Hobbist Urban Hiker
Generally speaking, I like to spend about an hour or so a day "urban hiking", and I find that these shoes are really much better suited to an hour every other day. As Keens go, these are a bit of a dissapointment.. which is to say, that they are still better than most other shoes, just not out-of-the-park Wow-these-shoes-kick-some-serious-tail good, as I've come to expect from Keen.. I felt like the cushioning in the toe box could have been better, and I find that if I use them 2 days in a row I notice an overt decline in shock absorbsion on the second day.. it seems to come back, but, IDK, it feels like too much down time. Also, they gave me blisters on my achillies heels..which is a pet peeve.
And, really, I would prefer a pair of walking shoes that I could just kick on and go for a walk. Having to root around for good walking socks, and then sit down and lace them up takes almost exactly the 3 minutes or so it takes me to start questioning the weather or if I'm really in the mood for a nice long walk. It would be better if they were by the door and I could slip them on with little or no thought and be out the door on a whim.
Great casual shoe
I've been wearing these just over a month now. Have to admit, although they were comfortable right out of the box, they did require a couple of weeks of leather break-in before they felt just perfect. I can wear these for days! With other shoes I couldn't wait to kick them off as soon as I got home. I don't feel that way with these. I would love if they were slip-on's, but all things considered, they're worth the trouble of having to lace up. In fact, when my feet and ankles swell up at the end of the day, it's nice to have a way to adjust the fit and just loosen the ties. I love that Keens run wide because it's hard to find "wide" shoes that are actually that. Many that say wide, are still too narrow.
I noticed that older reviews say the "slate black is really brown". I'm not sure what earlier versions of this shoe looked like, but the current "black" color really is black. In fact, I ordered a second pair which looks dark black; my first pair has a softer grayish colored sheen to the black, but still looks black.
Cydd at
REI on
12/12/2012
Work and hiking shoe duo
I am still on the hunt for the perfect shoe- for me that means it looks good at work where I'm on my feet going from exam room to exam room and it works to take the dog out for woodsy walks. This shoe is close but when I first got it the shoe was a bit stiff and the tongue on one side rubs on the upper side of my medial ankle too much. I chose to wear thicker socks and they have pretty much broken in although with thinner socks the tongue still rubs in that area. Also, the glue along the inner side of one shoe's sole has separated from the leather. I have worn many Keen's before and overall they just seem to break down too quickly although they are very comfortable. I have had a pair of Dansko's that I wear just as much and they have outlived about 6 pairs of Keens over the past 4 years. (They're just a bit too clunky in comparison to the Keen's).
Erica the Vet at
REI on
10/10/2011
COMFORTABLE AND NO BREAK IN
I got these for a trip to Africa and thought I would have to break them in for a time before leaving. The first time I put them on, no problems. Usually shoes rub my outer toes and heel areas but not these. They are very wide in the toe box which prevents toe problems for me. I have narrow feet but these fit fine. I usually wear an 8.5 but bought the 9, so I think 1/2 size larger than normal is best for this style. I love the way they look and feel. I just got back from walking around in rain and stomping through puddles and my feet are dry inside the shoe and I don't see any evidence of them even being in water either inside or outside this shoe. These are so much better than a regular tennis or running shoe, there is no comparison.
Carolina at
REI on
09/09/2010
comfy cute half-size big
I have difficult feet. slightly wide and big with normal arches but plantar faciitis and a heel spur. The Toyah's styling makes my feet look small (good!). The black nubuck leather is acceptable to wear at my business-casual office. The "default" arch support seems sufficient (without having to add orthotics). The squishy sole cushions my heel but is not good for walking on rocks/rough surfaces as there is no rigid plate to protect bottom of feet (not good for bumpy trail or decrepit side walks/pavement). Also the squishy sole of Keen shoes wears down quickly, so not long lasting if you put a lot of walking mileage on your shoes.
My normal size felt a half-size too big... I have big, semi-wide feet and these feel roomy. I bought a half-size smaller than normal and they fit nicely.
happycampgurl at
REI on
05/05/2011
Keen Toyah brown
My friend got a pair of these earlier and raved about them. I have 3 pair of the Merrell clogs (can't remember the name of them) and love them, no I adore them. So I though a tie pair of shoes for vacation and museum walking would be a nice addition to have. Well I still like my Merrell's better. These are good but I am not going out and buying another pair. They look good with jeans and they were nice in the drizzle of NYC this spring. No blisters, no problems just not a comfy as I was hoping. I would recommend them but do try on different pairs in the store as they fit differently for some reason. (the colors fitted differently by a 1/2 size)
Loves to jog at
REI on
04/04/2012
Very Durable
I bought these Keen shoes in May 2011. I wear them Monday - Friday for 10 + hours a day at work (on concrete). I step in and out of chemicals for bio-security reasons, and these shoes have just now started to break down. They are very comfortable and my legs do not feel tired at the end of the day. I will buy another pair. I would recommend trying them on with the socks you are planning on wearing with them. I wear a thicker walking Thor sock and the socks have broken down before the shoes have, and i have five pairs of socks I wear every week with these shoes.
gdsbls at
REI on
11/11/2012
Love these shoes!
I love these shoes. After 30 years of running, my feet are wider in the forefoot, but normal in the heel. These shoes are great. They give my toes plenty of room, but the heels don't slip. I can also remove the insole and use my custom orthotics with them. It's very hard for me to find shoes that fit. I've been wearing these every day since I bought them three weeks ago. They give me the room and comfort I need, but still look great. I got the Slate Black, which is really brown. Now I'm looking at the other colors so I can stock up. I really love these shoes.
Worth an investment.
I love these shoes! I have had them over a year and wear them nearly every day. They hold up great, are comfortable, and look nearly new! I have WIDE feet, and these are actually wide enough and fit me (awesome), but they may be a tad wide for others. I did have the back rub on my heel at first, but I wore higher socks for a few days and once they wore in, the rubbing problem went away. I would but multiples! PS- I've gotten many compliments on these shoes and people ask me where I bought them all the time!
drea10 at
REI on
01/01/2012
Comfy walking shoes
These shoes are perfect for walking around town. They required no break-in, and the wider toe area (but narrow heel, as another reviewer mentioned) makes these shoes a good value for me. I have narrow feet, but a small bunion on each foot now makes it necessary for me to have more room in the toe area. A couple of notes: I recommend trying them on in the store, rather than buying them online, because each pair I tried on (same size) felt different. Also, the very similar Keen shoe on sale now felt shorter than the same size in this model.
sftrekker at
REI on
08/08/2010