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The evolution of Teva began with an unassuming Grand Canyon River Guide named Mark Thatcher and an idea that would spark the birth of an industry. Mark grew up hiking the Grand Canyon with his father and has always felt an undeniable attraction to the Colorado River. During his college days in the '70s, Mark worked as a boatman on the Colorado. From Crystal to Lava Falls, Mark learned each set of rapids like the back of his hand. He felt he was born to run the river and found great peace in its timeless rhythms. On countless river trips it happened, clients wearing water-logged sneakers would be envious of the flip-flops worn by the boaters at that time. However, while the flip-flops were quick drying, they were too flimsy for the rugged terrain of the Canyon. A solution was needed. Mark realized the boaters enjoyed the freedom and comfort of their choice in footwear but it's lack of support and stability was not ideal. With this knowledge and his own experience on the river, he developed the first prototype in 1984. The sport sandal was born - better yet, it worked! The first pairs were sold out of the back of Mark's van to friends and fellow boaters at the various put-ins along the river. He started to call his new business Teva (pronounced "teh'-vah") which in Hebrew means Nature. However, with demand growing everyday, Mark was no longer able to keep up with production. In 1985, Mark introduced the sport sandal to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, starting a successful long term relationship that would carry Teva from the canyon, to the trails and the adventures beyond. Since the inception over 20 years ago, Teva remains committed to both innovation in footwear and the protection of waterways around the world.
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