Teva, the adventure brand that defined the water shoe category when the company launched in 1984, continues to push the boundaries of the category with the Teva Gnarkosi, developed in collaboration with cutting-edge wake boarding athletes to deliver maximum water performance with distinctive skate / street shoe styling.
The Gnarkosi excels at wakeskating, which is an adaptation of wakeboarding in which riders are not bound to the board in any way, allowing for more technical skateboarding-influenced tricks like kickflips, as well as the use of water obstacles like rails and ramps.
Unlike wakeboarding, which requires expensive, high-powered boats, wakeskaters can be towed behind jet skis or even specially designed on-shore winches, making the rapidly growing sport much more accessible.
Wakeskaters typically wear skate shoes that provide maximum purchase on their boards, but quickly get heavy and waterlogged, which is why the Garkosi was developed to maximise the wateskate experience and performance.
“There are passionate wakeskaters in the Teva office and they moaned about the fact that no footwear existed to suit their needs – shoes that offered superior grip and traction, along with excellent drainage, protection and board feel,” explains Teva product line manager, Chris Hillyer.
“We built the Gnarkosi to be the ideal wakeskate shoe, but along the way found that it has the versatility, performance and styling to make it perfect for lots of other adventures.”
The Gnarkosi boasts impressive water performance qualities in a shoe that’s begging to be worn around on a daily basis.
Built from hydrophobic materials, the Gnarkosi will not absorb water and an integrated, die-cut EVA midsole with Teva’s Drain Frame perforations in the toe and heel ensures maximum drainage.
A completely flat outsole featuring Teva’s proprietary Spider Original rubber provides maximum surface contact and grip whether you’re on a board or climbing over wet rocks.
“We developed this shoe because wakeskating is a sport that blurs the line between traditional outdoor sports and action sports,” states Joel Heath, director of global marketing for Teva.
“The nature of wakeskating creates greater accessibility for a broader demographic, which is a core value for Teva.”
The Gnarkosi comes in men and women’s versions and will be available at speciality retailers and www.teva.co.uk from February 2011.
