KEEN Men's Targhee II Mid Height Waterproof Hiking Boot

I have hiked in these boots starting February of 2016. Mountain trails here and overseas. Asphalt and dirt trails over East Tennessee.Some wear but not extensive. Still look and most importantly feel good.I am size 10 medium. Best fitting shoe I have ever worn including fancy tennis shoes. Fits and hikes comfortably with single pair of medium to heavy merino wool socks.Slip loop lace loops make tightening quick, easy and uniform over top of foot. Plastic lace grips have performed perfectly. Laces stay tight even without being tied.Expect to have continued good performance for another 10 years.

When reviewing I saw several negative reviews. Was a little hesitant about buying due to everyone saying that the bottoms delaminate. Have to say these boots held up perfectly. Hiked 15 to 20 miles with no delaminating problems. They may eventually but these boots are worth the money in my opinion.

The Keen Targhee II men's waterproof mid hikers are surprisingly light and extraordinarily comfortable, right out of the box. The lengthy lace pattern starts right where the toe box meets the boot body and extends well up the ankle, allowing for a fairly custom fit (or for thick/thin sock versatility). Personally, I would prefer one more set of lugs for the laces to make the fit even more adjustable, but that is subjective and the lace configuration works fine. The rubber soles are a bit slick when new, but once roughed up, are grippy and confidence-instilling. I don't know if they will hold up as well as the Vibram compounds I have on other boots, but so far, so good. The 4mm lug pattern is aggressive, but not to the point that you're digging walnuts and rodents out of them at the end of the day. The EVA midsole is solid but has some springy give to it. My feet felt stable, yet flexible. The compound does feel soft so durability may be sacrificed for comfort. Rock-hoppers might see some early damage. The ESS shank is also rigid but has enough give for us high-arched folks to feel okay. Because of my tall feet, I had intended to replace the dual-density footbeds or swap for my super-comfy Salewa beds, but the factory pads actually feel pretty good so I will give them a solid run.The fabric, leather, and "other" materials are all well-conceived and well-used. I am hard on boots and prefer few metal and plastic parts that can bend or break. The Targhee II's deliver with only two plastic lugs at the ankle and reinforced nylon loop/webbing elsewhere. The seam and gusset construction is all smart and highly-functional. Linings are soft and, so far, durable. Even the laces are really nice- typical Keen with an almost abrasive quality to them that helps them lock into lugs and stay tied.If aesthetics are part of your hiking musts, the s***ake/brindle combo is about as benign as it gets- brown and light brown with dark brown accents and a splash of black. Color, aside from the reflective stitching, comes from the yellow lettering on KEEN and WATERPROOF labels- not exactly flashy (save that for your speed hikers!). Touching on the waterproof claim- so far so yep. I haven't spent significant time standing in water up to the collars, but showers and serious puddle stomping- bone dry piggies! I do not engage in significant water-crossing so I do not have a need for more rigorous wet-testing. If, however, anything develops from testing by field happenstance, I will update my review.In summary: If you want a light, versatile, all-day hiker that will get you up the rocks, through the brush, and over the squishy stuff (rain or shine), I cannot imagine finding a better boot for under $200. Pictures are from one of 6 full days (virtually sun up to sun down) hiking/trekking through Ireland in my Targhees with confidence instilling footing, no wet socks, and exceptional comfort. Keep in mind- these are a general-purpose hiking option. They are not designed to be task-specific. If you spend 90% of your time in mud, in sand, on rocks, in snow, etc, get specific gear. If you want an excellent all-purpose option that will handle a reasonable amount of terrain/weather, get 'em.A couple of notes:- These boots are warm on warm days. They do not breathe tremendously well, but you only get so much breathability out of breathable waterproof linings/boots; especially those that employ lots of leather.- Although some other Keens I own run maybe a 1/4 size small, and notes on Amazon's storefront advise ordering 1/2 size larger, the Targhee II's I got are accurate in length. I ordered my regular size expecting them to start out snug, and break in for a better "my feet" fit, but they are a perfect, true 10.5 for me. In fact, since in most boots, I wish they made a 10.75, the Targhee II slightly wider than D girth (my opinion) allows my foot to fill the boot comfortably, with substantial side-to-side adjustability. I can slack the laces for a less constricting experience, or snug them down for more serious terrain and the fit responds perfectly.

UPDATE: In the past, Keen was a good brand, with great durability. Now.... Keen is a worthless company when it comes to quality/durability, and warranty..........WARRANTY IS USELESS! Keen's warranty is so lopsided in favor of Keen, and you will never get anything from them under the warranty. My shoes literally fell apart within 4 months.... I contacted them about the warranty. Sent images, receipt images, screenshots of purchase info, and right from the start they throw up roadblocks. Went back and forth via email for a weeks.....pictures, and even video showing how badly the shoes fell apart..... they always have some excuse as to why the warranty won't cover it, EVERY time, a some point in an email or phone conversation this phrase came out..... "That is considered normal wear and tear, and is not covered under out warranty." WAY OVERPRICED SHOES, AND LESS THAN 6 MONHTS OF USABILITY BEFORE THEY HAVE FALLEN APART.....AND A WARRANTY THAT IS USELESS TO THE CUSTOMER! I don't know what happened to Keen, but they went from a good brand, to horrible in no time at all.If you buy Keen brand footwear, then make sure you buy a CASE of Shoe Goo, or similar product..... YOU WILL NEED IT! The lugs that wrap upward will be the first to start coming apart..... for me, it caused me to trip and fall! Even when you try to "glue" the lugs back in place, another one comes loose, and you spend more time trying to repair them then wear them! Shortly after the sole lugs start coming loose, the stitching starts coming out, and the soles tear away from the uppers. It's insane, trying to repair a shoe that for the high cost, should not be coming apart in the first place. Keen shoes/boots are without a doubt the most overpriced, poorest quality footwear I have ever seen! You'd be just about as well off to burn your money for warmth....because that's about how long these boots will last!UPDATED REVIEW: Less then 8 months with only wearing them about once a week, and the lugs have separated around the outside of BOTH soles! This is totally unacceptable for a shoe of this price! No way will I spend that kind of money for such lousy durability! NEVER AGAIN!THESE BOOTS ARE NOT TRUE TO SIZE! (They run small)I was looking at this boot through a local retailer, and glad I did. I tried on my normal size (11.5 W) and they were very small and tight. I asked to try on a 12W and it fit just right. They only had one pair of 12W at the store, and that pair had a defect that I wasn't willing to live with. I got home, looked on Amazon, and the same boots are $49 LESS! I ordered a pair of 12W, and they fit just right.This is day 1 with them on my feet, so we'll see how the comfort and durability holds up. If they start coming apart prematurely as others have stated in reviews, I will update my review/