Teva Women's Mush II Review

Hands-On Review

Ideal for around-town and general outdoor use, the Teva Women's Mush II has a lot of offer for a $25 flip-flop. We loved its cozy foot-molding footbed and appreciated its arch support. Although it didn't earn very high scores in water resistance or traction, we think it's an excellent option for those looking for a cute, basic-use sandal.

Performance Comparison

Stability & Support

Throughout our testing process, we came to the conclusion that you can't expect sandals under about $40 to provide much in the way of stability and support. Although the Teva Mush II has a thicker, more stable sole and footbed than models like the Sanuk Yoga Mat - Women's or the Havaianas Top - Women's, it doesn't come close to the stability offered by products with contoured footbeds. When walking over rocks or other obstacles, this flip-flop doesn't remain stiff and structured like the Chaco Flip - Women's, but instead folds under the pressure.

That said, we were impressed by the amount of support that the Mush II provides, despite its lightweight sole and footbed. Teva designed this sandal with a sliver of extra rubber under the arch for added support. As the wearer breaks in the footbed, it slowly starts to remember the shape of the foot, which helps increase support and assists in keeping the foot in place on the sandal. If you're looking for an inexpensive foot-molding sandal and you're more concerned about stability than support, check out the Reef Sandy Sandal, which has a thicker sole, but less of an arch.

Comfort

From the very first time our testers tried on a pair of Tevas (for some it was all the way back in 8th grade), they've been hooked on the cushy, mushy footbed and comfortable straps. Now, more than 15 years later, we can confidently say that the Mush II was one of the most comfortable sandals in our review. Out of 11 different pairs, it made the top three in our comfort metric.

Teva uses a Durapontex rubber/foam compound for its squishy footbed; this material remembers the foot over time, and consistently provides the wearer with that “Ahhhh” effect we're looking for in our comfort category. Additionally, the double-layer nylon straps are about an inch wide and we didn't experience a minute of chafing or discomfort, even around the toe post. Even after months of use, this sandal remains quite comfortable (although it eventually loses the slight “sinking in” feeling it has when it's new). In the past, our testers have gotten years of use out of Tevas like the Mush II, even when they lose all powers of shock absorption and the sole wears down to a paper-thin layer of rubber, they still provide a fair amount of comfort.

If you're looking for an ultra-cushy footbed that provides a little extra stability and shock absorption, be sure to check out the Crocs Capri IV.

Water Resistance

When we started our water resistance tests, we expected the footbed of the Teva Women's Mush II to absorb lots of water (sort of like the Sanuk Yoga Spree 2). We were surprised to discover that the cushy material doesn't actually hold water, and that it dries in about 15 minutes of full sun. The straps took quite a bit longer to dry out (just under two hours), due primarily to the tubular or double layer design. Other pieces like the Reef Sandy Sandal dried much more quickly and offered better footbed traction when wet, but we'll get to that in a second.

Traction

With its EVA sole, the Teva Mush II actually offers a good amount of traction. As we mentioned above, a lack of stability compromises the amount of traction any flip-flop can offer, but again, given the inexpensive nature of this sandal, we're pleasantly surprised at how grippy the sole is. Even though this piece offers more sole traction than the Reef Sandy, it unfortunately missed the mark in footbed traction.

When the Mush II's footbed becomes dusty or wet, the wearer can slip around relatively easily, especially before the sandal is broken in with the wearer's foot pattern. After crossing a stream and thoroughly soaking the Mush II, we ended up scrambling over some rocks and almost ate it, due to the slippery footbed. Alternatively, when the Reef Sandy's footbed gets wet, it actually becomes more grippy, making it a better option for water-related activities. This phenomenon is similar to what happens with the OluKai Ohana: when this high-end sandal gets wet, the grippy footbed acts like a suction cup.

Style & Fit

A simple sandal with thong-style straps and a rubber footbed, the Teva Women's Mush II definitely didn't top our style scores. This piece has a more casual, bordering on athletic, look that doesn't really work with a cute sundress. On the other hand, our testers do love this flip-flop for general around-town use with jeans or shorts. Plus, the straps come in more than 12 colors and patterns.

Our size 9.5 tester wore a women's size 10 in the Mush II and thought the fit was just about right. The straps weren't too tight or too loose and the length from the toe post to the heel was perfect (a size 9 would have been too small). The one quirk worth noting is that this sandal has a fairly narrow toe box. Rather than designing this flip with a boxier toe, Teva shaved off about a quarter inch to give it a slimmer profile. If you have longer toes, this design might leave your toes dangling just a little bit off the outer edge.

Best Application

Due to its traction and stability issues, the Teva Mush II is not the best water or hiking sandal. We recommend this piece for general around-town use and think it's comfortable enough to wear for at least half a day of walking around, if not longer.

Value

The second least expensive flip-flop in our review (after the Havaianas), the Teva Women's Mush II is a deal at $25. If you're not interested in spending a ton of money on your next pair of sandals, we heartily recommend our Best Buy Award winner, since it provides plenty of comfort and the most support you can get for under $40.

Conclusion