Keen Austin

Comfortable shoe with Keen's characteristic broad, roomy toe. The fit is just a bit loose for scrambling and day hiking, but perfect for casual use. The leather is relatively thin, though it has held up so far. The matte finish does show scuffs, but that is part of the look.

They are about as water resistant as unsealed leather shoes would be. They are fine for running in and out to the car in the rain, but not much more. The midsoles are relatively soft and squishy, which for me means they are acceptably comfortable without special insoles. They don't breathe very well, which is to be expected of thin leather shoes (because there is not enough leather to absorb moisture.)

The weak spot is the sole, which will wear out faster than the rest of the shoe. It is relatively soft and sticky, though not deeply lugged.

They are good on bare rock, okay on dirt, and not so good on sand or heavy ground litter. Keen could improve them by giving them a slightly more aggressive, harder sole.

These shoes are sooooo comfortable. I've worn the hell out of them--they're not so pretty anymore, but I still prefer to wear them out hiking over my $200 hiking boots.