Anyone have experience using Keen hiking shoes?

[JLorenzo77]

Hey everyone,

Hiking 40 miles of the AT next week and had a question. I've put some good miles on my Columbia boots since the fall. I like the support they give. However, I am going to do a couple of 20 mile days next week and was wondering if I should hike in the Keen Saltzman's I got a few months back. They are much lighter but don't have the ankle support. I have used them on trails before and so far so good. Just wondering if, for long hikes, it would be better with less weight or with ankle support.

Despite some rocky areas of the AT in Maryland, it's relatively smooth.

Thanks! So glad I found this forum.

-Josh

[Uncle Joe]

Many folks have ditched boots for shoes. I primarily hike in shoes though I own a set of Keen boots which I really like. That said, I have fewer blisters with shoes. I keep the boots for snow or otherwise adverse conditions and shorter hikes if I think I need them. If I were doing 40mi I'd go with shoes.

[JLorenzo77]

Many folks have ditched boots for shoes. I primarily hike in shoes though I own a set of Keen boots which I really like. That said, I have fewer blisters with shoes. I keep the boots for snow or otherwise adverse conditions and shorter hikes if I think I need them. If I were doing 40mi I'd go with shoes.

Thanks JPolk. That is good to know. I've never gone more than 15 miles and I want to use whatever advantage I can get out there.

[Dogwood]

Without looking at Keen's listed specs just by looking at the shoe which do you suppose is the heaviest pr of Keens(all same size, all non WP) Atlanta Cool, Durham, Koven, Sandstone, Voageur, or Saltzman? What might you take from that?

What is the wt (pr) of the boots that you claim offer ankle support? The question becomes what are you attempting to optimally achieve by going to the Saltzman? Just wt savings? If so……each Satzman is more than 16 oz(1 lb+) on each foot.

[Dogwood]

I've always had at least two pr of various Keens in my hiking shoe line up, not including Keen sandals, since 2006. For me, the number one reason is that they fit my wide toe box feet. I don't always goto a keen shoe for every hike though. Some hikes a lighter wt low cut works better. Really like the high cut Voageur for a boot providing some ankle protection when not on maintained AT type trail.

[illabelle]

I wear a pair of Keen Targhee II. If I were attempting two back-to-back 20 mile days, I'd wear them. But I'd be sure I had me some Injinji toe socks!

[MtDoraDave]

I wear a pair of Keen Targhee II. If I were attempting two back-to-back 20 mile days, I'd wear them. But I'd be sure I had me some Injinji toe socks!

That's what I wear, as well (except the toe socks).

It's been almost 3 weeks since my last section hike, and as a person who had never done more than 15 miles in one day (usually 13 or 14 max), my last day of hiking was 17 miles (mostly downhill) - the balls of both feet were sore for a couple weeks, and the left foot is still sore in the mornings.

I say this because the OP said they have never done more than 15, and plan two 20 milers back to back. Be careful. Overdoing it can put a damper on things for a while. Fatigued bodies are more likely to have trouble with normal things like ... walking without tripping.

[moldy]

I have had 2 pairs of Keen's and each has lasted about 300 AT miles. The only way to get them to last that long is to take your pocket knife and do surgery to remove any of the knobs that start to peel off on the sole of the shoe. This is required after about a hundred miles. If you inspect them each morning you will be able to see when to cut one off. I usually end up cutting one off about once a week. I have a pair I still use that has had all of them cut off. Don't be afraid to slice one off. It won't cause water to leak in or make you walk funny. If you fail to cut the knobs off when they start to fail they will peel off a much larger hunk of shoe and they won't make it to 200 miles. It's a bad design for the material the sole is made from.

[Feral Bill]

I had a pair of, I think Targhees, some years back. They blew a seam badly on a hike. I also use Keen street shoes daily. My experience is that Keens build quality does not match their comfy fit. Okay in town, but not on the trail.

[Odd Man Out]

I have had 2 pairs of Keen's and each has lasted about 300 AT miles. The only way to get them to last that long is to take your pocket knife and do surgery to remove any of the knobs that start to peel off on the sole of the shoe. This is required after about a hundred miles. If you inspect them each morning you will be able to see when to cut one off. I usually end up cutting one off about once a week. I have a pair I still use that has had all of them cut off. Don't be afraid to slice one off. It won't cause water to leak in or make you walk funny. If you fail to cut the knobs off when they start to fail they will peel off a much larger hunk of shoe and they won't make it to 200 miles. It's a bad design for the material the sole is made from.

Are you talking about the black tips that wrap up around the side of the soles? Those came loose on me too. I wore Keen non WP low cut Voyageurs on my AT hike in central VA a couple of years ago (5 days, 58.5 miles). Those came loose. I had them glued back down when I got home. Othewise the shoes worked fine. I've since started to wear Oboz Sawtooth. Very similar to the Voyageurs, but I like the Oboz a bit better.

[Del Q]

Love them, I have wide feet so my choices are limited.

Have 1800+ miles on the AT, plan on completing my section hike in October, have tried MANY different shoes and boots, so far, the Keen's are the best. Tough enough for the trail, feet don't feel beat up at night, super support.

+++ on low tops, ski boots provide ankle support not hiking boots. I go way faster in hiking shoes vs boots

[just dad]

Our experience with Keens is similar to Feral Bills -- that they were very comfortable, but they did not hold up on the trail.

[Stitches]

Love my Keens Targhees because they have a wide toe box. Agree with Del Q. I have hiked many miles in them with nary a problem. I will buy another pair when these wear out.

[johnnybgood]

I happen to love my Keen Targhees for fit, comfort and rugged lugs on the soles. Admittedly, I had a busted seam with a pair 12 months after purchasing them new from REI. I could have returned them to the REI store and received a another pair, no questions asked....but I didn't.

No..., I e-mailed Keen directly to express my concerns (with pictures) showing the busted side seams and my receipt of purchase.
I received an answer the next day expressing regrets for my experience with their product and said they would ship me another pair ASAP. Two days later my new pair came in the mail along with a $25 voucher to use toward any later purchase of choice.

This was 5 years ago and I have since purchased an additional pair, wearing those OLD ones at work and around the house.

They're that comfortable.

[Tractor]

Keen Voyager for me! They fit my feet. On my second pair, going for a third. I seem to get maybe 800 miles +/- per pair.

[Hikingjim]

I 100% prefer less weight and low cut shoes, and have for 10+ years in all terrain. But there are contradictory opinions on this

Those shoes seem ok, and as long as they don't blister or your toes don't hit the end (black toe.... fun), then give it a go

[shelb]

My youngest son had hiking boots at age 12; however, he refused to wear them - hiking in his Keen sandals instead (the clunky enclosed-toe kind) while carrying his boots strapped to his backpack.

He backpacked 110 through SNP and walked across Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the North Country Trail in those shoes! The soles were coming off when he finished his NCT segment, and he proudly deposited them in a garbage container at the National Park Headquarters...

[Dogwood]

I have had 2 pairs of Keen's and each has lasted about 300 AT miles. The only way to get them to last that long is to take your pocket knife and do surgery to remove any of the knobs that start to peel off on the sole of the shoe. This is required after about a hundred miles. If you inspect them each morning you will be able to see when to cut one off. I usually end up cutting one off about once a week. I have a pair I still use that has had all of them cut off. Don't be afraid to slice one off. It won't cause water to leak in or make you walk funny. If you fail to cut the knobs off when they start to fail they will peel off a much larger hunk of shoe and they won't make it to 200 miles. It's a bad design for the material the sole is made from.

I had this happen to two of my first pr of low cut Targhees more than 8 yrs ago to such an extent it was unacceptable. Spoke to a Keen rep about it. At the time Keen was experimenting with an new "green" eco friendlier adhesive. Keen now uses a better adhesive in that it adheres much better. Keen without delay replaced both those pr of Targhees at No Cost to me. Honest, sincere, reliable, timely customer service!

I had a pair of, I think Targhees, some years back. They blew a seam badly on a hike. I also use Keen street shoes daily. My experience is that Keens build quality does not match their comfy fit. Okay in town, but not on the trail.

Had a seam unravel in less than a wk with in town use on one of those Targhees. I failed to recognize a poorly constructed loose seam. It was definitely a construction issue covered under warranty. I've never seen a poorly constructed seam on any Keen model even after close inspection since.

Are you talking about the black tips that wrap up around the side of the soles? Those came loose on me too. I wore Keen non WP low cut Voyageurs on my AT hike in central VA a couple of years ago (5 days, 58.5 miles). Those came loose. I had them glued back down when I got home. Othewise the shoes worked fine. I've since started to wear Oboz Sawtooth. Very similar to the Voyageurs, but I like the Oboz a bit better.

Even though the newer adhesives vastly decreased the "sole points" loosening it has happen on two other pr of Keen shoes I had, a Targhee and Voageur, but only on very abusive gnarly above treeline off trail terrain on a CDT thru-hike. As Odd Man Out says no need to cut anything off. Just glue a point or two back down with the reliable McNetts Seam Grip or Shoo Goo. On that glued Targhee pr I got more than 1200 miles and oodles of protection from rocks and sole bruising.

[Traveler]

FWIW - I doubt the slight weight difference between the footgear will make much difference in a two day, 20 miles per day hike. You speak highly of the Columbia footgear, I would be careful in changing what you know works for 15 mile days with a full load given their relative comfort and problem free behavior. If you've not worked the new shoes under load, this may not be the time to do that.

Going from supportive boots to less supportive shoes can require a bit of an adjustment for the body during the first few hikes, doing that with weight would add to the adjustment. Worst case scenario would be to get up the morning of day and have blisters or tendon/muscle strain that puts 20 miles out of reach. Shorter hikes under load would be preferable of course, but time does not appear to be on your side with this.

[JLorenzo77]

FWIW - I doubt the slight weight difference between the footgear will make much difference in a two day, 20 miles per day hike. You speak highly of the Columbia footgear, I would be careful in changing what you know works for 15 mile days with a full load given their relative comfort and problem free behavior. If you've not worked the new shoes under load, this may not be the time to do that.

Going from supportive boots to less supportive shoes can require a bit of an adjustment for the body during the first few hikes, doing that with weight would add to the adjustment. Worst case scenario would be to get up the morning of day and have blisters or tendon/muscle strain that puts 20 miles out of reach. Shorter hikes under load would be preferable of course, but time does not appear to be on your side with this.

Traveler, thanks for this. I actually looked at the specs of the keens and the Columbia boots I have and the boots weigh less! I like the Keens for shorter hikes but I've done my longest hikes in the boots and might keep it that way. I can always switch off between the two days if I need to.

Thanks to everyone for their comments as well. I am finding these upcoming hikes to be exciting but I won't lie. I am a little concerned. I'm not terribly worried about day 1. It's day 2 that has me thinking. But I am going to take my time and appreciate where I am.