The momentum in hiking footwear is moving away from bulky boots toward lightweight shoes and even trail runners that are faster and more comfortable. No matter how tightly we secured the laces, we ended up with a sloppy and insecure fit - a poor combination when hiking on anything but easy to moderate trails.

Keen Targhee III Mid Hiking Boot Review | Switchback Travel Keen Targhee III Mid Hiking Boot Review | Switchback Travel

Camping is what she loves to do the most, but has also spent many hours clinging to the side of a rock face, cycling about the place, cruising the ski-slopes on her snowboard, and hiking small mountains and big hills. The Targhee III is a new generation of boot that builds on the award-winning successes of its predecessors, but with an updated look and new materials.The Targhee's can handle some wetness, but in a previous test of these boots, we experienced leaking in the front seams. Featuring Keen’s classic beefy bumpers, these leather shoes are super comfortable and a highly reliable companion on all but the most challenging terrain. The 2’s in standard width fit perfect with plenty of wiggle room for the toes without having to size up to a clown shoe in length. As expected, the big old Targhee bumpers make me feel a little bit invincible when stomping along rocky trails.

Keen Shoes: sale up to −63% | Stylight Keen Shoes: sale up to −63% | Stylight

After 6 months of roughly 200 mi of trails, the T-III’s SPLIT and DELAMINATED under the ball of the foot. I am a bacpacker who has just finished filing a successful claim for REPLACEMENT of my Targhee III’s. Similar to its predecessor, this contender offers a good blend of comfort and traction in such a light package, impressing reviewers again with features like a toe bumper. Throughout testing, we liked how sturdy and supportive the Bridger felt on the trail, and we appreciate that it comes with a high-quality and nicely sculped insole. I’ve tried on the Targhee II in an 8 wide and they are only minimally snug… Pretty much like a glove, but still, minimally snug.This shoe is also one of the widest in our review, so despite the inventive wrap-around heel lacing system that snugs up around the ankle, we could not get a very good fit with medium-volume feet. We also found that the boot’s B-Dry membrane ran warm even in moderate conditions, similar to our experience with the Targhee III’s Keen. We use marketing, analytical and functional cookies as well as similar technologies to give you the best experience. Keen is not claiming that this is a lightweight hiking shoe; rather, it is a rugged hiking shoe designed with durability in mind. The addition of the shank does give some protection from sharp and pointy rocks poking into the sole from the trail, though this shoe only offers average performance in overall trail comfort.

Keen Targhee III Low Review | Tested by GearLab Keen Targhee III Low Review | Tested by GearLab

Whereas some other hiking boots like the Merrell Moab are heavier on mesh—and mesh always seems to be one of the first things to go out on our hiking footwear—the waterproof Targhee III is durable leather and rubber (note: the non-waterproof Targhee Vent does have a partial mesh upper). Targhee III Waterproof MID [ Men's - Men's Wide - Women's]: Your best bet if you'll be almost always hiking with your Targhee's. Still, I’ve spent years biting the bullet of pain through sports and 20 years in the Army that included occasional ruck marches at distances of 5 to 20 miles. Note that I am a big guy (6’4″, 215 lbs) and one of my few complaints about the Targhee II is that I wish the sole were a bit harder.

There was a time when Keen used LOW suffix for shoes, but it seems like they changed their mind about it and now don't use any suffix for them. But if you'll be hiking out in the nature, superior stability, traction and water resistance of Targhee III pay off on tougher and more slippery terrain. Therefore, moisture buildup can be issue when hiking for extended periods in warm conditions (the non-waterproof Vent model may be the better choice in those situations). To cut right to the chase, after taking the Moab 2 Ventilator to Utah’s Canyon Country and subsequent testing in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, the shoe. Other shoes with more synthetic materials allowed ease of use but without the bulk of the leather outer.