To my eyes, the Keen Targhee Mid III is one of the best-looking hiking boots. I’ve used various Keen models in the past and have usually found them reliable (if not the most long-lived) and uniquely comfortable. Plenty of attention has been paid to style in the Targhee III: beautifully coloured, brushed leather upper complemented by a fabric mesh around the collar and tongue. Free-flowing round-core laces thread through loops sewn into that leather and pull the boot snugly in around the mid-foot, while interwoven fabric ribbon links to the heel, hopefully aiding stability. The rugged looking Keen.All-Terrain outsole does a fine job of providing traction on a wide variety of terrains. The Targhee Mid III looks great, is pleasingly light and is the most affordable boot on test…
John Manning’s verdict
I really wanted to like this boot and took it out on more mountain walks than I might normally have done, in the hope that we’d come to terms. If anything, however, we only drifted further apart.- Price
- weight
- Style
- Traction
- Single-hook Lacing
- Warmth
- Discomfort
- Instability
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £145 Weight: 978g (stated, men’s size 9/EU43); 1,140g (on JM’s scales, men’s size 10.5/EU45) Eco/ethical claims: Eco Anti-Odor for natural odor control; uppers contain environmentally preferred premium leather from LWG-certified tannery; PFAS-free DWR Materials: leather/mesh upper; quick-dry lining; PU insole; EVA midsole Features: Keen.All-Terrain rubber outsole with 4mm multi-directional lugs; Keen.Dry membrane; injected TPU heel-capture system for stability; external stability shank delivers lightweight support; environmentally preferred premium leather from LWG-certified tannery; PFAS-free, durable water repellent; Eco Anti-Odor; Original Fit–Iconic Keen fit with generous space across forefoot for toes to spread out Sizes (UK/EU): men’s 6-16, including half sizes up to 11 (EU39.5–49); women’s 2.5–8.5 including half sizes (EU35–42) Women/men’s version: both URL: www.keenfootwear.de/en |
Yet looks aren’t everything, and this latest incarnation of the Keen Targhee Mid III hasn’t floated my boat. One issue was the sizing, which felt tight compared to others – my feet doubtless played some part as, like those of most on the planet, they’re ever-so-slightly uneven – but adjusting the free-running laces didn’t help: that would have left the upper’s supple fabric too loose, so both feet – especially my ever-so-slightly larger left – felt squeezed. A consequence of that constriction was that, with so little room within, they also ran warm. The warmth and tightness both affected comfort.
The other problem was stability. Even with the good traction and over-snug lacing, both feet felt to be shifting around not within the boot but rather with the boot. Personal issues might factor again – perhaps the last on which the boot was built simply isn’t a good match for the shape of my own feet – but I didn’t get a reassuring sense of support.
I really wanted to like this boot and took it out on more mountain walks than I might normally have done, in the hope that we’d come to terms. If anything, however, we only drifted further apart.
Reviewed and tested by John Manning
John has medium-to-broad UK10.5 (EU45) feet; his left foot is marginally larger. He tested the boots on varied terrain, from limestone and gritstone Pennine fells to steep vegetated slopes, muddy field paths and pathless Pennine moors. The footwear was weighed at home on his kitchen scales.
