Biographical Information:

Name: Tom Van Rossum
Age: 48                             Gender: Male
Height: 5'10" (1.78 m)      Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email: tomvr1 at yahoo dot com
Portland, Oregon, USA

I started backpacking in Scouts and have been hiking ever since. Most trips are in the typically wet mountainous Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon - from thick underbrush, to old growth forests, to snow above the tree line, I enjoy it all. I also make occasional trips to the more arid region east of the mountains or along the very wet Pacific coast. One or two night weekend backpacking trips are my most common, followed by day hikes, and a couple of weeklong hikes each year. I am a traditional "heavy" packer enjoying comfort and low risk. The last couple of years I have tried to lighten my load but have had minimal success.

Product Information (from their web site):
Website: http://www.keenfootwear.com

Keen advertises these Newport sandals as designed to perform in the adverse conditions of a marine environment with:

lugged, razor-sipped, and non-marking sole
waterproof nubuck upper

toe guard for protection

Anatomical last and EVA midsole for comfort

Anti-microbial EVA footbed for odor and moisture control

Colors:
Men's Black, Charcoal, and Ink Blue
Women's Plum, Stone, and Ink Blue

Sizes:
Men's 7-14 (half sizes through 12)
Women's 5-11 (half sizes through 10)

Weight:
Men's 13.9 oz (397 grams)
Women's 11.2 oz (317 grams)
I measured them (men's size 8.5 US) at 13.6 oz (381 grams) each.

Conditions
I have worn these sandals at least 3-5 days per week for the last six months. They have been on my feet backpacking, day hiking, camping, boating, shopping, working in the office and bumming around the house. Temperatures have ranged from 32 F (0 C) to 100 F (38 C).

Observations

My first and last impression wearing these sandals is that they are wonderfully comfortable.
Initially the toe guard lightly pressed down on my left big toe. This continued for a month until the shoe better conformed to my foot. This happened again in the Fall when I began wearing them with socks. My toe never got sore but it was a minor distraction.

The insole has a molded toe pattern that does not match mine. After six months this continues to be a minor distraction. A lack of arch support makes my feet tired after a day of standing or walking.
They are very comfortable while in the office and walking around town

I wore them backpacking with packs up to 33 lbs (15 kg) and they were great! I typically wear hiking boots and have never even tried low top hiking shoes so this was quite a change for me. The lighter and cooler footwear was quite refreshing.

The elastic closure with cord lock creates a quick snug fit but it does stretch becoming unstable on rocky trails and in fast running streams. The elastic cord was longer than necessary. Cord elasticity remains good.
The soles are advertised as non-marking and I have found this to be true, both in the kitchen and on the boat deck. On these smooth surfaces as well as stream beds the Newports provide excellent traction. The soles have held up well and show only minor wear.
My feet are usually cold. During the summer with temperatures between 70 and 100 F (21 - 38 C) I wore them almost every day. The ventilation on warm days sure helps to keep my feet cool. My bare feet would get cold in the sandals when the temperature dropped below 68 F (20 C). As Fall temperatures dropped I switched to wearing them with wool socks which keeps me comfortable down to freezing.
One of the aspects of the Newports that I appreciate most is their protection. The sole is firm, the nubuck leather uppers provide plenty of protection to my foot, and the sturdy toe guard has saved my toes many times. After six months of regular use they still look very good; I look forward to using them for at least another season.
On the trail, bits of dirt, twigs, and debris do get in under my foot. This is an intrinsic issue with all sandals. The significant coverage of the uppers limit the size and amount of grit that gets in but once it is there I had to just live with it or remove and empty the sandal.

These sandals are great for going in and out of water. They are just as comfortable wet as they are dry, no changing shoes when fording streams with these babies, just walk on through and keep truckin. When using them in a cold alpine lake I found that the cushioned insole actually acted as a wet suit and kept my feet warmer. The insoles and leather uppers do absorb water and take 12 to 24 hours to dry. While the 'waterproof' nubuck leather absorbs water it does not suffer adversely and remains in excellent condition after many cycles of wet and dry.

Do they smell? "Serdia tm anti-microbial EVA footbed inhibits foot odor" is what they say on their web site (www.keenfootwear.com). I cannot vouch for the why but I do know that they don't smell too bad. After a hot day on my feet, yes they do smell, but by morning most of the odor is gone. Couple this with frequent stream crossings and odor is not an issue.

Summary
Pros:
- Foot protection
- Traction
- Wet/Dry comfort

Cons:
- Molded insole does not match my toes
- Elastic cord allows the uppers to lose support when I need it most (rocky trails and fast moving streams)

These sandals have become my footwear of choice. A big thanks to Keen and BGT for the opportunity to test these Newport sandals.

Read more reviews of Keen gear
Read more gear reviews by Tom Van Rossum

Long Term Report

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