KEEN Men's Voyageur Mid Height Breathable Hiking Boots

Keen Men's Voyageur Mid Hiking Boot,Dark Earth/Burnt Henna,15 M USJust a few years ago I purchased my first real hiking boots in a long, long time. I really didn't need hikers as much as I needed footwear that would keep me warm at an upcoming football bowl game. My team wasn't quite good enough to get a "warm-weather" bowl invitation so I just knew it would be cold. Nothing is worse than sitting in the stands with freezing feet and not being able to do anything about it.I didn't buy my Keen Voyageur's that day. They are too airy and light for such duty. The boots I did buy were from a competitor and they did the job too well. Only problem is that they're only comfortable in cold conditions--at least to me. But they were comfortable, sturdy and delivered exactly what I was looking for.The comfort intrigued me. I have some orthopedic issues as well as knee problems and getting the right footwear is essential. So I went back to the store that sold me my cold-weather hikers and asked what they had in a lightweight boot. The first shoe I was shown was a pair of Keen Voyageurs. I tried them on and it was an "aaaaaah" moment for me. The price wasn't the best but I know that you get what you pay for so I decided to go with the Keens.I wore them almost everywhere. I even wore them to work. Probably not the best choice for office footwear but it was a comfort-first issue for me. One great thing was that I could put my orthotic inserts in after removing the liner that came with them and the fit was perfect. I began to wear them year round. A thicker pair of socks helps ward off the cold in normal activities (don't know how they'd work in a cold stadium...my team hasn't done well lately :^\) and when it's hot as blazes--they're akin to wearing sandals when I wear a thinner sock.I put those boots through the grinder by wearing them as much as 5-6 days a week. I know it wasn't the Appalachian Trail but I still don't know of any boots that would have held up as long as they did without some deterioration. I'm really hard on footwear for the record. While they didn't become unwearable, they did become unsuitable for work.So I went looking for a replacement pair. The store I bought them from originally didn't carry them anymore. That's when I thought of Amazon. Amazon came through for me and even though the price was about the same as the old pair (no fire sale here), the shipping was free. So I pulled the trigger and got my next pair of Voyageurs. The old ones? They are still serving me well as weekend work boots. And the new ones? Not a problem at all...and I wear them to work almost daily. Kudos Keen!

I have 2 other pairs of keen brand shoes, and they never disappoint. As a woman who wears a sz 12 shoe, it is difficult for me to find women's keens, though. So, I ordered this men's style in sz 10, and I absolutely love the wider fit. They are very comfortable and extremely roomy, which for hiking, is what I like. These lightweight wayerproof hikers also have traction like no other boot I have ever owned. Wisconsin's wintry snowy and icy streets got nothing on me! I am not lying when I say that I can't wait to put these on and go for my daily walks.

Left is new Voyageurs, right is new Targhees. Both mid (vent) not waterproof.I have a narrow heel and a wide-ish forefoot. Kind of a duck foot. Size 12-12.5 usually. Most D width shoes never fit me so I always look for “foot shaped” shoes (I still don’t know why shoe companies still make shoes that aren’t FOOT shaped. I usually go with Altra etc. but even they made their shoes narrower!I usually look for wides in “normal” non foot shaped shoes but then sometimes my foot slides around because the only part of my foot that is “wide” is forefoot etc.In the pic it may be hard to see, but Voyageurs have a MUCH better forefoot width. I think this is because on the Targhee there is a hard plastic strip that runs along both sides of the outside of the shoe and does not allow this area to splay or stretch when your foot is in the boot. Probably great for protecting from rocks etc, but limits foot splay.The Targhee sole & underfoot does appear more comfortable. Voyageur had better laces that are “wave” construction instead of smooth like Targhee. Other than that they are very similar. Too bad they won’t combine the best of both!I’m keeping the Voyageur as my toes don’t hit the sides.

I have a closet full of hiking/work shoes that have either become unwearable or that I have gotten tired of using Shoe Goo to hold them together. Several of these failed shoes cost more than these Keen Voyageurs which I recently purchased. All of the previous shoes began to fail within the first year of wearing them. So as you might guess I am cautious in expressing unbridled optimism as to the durability of these Keen Voyageurs. The positives right out of the box are they are very comfortable with no points that rub or pinch my feet. ( I did order them 1/2 size larger as my feet are medium width and I wanted to be sure my toes were not pinched.) Also they do actually breathe as the current trend towards waterproof shoes has made it more difficult to find such a shoe though many say they do. The hooks at the top of the boot through which one pulls the shoe strings tight are either plastic or hopefully a higher grade synthetic. So time will tell how these wear but for now the 5 stars covers the fact they fit well and breathe which means my feet are happy campers.

I have been wearing Keens for years as they are the only shoe that doesn't aggrevate my foot condition. They have always been good quality and lasted. Well not any more. The last pair only lasted about six months before they started falling a part. This pair hasn't lasted three months. The sole is coming apart and the insides are breaking down. Very disappointed. These boots are not cheap, so guess it is time to find another brand! Sadly, I would no longer recommend Keens to anyone.