Tester Biographical Information:

Name: Ken Bigelow
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 9” (1.8 m)
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
Email: krb84108 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Backpacking Background:

I was first dragged on a backpacking trip eight years ago and have been addicted to it ever since.  My adventures vary in length from a weekend to over two weeks.  I consider myself a mid-weight backpacker as I bring along a few luxuries, such as a tent.  From spring through fall I typically backpack in the mountains or desert, while in winter I often go snowshoeing.  I typically see a wide variety of climates ranging from 10 F (-12 C) with snow to 90 F (32 C) and sunny with just about everything in between.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Keen
Website: www.keenfootwear.com
Size: Men's 10 US
Listed Weight: 11.6 oz (329 g)
Measured Weight: 12 oz (340 g) per Sandal; 1 lb 8 oz (680 g) for the pair
Year Manufactured: 2005
Color: Dark Grey/Loden (Dark Grey/Red Rock &  Black Navy also available)
MSRP: $90 US

Field Conditions:

Throughout the final four months of testing,  I used the Keen Boulder Sandals in Yellowstone National Park, the Wasatch Mountains, the High Uintas Wilderness, Canyonlands National Park, the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and Zion National Park.  The terrain has varied greatly and has included wet and muddy corridors, steep and rocky terrain, snow-covered trails and plain old dirt paths.  I have also used them around town when running errands.  Temperatures have ranged from 25 F (-4 C) to 80 F (27 C).  The elevations experienced have been between 4,000 feet (1,220 m) and 11,000 feet (3,353 m).

Long Term Review:

While backpacking along the Escalante River, the Boulder Sandals were the only piece of footwear I carried.  The trail crosses the river countless times and, in some cases, is actually in the river.  Well above normal snow pack left the river flowing high even in September.  The water depth ranged from mid thigh to waist deep.  I was slightly concerned (as normally it's ankle to knee deep), but the current wasn't too swift so I continued.  The Boulder Sandals supplied enough traction so that I was able to maintain my balance the entire trip.  The sandals supported my feet throughout the trip, which included hiking up to an Anasazi ruin, a natural bridge, an arch and a side canyon.  The sandals performance was not the least bit affected (as far as I could tell) when in the river.  I did notice that the silt in the river did seem to collect in the toeguard and had to be emptied multiple times, but this wasn't too much of a hassle.  One group I encountered even remarked on my excellent choice in footwear for the trail.

I also used the Keen Boulder Sandals to explore the Kolob Canyons Region of Zion National Park.  Everyday of the trip I had to cross Timber Creek, La Verkin Creek or Willis Creek numerous times.  Some of these I was able to rock-hop across, but others I had no choice except to get my feet wet.  I also went up Beartrap Canyon which required quite a bit of wading.  The water was fairly cold (it was late November), but was not intolerable as the water drained out of the sandals quickly.  I had no problems maneuvering around downfall or rock-hopping.  I did stub my toe a couple of times, but thanks to the toeguard (which I still love) it was a painless process.  I would certainly say they were an aid in exploring the region.
In August I spent a week backpacking in Yellowstone National Park.  I wore the Keen Boulder Sandals for a couple of days of backpacking as well as everyday in camp.  Near the end of the trip we had to ford the Snake River twice.  Both times I only had to remove my socks before crossing the river, while everyone else in my party had to dig in their packs for their water shoes, change their footwear, store their hiking boots and then cross.  Needless to say they were substantially slower in fording than me.  I was on the other side of the before they had even started to cross the river.  While waiting for the group on the final ford, I astutely pointed out that their progress was less than ideal.  They responded with hand gestures and exchanged ideas on where they to store my trekking poles when they caught up.  Lucky for me we were close to the trailhead.
The rubbing I reported in my field report can be solved by wearing socks in conjunction with the sandals.  I did try substituting Shock Doctor inserts for the footbed, but had the same results when I went without socks.  I also tried using both footbeds simultaneously.  This actually stopped the sandals from rubbing the back of my feet, but squished my outer toes to the point of being uncomfortable to walk in.  Wearing socks seems to be the best solution as they can be put on or removed rather quickly.

The rear interior (where the sandals rub the back of my feet) is the only part of the Keen Boulder Sandals that has shown any significant wear and tear.  The traction has worn down some, but not more than any trailrunner or sneaker I've ever owned for six months.  The footbed has held up wonderfully even through four or five washings.  Cleaning instructions say to wash the sandals in the washing machine and then air-dry.  This works surprisingly well.  They come out clean and don't smell like my feet (woo-hoo!), but do stick to my tile floor until they've completely dried out. Washing them on the trail only requires standing in clear water for a few minutes.  This does not work in silty, opaque water which will, in fact, fill up the sandals with quite a bit soil.

Summary:

The Keen Boulder Sandals provide comfortable and stable support for a variety of different terrain.  They are my favorite pair of water shoes and I will continue to use them in this role.  I still love the toeguard and think it's a genius idea.  I would like to see the design upgraded so as to not rub the back of my feet when I do not wear socks.  Some sort of bug protection could also prove to be useful.

Things I like:

• Excellent water shoes
  
• Allows me cross water hazards quickly
  
• Comfortable to wear
  
• Toeguard
• Supports my feet

Concerns:

• I need to wear socks in order to prevent the sandals from rubbing the back of my feet on steep terrain
  
• River & Trail debris can enter and is not always easy to remove
• Bugs have easy access to my feet

I would like to thank Keen Footwear and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to participate in this test.