Keen Targhee II

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!