with wider feet, this shoe is worth paying attention to. The internal width at the ball of the foot is notably generous, and I found it accommodated the natural spread of the foot well on longer outings.

The heel counter provides a secure hold with good padding, though you may find yourself needing to tighten the laces more firmly than expected to achieve a really locked-in heel, more on the lace system below.

The Speed Lace System

The Hurricane Trailsetter uses a speed lace system, non-elastic bungee cord with a toggle slider rather than traditional laces. For a lot of hikers, this will be a genuine selling point. You can loosen them quickly at rest stops, tighten before descents, and the whole thing takes seconds.

That said, for Australian conditions, I’d put this system in the “good for some uses, worth thinking about for others” category.

The non-elastic cord is actually a smart choice here. Stretchy bungee systems can allow too much foot movement on hills and uneven terrain, so the firmer cord gives better stability underfoot. I also appreciated the lace keeper strap. A previous pair of hiking shoes I owned had a similar speed lace system but no keeper strap, and snagging loose loops on scrub and rocks was a constant frustration on the trail. It’s a small detail, but on Australian bush tracks it makes a real difference.

One thing worth knowing before you head out: the toggle uses a thumb-slide mechanism. You need to press the thumb slide before the adjuster will move. It’s not immediately obvious if you haven’t used this system before. Once you know how it works, adjustment is quick and smooth. For day hikes on formed tracks this is no issue at all, though for long multi-day remote work I’d still personally prefer traditional laces, easier to fine-tune tension across different parts of the foot and simpler to repair or replace if something fails in the field.

One practical note on field repair: the eyelets appear to be approximately 4mm in diameter, which is on the smaller side. A standard 120cm round lace may not thread through easily, so don’t assume a spare boot lace from your kit will serve as a direct replacement. If you want a true backup option, carry a length of bungee cord cut to size, or check in advance whether a thin 3mm round lace fits your specific pair. As always with remote hiking, test your contingency gear before you need it.

Bottom line: carry a spare compatible lace in your pack, keep the slider clear of dust buildup, and these work very well for the terrain they’re designed for.

Cushioning and Comfort

This is where the Hurricane Trailsetter really shines. Teva’s HYPER-COMF® midsole combines SuperCritical foam with supportive EVA for a level of cushioning that’s well above average for a trail shoe. Underfoot, it feels plush, genuinely plush, without feeling unstable.

The heel stack is substantial at 38.3mm, and you’d expect a shoe that tall to feel wobbly. But the wide platform base keeps things feeling planted and secure, even on awkward ground. For hard-packed fire trails, sandy coastal tracks, and long days on groomed surfaces, the shock absorption is exceptional. Your legs will feel it at the end of a big day, in a good way.

One thing to note: this shoe is comfort-focused rather than performance-focused. Teva positions it as blurring the lines between trail runner and daily trainer, and that’s a fair description, but the emphasis is firmly on the comfort and cushioning side of that equation. The foam isn’t particularly energetic or springy underfoot, so if you’re after a bouncy, responsive ride for serious trail running, this may not be your first choice. For hiking, where sustained comfort over distance matters far more than energy return, it delivers in spades.

Grip and Outsole Performance

The Spider Rubber® Endure outsole is one of the highlights of this shoe. The tiered traction lug pattern is smartly designed, directional lugs at the heel for braking on descents, and forward-oriented lugs at the forefoot for uphill propulsion. On varied terrain including loose gravel, sandy tracks, and slippery patches, I found the grip to be genuinely confident.

The lugs measure 3.5mm, deep enough to bite into soft ground without feeling clunky on harder surfaces. The outsole also showed impressive durability during testing, with minimal wear evident even after repeated outings. On wet rock and leaf litter, which is common on Australian trails, the grip held up well.

Breathability

The mesh upper on the Hurricane Trailsetter is one of its standout features in warm conditions. Visible perforations throughout the upper allow genuine airflow around the foot, not just marketing language, but something you notice on the trail. On warmer days across my Victorian testing, my feet stayed noticeably cooler than they do in my heavier boots, and after longer outings in the Brisbane Ranges and Lerderderg, that difference was meaningful. For Australian conditions across spring, summer, and autumn, this is a real advantage.

The mesh also sheds trail dust and grime reasonably well, I was pleasantly surprised how clean the uppers stayed after sandy and dusty outings.

Water Management

The Hurricane Trailsetter isn’t a waterproof shoe, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But the ultra-thin mesh upper and gusseted tongue mean it drains and dries quickly when wet. For creek crossings on day hikes, this is actually a reasonable trade-off, soggy shoes that dry fast are often more comfortable than waterproof shoes that trap water once it gets inside.

Maintenance and Care

The Hurricane Trailsetter is easy enough to keep clean, though the white midsole and Spider Rubber® outsole mean they’ll show dirt over time, that’s the trade-off for the striking colourway.

For general cleaning after a dusty Victorian hike, I found the Blue Opal Multi upper needed nothing more than a quick blow-off and a wipe-down with a damp cloth. The mesh doesn’t seem to hold onto fine dust, and light trail dirt lifts easily. The white outsole is a different story, it will accumulate scuff marks and staining with use, and while a damp cloth handles fresh mud well, older or stubborn marks will need a small amount of mild soap and a soft brush. Don’t expect the outsole to stay pristine; treat it as a working surface.

A few simple habits will keep them performing well:

• After every hike: knock out debris from the lug pattern and wipe the outsole with a damp cloth while the dirt is still fresh.
• For the mesh upper: a damp cloth is usually sufficient. Avoid harsh detergents that could degrade the mesh fibres or adhesives over time.
• Drying: air dry only, away from direct heat sources like radiators or direct sunlight, which can break down the foam midsole prematurely.
• Speed lace toggle: if the slider starts to feel sluggish, check for dust or grit buildup around the mechanism and rinse with clean water.

Considerations

No gear review is complete without an honest look at the limitations, so here’s what to keep in mind.

Upper durability: The lightweight mesh is the trade-off you make for breathability and low weight. It’s not built for rough scrub, spinifex, or sharp vegetation. If your hiking regularly involves dense bush, off-track exploration, or scrambling through rocky terrain, the upper will show wear faster than you’d like, and could be vulnerable to tearing. A more robust upper, like you’d find on a dedicated hiking boot, would serve better in those conditions.

Not for technical terrain: The Hurricane Trailsetter is designed for easy to moderate maintained trails. It lacks the ankle protection, upper structure, and sole rigidity of a proper hiking boot when conditions get serious. For alpine terrain, heavy pack carries, or remote multi-day trips into rough country, I’d reach for something sturdier.

Speed lace field repairability: As mentioned above, the proprietary lace system would be difficult to improvise-repair in a remote setting. Carry a spare.

At a Glance

Final Thoughts

The Teva Hurricane Trailsetter is a well-designed, genuinely comfortable trail shoe that earns its place in the kit bag for a large portion of Australian hikers. The exceptional cushioning, solid grip, superb breathability, and impressively light weight make it a strong choice for day hikes on formed trails, fire tracks, coastal walks, and any situation where you want comfortable, capable footwear without the weight of a hiking boot.

It won’t replace boots for serious off-track work, heavy loads, or technical terrain, and it doesn’t try to. But for the kind of hiking most Australians do most of the time, it’s a reliable and very comfortable option.

What I didn’t fully anticipate going in was how naturally the shoe transitions beyond the trail. I’ve found myself wearing them on weekday after-work hikes and as a casual everyday shoe, light enough to not think twice about, but capable enough to handle a spontaneous 5km loop without a second thought. That’s not something I can say about most trail footwear I test, and it says something genuine about where this shoe sits. For the day hiker who wants one shoe that does most things well, the Hurricane Trailsetter is worth serious consideration.

Where to Buy

The Teva Men’s Hurricane Trailsetter is available in Australia directly through the Teva Australia website.

RRP: $260.00 AUD

Available in Blue Opal Multi and Black/Grey.

Purchase via Trail Hiking Australia’s affiliate link

Technical Specifications

Specifications sourced from the Teva Australia product listing. Field performance may vary by terrain and use case.