Keen Targhee II

Summary

Poor fit, disappointing quality from Keen. Great customer service, though.

I bought a pair of theses at my local outfitter and in the store they seemed to fit pretty good. I am a big Keen fan and have looked at these for some time before finally deciding to pull the trigger right after Thanksgiving 2012.

Once I got them home and started wearing them I realized there was a problem getting them to fit properly. The tongue would bunch up under the laces and would not allow me to tighten properly. If I tried to make the tongue lay correctly it would create pressure points on top of my feet. They also had a very loose fit and did not feel very stable on the trail.

My local outfitter would not take them back because they had been worn but did offer to exchange for a different size. The problem was the 8 1/2 was too small (I bought a 9 which is my usual size). They suggested I contact Keen.

Keen's customer service is awesome! I emailed them and explained the problem and was directed to fill out an online warranty form (the shoes were only a month old). After a couple of weeks, I received an email from Keen with a credit for the full price ($120) of the Targhees to be used towards an online purchase. Fantastic! I was disappointed because I really liked the Targhees and wanted them to work, but I was also very pleased because what I really wanted was a new pair of Keens.

After a lot of research and reading online reviews, I chose a pair of Gypsum boots as the replacement. That turned out to be a great choice and I will submit a separate review for them. Bottom line, I just could not get the Targhees to fit me, they were unwearable. If they work for you, then I think they are a great shoe.

Summary

The Keen Targhee II is a low cut hiking shoe. It is waterproof and breathable. I find it to be very sturdy and comfortable, both in the woods and in town. The lacing ends with the laces going through a strap that goes to the top of the heel on both sides. I assume the purpose of this is to lock the heel down and prevent it from moving side to side. The sole of the shoe is very sturdy and provides comfort on rocks, sticks and roots. The toe box is quite large and provides a very comfortable fit.

I really like this shoe. I bought them when I was at my heaviest (250 lbs) and was having all kinds of lower leg and foot problems.

The Keen Targhee II is a low cut hiking shoe. It is waterproof and breathable. I find it to be very sturdy and comfortable, both in the woods and in town. The lacing ends with the laces going through a strap that goes to the top of the heel on both sides. I assume the purpose of this is to lock the heel down and prevent it from moving side to side. The sole of the shoe is very sturdy and provides comfort on rocks, sticks and roots. The toe box is quite large and provides a very comfortable fit.

I have been very impressed with the waterproofing on this shoe. I have yet to have any kind of water enter the shoe through the membrane. I also find the breathability to be second to none. This is one of the shoe's best features — you can wear them day after day and they don't get funky.

Breaking them in required daily use for me and I did feel some discomfort in the sides of the heel where the straps between the heel and the lacing passes through the stitching. This mechanism produced a bump inside the heel area on both sides that irritated my foot.

I bought Superfeet when I bought these shoes, but found that the arch support and insole in the shoe itself was more than adequate. These shoes, in fact, became the only shoe I wore as my feet and ankles rehabilitated themselves as I dropped from 250 down to 225.

The only issue I have with the show is the traction. Wearing them at work, I have to be extremely careful walking across a newly mopped floor or wet concrete. And though I wear them all time on walks through the woods, I am very uncomfortable climbing mountains with them.

In fact, the first time I wore them hiking, I climbed Streaked Mountain in Buckfield, Maine, at the tail end of a rain shower. Streaked is sheet rock from about half way. Though I got to the top okay, as I was shooting video with my phone at the summit, I slipped on the rock and smashed my phone on the ground. Coming down was extremely dicey, with my feet slipping out from under me a couple of times.

Conclusion

I really like these shoes, as I have said before. However, in terms of using them for what I bought them for, mountain climbing, they are unusable. The lack of confidence they inspire prevent me from wearing them in the mountains. This is disappointing at the price point of $120.

If you are looking for around town shoes and money isn't the issue it is to me, these are great shoes. Personally, I am going back to my worn out L.L. Bean $59 hikers.

I have been wearing the Targee II's for a number of years now. They are probably my all time favorite shoe. My first pair lasted a good awhile but eventually split a the toe seem.  I bought a new pair and with very little use other than an out to dinner, once in a while kind deal, the toe area split on the new pair. 

I contacted Keen and let them know that I exected nothing on the first pair. I really didn't even expect much on the new pair other than maybe a little pro-rated help on a replacement third pair (sent detailed pictures also).

The second pair was worn so sparingly but was older than one year and the factory refused any help in any way. I have never had the problem with any other shoe or boot that I have ever worn of any type and you can see in both pair that the material overlap was extremely minimal to hold the joint together. 

I like the shoe so much that I brought a third pair and only wear them at times where my dogs want to enjoy themselves and keep watch over the seam. I have seen a similar failure on a Targhee II in Vermont where I actually stopped the person and asked about them.

The Targhee II in my opinion is a great shoe but the customer service aspect of the manufacture was nonexistent in my case.

I wore the Targhee IIs in the winter as a street shoe and as my hiking shoe in non-sandal weather when there wasn't snow on the ground.  I love the way they fit and the waterproofing is excellent.

The worst thing about shoes is the plastic both sides of sole at the midfoot. Step on a wet log on the midfoot (which is your natural balance point) and your foot shoots out from under you.  If you are not very coordinated or lucky, you will fall.

My Targhee II's split after about 5 years. I like the way the look and love the way they fit.

Due to the plastic on the soles, I will not be purchasing new ones. I am replacing them with Keen's Siskiyou WP shoes. They aren't leather so they don't lend themselves to casual dress like the Targhee II's, but they don't have plastic on the soles.

For what it's worth, I wrote Keen about the problem with plastic on the bottom of hiking shoes and they never responded.

I found the shoe took a long time to "break in" despite the manufacturer comments that it does not require breaking in. The shoe is very waterproof, I have stood with the shoes submerged over the laces and no water penetrated the membrane at all,

I have an issue with the seam on the heal between the fabric and the waterproof membrane. It is a cause of friction not due to poor fit and as a result blisters are a big problem on longer walks.

Despite many different methods of socks/liner socks, taping, lacing techniques and Superfeet Green inserts I haven't been able to overcome this issue. Part of this problem is due to my left foot being slightly smaller than my right, and as such these problems are greater on my left heel.

Overall, I find the Keen Targhee 2 shoes to be a very comfortable fit, but I recommend an intensive in-store evaluation before you commit to purchasing them. I would also strongly recommend the boot instead of the shoe for any hiking situation for better waterproofing and ankle support on uneven terrain.

This experience hasn't swayed me from keen, I've recently purchased some Newport H2 sandals and I love them.

First time fit is a bit snug, however my feet do run wide. But after you wear them for a bit you get them broken in and they are great. Dry Dry Dry Dry Dry, I've yet to have water get into these, although I haven't hiked on many trails with stream crossings in them, but in the rain they are leak proof. Grip is great, had no problem on some rock scrambles and even a little bouldering action.

Overall this has been a very comfortable shoe. I have used them on a variety of trails and terrain. From sand trails to rugged rock slides. They grip really well and once broken in are very comfortable.

The downside that I am most upset about this shoe is how long they are lasting. Either I am very tough on my shoes or the rubber soles on these things are cheap. I bought them last April 08 and they are almost completely wore out. And I am not hiking every day here. I have had other hiking shoes hold up longer.

The rest of the shoe is fine, but the rest of it is wearing out like someone doing burnouts with offroad tires if you know what I mean.

On second note, it's worth getting the Gore-tex model, I opted for cheap 20$ less for the non and every time I step in a puddle I regret it.

Overall, this Keen shoe is great. I use them for day hikes and for general, casual use. I would not plan on using these shoes for backpacking due to the low ankle support.

Once broken in, they are a very comfortable shoe, with plenty of room for your toes and a tight fit around the ankle. My feet don't swim in the shoe either. I've done some intense circuits (up/down) and I did not have problems with my toes rubbing. Cushioning is very good, and the soles are moderately stiff (good for stepping on rocks.)

The shoes were tight during the break-in period (about 8 miles). After that, they are very comfortable.

Why 4 stars? I'm not married to the look of the shoe, but due to the comfort, I am getting over this minor issue.

The wide toebox is perfect for my foot, and the arch support is very comfortable. I wore these boots around town for several days to be sure they were broken in, but they didn't really need any breaking in at all because they fit great.

My first day hiking in them consisted of two short hikes; I wore them with Smartwool socks and had no blisters, I also walked through some mud and puddles and my feet didn't get wet. I couldn't wait to get them off, however, because my feet were getting pretty warm.

The second day hike was quite a bit longer and over much rockier terrain. I felt like Spiderman on the rocks! I didn't slip at all and the only problem was that the downhill return trip was a little tough on my toes. I do, however, have knee problems and wasn't walking well anyway. Near the end of the hike we were caught in a hard rainstorm and were soaked completely through, except my socks weren't totally wet.

My only problem with these boots is that the ankle support comes up to an awkward height for me and digs into my Achilles tendon a little while walking down steep hills. It did prevent me from twisting my ankle twice, though. All in all, these boots were definitely worth the price based on my first couple of hikes in them.

Update: April 20, 2009

I have hiked several times in these boots and I refuse to do it anymore; I've moved into hiking in either Teva Aravallis or sandals. I hiked the AT on an overnight trail and my feet got so beat to hell in these boots that I lost the big toenail on my left foot and damaged my big toenail on my right foot, as well as the second toes on both my feet.

This is, of course, partially my fault for not using hiking poles and wearing socks that were too thick because the weather was cold. However, I don't find there to be enough cushion in these boots to do anything but wear them around town.

Also, I wore them in the rain today and my socks were a bit damp after a 30 minute downpour, so use an extra sealant if you're going to be in wet weather.

I bought these shoes to replace another pair on my PCT Oregon segment hike. Within the first week I had a nasty blister on my heel and under both front toes. After 300 miles the stitching at the toe came loose on both shoes. The soles did not offer enough cushioning on the lava. I couldn't wait to get these shoes off at night. The waterproofing wore off when it came time to ford streams and rivers.

I contacted Keen when I returned. My recourse is to return the shoes where I bought them (very inconvenient since I bought them in Ashland and I live in Eastern Oregon) or get a replacement of another Keen footwear product from the company.

Unfortunately, I don't see anything that's comparable in price that I want.

This is an amazing hiking shoe! I was nervous to hike very far in these just because they are low-tops, but they're awesome! I hiked Mt. Whitney in them, with a 22lb. pack - did 21 miles in a day without blisters! I did try wearing them backpacking, but the weight of the pack was too much for these shoes.

The most amazing thing is that the Targhee 11's do not need any breaking in time; they fit great from day one! I wear them to hike in 3-4 days a week (purchased them a year ago), and they're still going strong. Thank you Keen!

I ended up returning these after about one month of use. I purchased 1/2 size larger based on the recommendation of the EMS saleman. I guess Keens run small. The shoe was very tight and uncomfortable. The soles are stiff and never really broke in. I also didn't like arch support.