Keen Boots?

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Dec 30, 2017
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I have been reading the forums over the last couple of months trying to learn as much as I can about outfitting myself and my son for a DIY elk hunt. We plan to hunt Colorado based upon the research I have done so far.

Part of my research is what boots to look into. Most of the brands that are thrown around this forum I would be unable to see and try on here in NJ.

That being said I see Salomon being mentioned often as a very popular choice and have found that at least a few stores here carry them but I also have seen that almost universally even with GoreTex lining most say they are not even water resistant? This blows me away being most of their boots are advertised as waterproof and people still love them. What am I missing?

I have also searched the site about Keen boots which I have had great experiences with the two pair that I have owned. Specifically the Tarhgee II. They have been virtually bomb proof and 3 years after purchasing my most recent pair they are still waterproof. I see almost no mention of the brand and the little bit I have read discourages those that asked about them to use something else. Are these really that bad for elk hunting or is it prejudice in favor of those that answered about the brand they are using?

Thanks in advance!


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twall13

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I think the complaints about the Salomon's not being waterproof is more a knock on their durability than anything. Sure they are waterproof at first, but it doesn't take long to wear through the goretex membrane and then they start leaking. The higher end boots have better construction and don't wear through the membrane as easily, though it will still happen eventually.

I have owned one pair of Keen boots (Bryce) and they didn't work for me. Yes they were waterproof but the keen waterproof membrane didn't breathe at all for me. It was like a plastic bag liner to me. They are one of the few pairs of boots that have actually given me blisters that I couldn't blame on crappy socks, etc. That doesn't make them bad boots, it just means they don't work for me in the mountains.

There are guys that pack elk out of the mountains wearing trail runners. That won't work for me either but it clearly does for them. If you have enough experience with the Keen's to feel confident that they will work for you in the mountains then go for it. Everyone's feet are different, you have to find what works for you.

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Joined
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I used Keens 2 years ago and they worked good. I dont think you would want to use keens if you were carrying a lot of weight. They are not the same caliber as others like crispi, kennetreck and others, but they worked ok for me. I was day hunting without much weight. Last year I used Kennetrek and they were much better, but you pay for that too. If your budget allows I would go for one of the other brands but if your budget does not allow I think the Keens will work for you.
 
OP
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I used Keens 2 years ago and they worked good. I dont think you would want to use keens if you were carrying a lot of weight. They are not the same caliber as others like crispi, kennetreck and others, but they worked ok for me. I was day hunting without much weight. Last year I used Kennetrek and they were much better, but you pay for that too. If your budget allows I would go for one of the other brands but if your budget does not allow I think the Keens will work for you.

I haven't hiked with the weight of an elk quarter but I have done 5 hikes in the last month with about 50 pounds on my back doing 2-3 miles to build up my cardio and acclimate my muscles to a pack. I will be increasing the weight and miles but you have to start somewhere.

Here is a pick of my shoes from today in the mud and snow.
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Joined
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That does sound like a good start to prepping. One thing a lot of the more mountain doots offer is a much stiffer sole which helps when walking on the rocks and also helpful side hilling. Like i said earlier your keens will work. One year i used keens just like yours and one year i used merills. They both did just fine but after using the kenetreks i would have a hard time going back. Whichever way you go get really good socks. Blisters will ruin a hunt.
 

N2TRKYS

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I own a pair of Targee 2 mid hikers. I wouldn't own another pair, if they were given to me. I was hopeful because they are very light. However, the bottoms are very slick when they get the least bit of water on them. Also the tread started coming off with very little use. Not a good experience for me. I wouldn't recommend them to anybody.
 

Jardo

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For most western hunters, time off to go hunting is scarce and requires a lot of preparation and time. For me and my group of hunting buddies, this means we require our gear, including boots, packs, clothing, optics and weapons be the best available. Keen is a decent brand, but cannot compete with kenetrek, crispi, lowa, or even meindl boots.

Most of us on here come here to learn about and how to become the best hunters. Gear that will help us achieve those goals is important to most of us.

Of course There are exceptions to this. The best elk hunter I know hunts in blue jeans and cowboy boots. If the Keens work for you, rock on brother. If you haven't tried on a pair of lowa tibets or kenetrek boots, you should give them a try. They will outperform your Keens all day long.


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Axlrod

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I Love Keen's! I go through a pair of keen's about every 4 months I wear them for work and I walk about 5 miles per day. I have been wearing them for over 12 years so a LOT of pairs. I have tried them for elk hunting and they dont work for me. The soles dont have enough bite for snow and there is not enough support for steep mountains and heavy packing. For hunting I have light and heavy Kennetrek, now discontinued Rocky pro Elk hunter and a couple pair of danners that I use in bow season. I think there are a lot better choices than Keen's for a hunt like you are wanting them for.
 

muddydogs

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Boots are owner specific and what works for one might not work for the other plus there's also the prastigue thing as well. I have 2 pair of Keen's and they work good though I don't wear them much. My everyday boot that I wear all the time and hunt in as well is the Red Wing King Toe boot, most here will scoff at my boot choice but they fit me well and get the job done plus they don't leak and it's hard to find a boot that gets worn everyday for 6 years that still has some tread left and doesn't leak. I'm on my second pair but my 10 year old boots are still fine just a little tread bare. If Keen's work good for you then wear them just as I wear my low class Red Wing boots.

I've spent 20 years working in the woods and I have worn some of the best boots out there but once I stopped field work I couldn't see spending $800 on boots when there are plenty of options for a lot less that work well when not being beat day after day in the woods.
 

tttoadman

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I hunted with Keen Summits one year. They did seem to be sweat bags a little for me also as noted above. They were fine with no weight, but as soon as I had weight on, they tore up my feet. The stiffer boots is it for me. They were warm enough, and half the cost as the high end boots. They got me by for that year, and now they are my winter work around the house footwear.
 
OP
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For most western hunters, time off to go hunting is scarce and requires a lot of preparation and time. For me and my group of hunting buddies, this means we require our gear, including boots, packs, clothing, optics and weapons be the best available. Keen is a decent brand, but cannot compete with kenetrek, crispi, lowa, or even meindl boots.

Most of us on here come here to learn about and how to become the best hunters. Gear that will help us achieve those goals is important to most of us.

Of course There are exceptions to this. The best elk hunter I know hunts in blue jeans and cowboy boots. If the Keens work for you, rock on brother. If you haven't tried on a pair of lowa tibets or kenetrek boots, you should give them a try. They will outperform your Keens all day long.


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Are you able to try on all of these different brands prior to buying? Frankly before a couple of months ago I had never heard of Crispi or Kenetrek nd had never seen any of the brands you mentioned live. I can try Meindl boots if I drive 3 hours to the Cabela's in Delaware. To make matters worse is I have a wide foot. I usually have to wear a 13 medium even though I measure a 12EE because no one usually carries the wides. So it is pretty much a prerequisite for me to try them on. Those brands also all cost 3-500 per pair if I order multiple pairs online to see what fits best I could get into a fair amount of money in restocking fees. Sorry just venting because we are so underserved here.
 
Joined
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Are you able to try on all of these different brands prior to buying? Frankly before a couple of months ago I had never heard of Crispi or Kenetrek nd had never seen any of the brands you mentioned live. I can try Meindl boots if I drive 3 hours to the Cabela's in Delaware. To make matters worse is I have a wide foot. I usually have to wear a 13 medium even though I measure a 12EE because no one usually carries the wides. So it is pretty much a prerequisite for me to try them on. Those brands also all cost 3-500 per pair if I order multiple pairs online to see what fits best I could get into a fair amount of money in restocking fees. Sorry just venting because we are so underserved here.

We are in the same boat in Michigan. Im sure the stores here would not sell very many of those expensive mountain boots so they cant carry them. The other problem I had was the break in time. My Kenetreks were not very comfotable and had a fair amount of heal slip at first. I was concerened about not being able to return them if i went the 50 mile break in period. I called Kenetrek and what great customer service. He told me how to check the fit to make sure i had the right size, i did. He then told me to do the 50 mile break in and if they still had heal slip they would have their cobblers custom adjust them for me at no cost. After the 50 miles they are very comfortable. Great boots and great customer service. I know this tread was not about my kenetreks so sorry for straying.
 

GotDraw?

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I have been called opinionated and blunt more times than I can recall...

I don't have a son, but if I did, he would never wear Keen Targhee II boots if I thought he might need to rely on them.

Targhee II's?? Great and Rugged looking when strolling down the streets of Manhattan or walking on a path.

Almost useless in the backcountry.

Targhees II's are no more than fancy tennis shoes with a big rubber toe. I read a lot of "reviews" and was convinced they would be a great boot the first year I went to CO for elk. I did not realize those reviews were written by people who hike trails, not backcountry hikers/hunters who are off-trail 99 percent of the time, with heavy backpacks in steep terrain where the demands are different and can be extreme.

So, I tried Targhees the first year I went out in CO backcountry and I will never, ever use that boot again for any sort of a serious back country hunt or hike. Period. Almost worthless, in-fact, they are dangerous in really steep terrain. That boot put me real trouble at almost 12k ft in CO, while trying to crest a steep ridge. I learned a valuable lesson on that hunt RE what backcountry hunters' boots need to deliver be safe and give hunters the confidence and the ability to navigate difficult terrain (further below).

Targhee's have zero ability to toe kick a toe hold into a steep hill to give you a foot hold when you desperately need it in really steep terrain.

Targhee's sole has no more torsional stability than a cheap tennis shoe when you are edged-in and side hilling. They have zero ability to side kick a step in a steep when side-hilling in thick mountain sod or heavy soil. The sole edges too round and unsupported.

Targhee's heel design is rounded in the back and has no differential step/transition where it merges with the boot sole. That heel design is almost worthless when descending, you cannot expect to use it to cut in, nor to brake when descending.

That oh-so-rugged looking rounded toe is a horrible design. The toe and side tread are so far set back from the rounded bumper toe and the boot's tread edges on the front and sides are so rounded that you simply cannot cut a foothold to get safe purchase to climb anything steeper than an escalator at a big box store. Combine that with the torsional stability of a pair of 20 year old Chuck Taylor's and you'll be fine until you get off trail and start cutting your own path in steep terrain.

You can grab a Targhee boot toe in one hand and the heel in another and twist the sole however you like. Any sole that weak will NOT provide reliable support when the chips are down in steep terrain, especially with heavy pack.

I strongly encourage you to get real boots for you and your son. There are many good boots out there, here's what you need:

Sole- Torsional stability. You'd better not be able to twist it much, if at all in your bare hands. Toe and boot edges should be square edged and rigid so you can kick in a step or toe hold into tough, hard soil. The sole and upper and lacing system should combine to allow you to stand with your full weight on small perimeter edge of the boot without having the boot twist and collapse around your foot.

Heel- The heel should have a clear, sharp edge at all sides, especially the front where it joins the forefoot. You need clean, sharp/square edges in order to descend safely or side-hill. If the heel has a sharp step/edge where it merges with the sole, that will help you with your braking when descending so your boot will be less apt to slide/slip forward.

Tread- aggressive, square edged pattern is what I personally like.

Insoles- Strongly encourage you to toss the stock insoles and get aftermarket insoles. Aftermarket insoles will better "lock" your arch in place in the boot, this will keep you foot from sliding forward when descending steep terrain with a backpack. IF your foot is not locked in the boot and it slides forward when descending, you will eventually toe-jam your toenails and risk ending your hunt. Good insoles also will allow you to back off the tension of your boot laces just a bit. There are lots of good insoles out there- I use SOLE brand, Dean Karnazas model, heat moldable insoles. Best thing I ever did. Never a blister, never any toe jam. I cannot endorse them enough. I usually have to heat and mold them 2x before they are rightous. I have heard that they changed their formulation and that this may have effected their durability so I encourage you to read up on that.

Boot choice is very personal, as pointed out by prior posters.

My brother uses the Solomon Quest 4Ds and likes them, I use Asolo Fugitive Goretex , Lowa Camino GTXs and Lowa Tibet GTXs. I like the Asolo boots best in archery season, they are pretty light so I can climb with less effort, yet rigid enough to sidehill or toe kick when needed. Not too expensive either. In the steepest terrain, I like the Caminos. If colder, the Tibets (but they are heavy). Again, there are a lot of other fantastic boots out there. Make sure you get them about 1/2 size too big to deal with feet swelling from endless miles of hiking and for extra room to prevent toe-jam on descents.

Remember this- if you do buy real backcountry boots, they will need to be broken in and this may take many miles before you hunt. Solomon Quest's break in very quickly; Caminos, Tibets and stiff boots like them take miles. My Tibets took 30+ miles, plus a good soaking of the exterior leather while hiking helped a lot.

PM me with specific questions.

Best,

JL
 
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Jardo

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Are you able to try on all of these different brands prior to buying? Frankly before a couple of months ago I had never heard of Crispi or Kenetrek nd had never seen any of the brands you mentioned live. I can try Meindl boots if I drive 3 hours to the Cabela's in Delaware. To make matters worse is I have a wide foot. I usually have to wear a 13 medium even though I measure a 12EE because no one usually carries the wides. So it is pretty much a prerequisite for me to try them on. Those brands also all cost 3-500 per pair if I order multiple pairs online to see what fits best I could get into a fair amount of money in restocking fees. Sorry just venting because we are so underserved here.

Brother, I live most of the year in Hawaii. Don't gotta tell me how hard it is to sample boots. There isn't a pair of lowas, kenetreks, or crispis within 3,000 miles of me.

It requires some doing to get the best under our circumstances. What I did is buy all the boots I wanted to try on from amazon... I'm a prime member so free shipping and free returns. I had over $1,200 in boots on my credit card at one time, but as soon as I decided which boot was for me, the rest went back and my card was credited 100%.

No worries on the venting... I totally get it.


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Joined
Oct 26, 2016
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322
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Colorado
I go through at least one pair of their sneakers and one pair of their steel toe work boots a year. Ive had these boots that I believe are called Liberty Ridge hiking boots. They are one of about 4 models that are made in the us. They are amazingly comfortable out of the box. But the durability isn't great. My dad had a pair of these for a couple years but had the sole come unglued from the leather along one side on the first day of a 12 day trip in the Bob this fall. He was pissed!! My assessment is that they are comfortable, I had no problem packing elk of the mountain in them but durabilty isn't great. As with most Keens in my opinion. I'll probably replace them for this season and use these for day hikers.

IMG_1105.jpg
 
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hooker

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Mar 20, 2012
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St. Joe National Forest
If I wear keens I also need ankle braces.(my ankles worst on the planet) So i won't anymore. Salomon Quest 4dx GTX are the least waterproof boots on the planet. But amazing support for summer scouting and orgasmic feet. Ive several friends that run Asolso's that claim they do very well as far as waterproof.

Bottom line Gators are your friend and cold wet feet will ruin a dream hunt. If you cant afford the very best I'd roll with a set of Irish Setters Elk hunter's or Danner Elk hunters should get you through a 2 week hunt. lol

Kenetrek, Lowa, Crispis with gators in snow. Do not skimp on your feet. Cold wet feet suck.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2019
Messages
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Shop around and see whats in the sales.

I recently treated myself to a pair of leather, gore-tex lined Meindl’s. I needed to get some new boots to replace my nackered Keens. The Meindl’s were on offer in one of the shops in Betws-y-coed, reduced from £200 to £130.

They’re quality kit, the most comfortable thing I’ve ever put on my feet, and I expect them to last forever
 

FLAK

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Absolutely LOVE my Keen Targhee 3's. They went to MT. on a spring Bear hunt earlier this year and are about to head out to NM on a Javi hunt.
I;ve tried the Salomon's - No Way!!! Couldn't even get my foot IN the shoe and it was a Wide. I really like OBOZ but had the same problem.
 

Krieg Hetzen

Lil-Rokslider
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Wasilla, Alaska
I recommend you do what I do, order it all online and return what doesn’t fit. I ordered a set of Kenetrek Mountain Guides and was told they need to fit like a snowboarding or ski boot, very tight but not pinching. And that they required a 50+ mile break in period. Called amazon, they said go for it, return if it doesn’t work out for you. I liked them so much that when I was looking for work boots I went with a pair of the Kenetrek Hard Tactical boots in addition to a pair of Redwing 608s that got dyed black.

After seeing all of my hunting partners stuggle with their boots under load in the lovely terrain we have in Alaska, I am a firm believer that boots is an area you just don’t skimp on. My feet felt great compared to the guys running the extratuff, Georgia, UA and Irish setter.
 
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