Keen Commuter II

Lack of toe coverage is the main reason "sandals" from most other manufacturers seem like a bad idea for most sporty applications. There are just way too many ways to stub your toe while piloting a bicycle or other physical activities. Keen has always fixed the "stubbed toe" problem with their full-toebox sandals... and now we have an option for bicycling.

Considering these are sandals, the shape of the toebox also seems to deter the oncoming air from blowing right through the shoes, which was surprising. To "ventilate" while riding, I've noticed I have to tilt my feet slightly one way or the other to catch air.

Don't expect these to be stiff enough for "hardcore" riders out for maximum power transfer. I picked these up on a whim since they were on the clearance rack and figured they would be nice for warmer weather rides and commuting, but I've found them adequate for my evening rides up to 35mi w/o too much trouble. I typically wear them with thin micro socks, mostly since my toes get sweaty when all closed up! If you wear black or dark socks underneath, nobody would probably even notice that these are sandals at all...

The sole design, as mentioned by another reviewer, isn't quite full-coverage enough for SPD cleats to prevent some grinding sounds when walking on some paved surfaces, but I have the same problem with my 10+ year-old closed-toe bicycling shoes that I use for longer and/or cooler rides.

As bicycling shoes, they did design these to run a little on the narrow side, probably for clearance reasons, so definitely try them on in-person if you have wide(r) feet.

In the end, the neat feature of the black/yellow/silver (reflective threads) sandals I have is that they match the black/yellow/silver of my bike perfectly... image is everything!

Bought these specifically for riding in the rain (not far, only 14 miles round trip). I use single release cleats (i.e. only clip out with sideways twist). They do the job quite well. They have a very low, narrow profile - just like regular cycling shoes, especially the narrow. I have other Keen sandals and these Commuters are definitely narrower - which is a good thing for cycling shoes. As such, my "width" rating is based on cycling shoes not walking-around shoes. I got the size 12 and the length is just right. The only downside I have experienced is that, if you like to go hard up hills, you should not expect to be able to pull up on the pedals like you would with regular cycling shoes. In my case, because of the low profile, the back ankle strap doesn't sit above my heel but more on it, even with the instep strap pulled pretty tight. Having said all that, the name of these shoes are "Commuter", and they're sandals, so expecting the same performance as regular cycling shoes is probably asking a bit much. Oh, and if you put cleats on, I would recommend lightly greasing the threads. After my second ride in the rain I noticed the extra holes in the footbed plate already had some surface rust. So, if you ever want to get those cleats off later on. Overall, a very good commuting cycling sandal. Comfortable enough that I've even worn them walking to the store in the rain too.

A lot of the reviews (both on this and other sites) complain about the width of this spd sandal. I am a 9.5 E and had concerns about the width. I also read that the sandal sizing runs small and I ordered a size up. Although this is a narrow shoe, I don't have any fit issues, the webbing stretches and my foot doesn't extend over the edge. The sole is firm and the cleats come with a screw off plastic cover (unlike some other shoes which require using a razor blade to cut the sole. I don't think these sandals run small, if I had it to do over again, I would have not have ordered a size up.

I ride in the hot and humid south florida summer weather. It is nice to have something that is well ventilated, dries fast, and that I can easily walk around in. In summary, these sandals work fine for me.

I realize many people may not like such a shoe, but I cycled across the US in one pair of shoes (these ones, the 2009 model). I only had one pair of shoes (originally took two, one being the Keen Commuter for cycling, the other being a regular pair of Keens for walking around at the end of the day). I mailed back the second pair and stuck with the Keen Commuters for the entire summer (3 months). I never had any issues. The only slight downside is that they'll stretch over time and you will need to tighten them a bit more as you break them in. Maybe the new version is a little better in that regard.

Bottom line - totally worth the price I paid for them, for an entire summer of cycling comfort and off the bike comfort.

I was looking for a sandal for biking in my size, and Keen Commuter II was the only brand I found. I wear a 15 in sport shoes, yet needed to reorder one size smaller to get a good fit in length. The width was narrower that other Keen sandals I've tried, but having a narrow foot, they work for me. They have a little flex in the sole for walking, yet are stiff enough for recreational biking. Can be use with or without cleats, just wished that the SPD cleats needed came with these sandals. Overall they are nice to use when the temperatures are warm. I wouldn't hesitate in buying another pair. Price could be lower at Zappos as I found them cheaper online else were, but only Zappos had them in my size.

Second pair I've owned. Watching for a sale to buy a third pair. Great because they are so comfortable. I've used them in multiple centuries, including double centuries: LOTOJA, Death Ride, Seattle to Portland. Yeah, they don't look racy like my Sidi's, but my feet don't go to sleep either. A little stretchy on the upstroke if you pull hard, but that's also what keeps the blood flowing to the rest of the foot!

In short, I have two pairs, recommend them to anyone who wants a comfortable commuter, short or long distance shoe, and isn't overly concerned with absolute power transfer. Narrower than other Keens, but necessarily so since there is limited clearance between your pedal and your bike, for my foot it fits like a glove.

I have wanted these for some time. The price kept me from getting them sooner, but I am going on tour and needed them. I do think the price is a bit much. I also thought I would need a size larger as these are very narrow, but to my surprise they fit well in my normal shoe size (10.5 men's ). I am a female and have a narrow long foot and must get men's shoes as the woman's are always to short. I am quite happy with my Keens. The 4 star rating is because of the price, not quality or performance so far. Only time will tell if these shoes will last and ware as comfortable as they do now. Good shoe

I've commuted several times with these, only about 17mi each way, and they're certainly stiff enough for that.

They are narrower than regular Keen's but not so much that you look goofy walking around in them.

I've got the Ritchey Road SPDs and as a result of their axle placement had to grind down parts of the bottom of the shoe, which I also had to do on my regular shoes so nothing against the Keens.

You still hear the cleats grinding when walking on some surfaces.

With no socks my toe rubbed a little more than I'd like but nothing terrible.

Overall, they're awesome, but I wouldn't do a century in them.

Saw these shoes on sale when I was in the store in Sept of 2010, tried them on and really liked them. I was preparing for an off road trip on the C&O/GAP trail from DC to Pittsburg, and thought they would be good in wet conditions. It rained almost every day, and I had dry shoes every morning.

I've done three tours this year, including one with seven 70-80 mile days, and I still love these shoes. They are the only shoes I've owned that don't give me hot-spots with my Speedplay Frogs.

They are on the narrow side, so I had to get a half size bigger, and thus have plenty of room in the toe. Was able to adjust the width to accommodate thicker wool socks for cold/wet days. The extra toe space could be handy for a heat pack for the shoe. They do stretch on the pedal up-stroke (I ride a recumbent) I can feel the shoes give a lot especially while hill climbing. That said, they were the most comfortable bike shoes I tried out, and overall, I'm happy with them.