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Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Keen Targhee II Mid > Owner Review by Nancy Griffith

KEEN TARGHEE II MID HIKING BOOTS
BY NANCY GRIFFITH
OWNER REVIEW
December 12, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Nancy Griffith
EMAIL: bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 42
LOCATION: Northern California
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
WEIGHT: 132 lb (60.00 kg)

My outdoor experience began in high school with involvement in a local canoeing/camping group called Canoe Trails. The culmination was a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since my college days in Pennsylvania. I have completed all of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Now I usually hike in the Sierra Nevada of California. Most of my trips are section hikes or loops from a few days to a week. I carry a light to mid-weight load, use a tent, stove and hiking poles.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Targhee II
Manufacturer: Keen
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.keenfootwear.com
MSRP: $120 US
Listed Weight: 28 oz (790 g) based on size Women's 7M
Measured Weight: 31 oz (880 g)
Size: Women's 9M
Color: Walnut

The Keen Targhee II boot is a mid-height light hiking boot with eVENT waterproof breathable membrane. The ankle collar is padded. The uppers are nubuck leather with mesh and webbing. The webbing integrates with the laces to wrap around the back of the boot. It also is looped at the back of the heel to create a loop for pulling on the boot. The rubber outsole wraps around the top of the toe.
webbing heel

The outsole has 4mm multi-directional lugs of non-marking carbon rubber.
sole

The eyelets are made of the same webbing that wraps the back of the shoe.
eyelet

Midsole: Two-piece compression-molded EVA
Shank: ESS plastic
The insole is removable.

Keen recommends cleaning footwear in cold water with mild soap or detergent and air drying away from heat.


FIELD USE

I bought these boots in the early summer of 2008. With plans to hike in Mount Rainier National Park and to climb Mount Whitney, I wanted a pair of lightweight but waterproof boots. I had been mainly wearing light hikers that are not waterproof. I had never owned a pair of Keens but had read good things about them, so I thought I'd give them a try. When I tried them on, I really liked the roominess of the toe box. I had read that they run small, so I wasn't too surprised when a size 9 was the boot that fit although I typically wear size 8. These are my first pair of boots using eVENT waterproof lining. All of my previous waterproof boots used GoreTex.

After buying these boots, I went out and found some spring snow melt puddles to test out the waterproofness. I walked for a total of approximately 50 yards/meters through water to a depth that just barely covered the top of the toes. I was careful to walk slowly and smoothly so that no water would get over the waterproof lining. I felt moisture on top of one foot. I took the boot off and could feel moisture inside and see that a spot on the top of my sock was wet. I returned this pair to the store where I purchased them and tried another pair of the exact same boots. I went home, filled my large cooler with some water and stood in the cooler with water just covering the top of my toes. I even sloshed around carefully. No problem.

I wore these boots for most of my trips all summer. I would estimate that I wore them for a total of 150 miles (240 km) of hiking and backpacking. I also wore them for stream fishing. They are comfortable enough that I never carried any other camp shoes on my backpacking trips. I simply loosened the laces in camp and continued to wear these.

Some examples of my trips in these boots include:
Backpacking:
Castle Peak, Northern Sierra Nevada (California): 19 miles (30 km); 7,200 to 9,103 ft (2,195 to 2,775 m) elevation; loose dirt to rocky to snow field conditions.

Round Top, Northern Sierra Nevada (California): 17 miles (27 km); 8,573 to 10,381 ft (2,613 to 3,164 m) elevation; packed dirt to rocky to snow field conditions.

Mount Whitney, Southern Sierra Nevada (California): 22 miles (35 km); 8,366 to 14,497 ft (2,550 to 4,419 m) elevation; packed dirt to rocky to icy conditions.

Mount Rainier Northern Loop (Washington): 50 miles (81 km); 1,700 to 6,740 ft (518 to 2,054 m) elevation; packed dirt to rocky conditions.

Day Hiking:
Mount Ralston, Northern Sierra Nevada (California): 7 miles (11 km); 6,400 to 9,235 ft (1,950 to 2,815 m) elevation; 65 to 80 F (18 to 27 C); packed dirt to rocky conditions.

White Mountain, White Mountains (California): 10 miles (16 km); 12,470 to 14,246 ft (3,800 to 4,340 m) elevation; 45 to 70 F (7 to 21 C); packed dirt to rocky conditions.

New Dungeness Lighthouse, Sequim, Washington: 11 miles (18 km); sea level; 55 to 70 F (13 to 21 C); sandy conditions.

The durability of these boots has been great especially considering the rugged conditions in which they have been used. Other than some scratches on the sides of the soles from many encounters with granite rocks, there are virtually no signs of wear. The stitching is holding together fine and the rubber sole attachment to the leather is intact.

The traction of the soles is really good. They stick well when I am climbing and descending steep granite rock. I have hiked on icy trails, in downpours, across snowfields and have had no problems with slipping except in extremely muddy conditions.

I found the breathability of the boots to be good. Although I often wore them in warm conditions, I never had an issue with hot or sweaty feet.

SUMMARY

I am completely satisfied with the comfort and waterproof performance of these boots. I would buy Keen again and would buy boots with eVENT lining.

THINGS I LIKE

Comfort/fit
Waterproofness
Traction
Durability

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Nothing

SIGNATURE

Nancy Griffith

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

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