Name: Jennifer Joy
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Height: 5'4" (1.63 m)
Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)
Email address: jjoy AT io DOT com
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: June 7, 2005

Backpacking Background

I have been camping and hiking since I was a small child. I used to not be very weight conscious, but I am actively working to move towards lightweight backpacking and plan to replace much of my gear in an effort to help an extreme tendency for tendonitis. My backpacking trips tend to be over a weekend or day hikes within a multi-day kayaking trip. Multi-week hiking is a long-term goal. I could be considered an intermediate backpacker but an experienced camper.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Keen
Year of manufacture: 2005
Website: http://www.keenfootwear.com/

Listed weight (one shoe): 11.0 oz (312 g)

Weight as tested (one shoe): 11.3 oz (320 g)

Shoe alone: 10.6 oz (301 g)

Insole: 0.7 oz (20 g)
MSRP: $99.95 U.S.
Material: Upper is waterproof leather, webbing and mesh

Color: Fuzz/Loden (tan with spruce green accents)

My shoe size: 8 (U.S.)

Shoe size requested: 8 (U.S.)

Notes on fit:

According to the website, these shoes might run a bit large, but I did not find this to be true in my case.

Product Description

The Keen Taos lies somewhere between a shoe and a sandal. I find it to be more shoe than sandal because if you covered the open holes with mesh you would have a fully enclosed shoe. The secure shoe-like heel cup is also very non-sandal like. The women's shoe is built on a B width last (the men's sandal is built on a D last). The shoe has a beige leather upper that is very soft. The straps are somewhat stretchy and what appeared to be stitching along the beige stripe on the straps is reflective. The straps are connected with a thin bungee-like lace system. A small plastic toggle is used to snug the laces. The tongue is made of a padded mesh material. A thickly lugged, semi-stiff sole wraps around to the front of the shoe providing a very hard toe covering. The footbed is treated with AEGIS Microbe Shield (TM) which is supposed to protect against odor, staining and deterioration. The entire shoe is machine washable.

As delivered:

The shoes arrived in a normal shoe box with the usual paper stuffed in the toes and wrapped around the shoes. There was a surprising lack of product detail with the shipped product. At a minimum I would have expected care instructions as well as information on the warranty. Instead there is a small 2005 product guide which does nothing more than list models and colors available.

The website was a little more informative, but I had to hunt to find the information. From the sales brochure and the website, I get the impression it's all about the models, how they look and what color they are! On the website I could roll my mouse over the colors and see how they would appear on my model of choice. As far as product information the website states:

The Taos elevates performance footwear to the next level. It combines all of the support and function one would expect from a functional trail shoe with the open breathability of a sandal and Keen's patented toe protection. This redefines the meaning of Hybrid.

The website goes on to list these features and benefits:

1. Waterproof Leather, Mesh and Webbing Upper

Encapsulates the foot, functioning as a sandal

2. Patent-pending Dual-density EVA Midsole/Shank

Provides balanced support and toe off

3. Non-marking, Deep Lug Cabon Rubber Outsole

Excellent traction in loose dirt, scree, or rock

4. Secure-fit Lace Capture System

Integrates lacing with foot to prevent heel slip

5. Metatomical, Removeable Footbed

Cushioning under foot, accommodates orthotics

I never could find any warranty information on the website. The website offers a limited selection of FAQs but they center around the Newport model.

That all being said, the product was as I expected from my prior research on the website.

First use and impressions:

I had tried on a similar model of Keen shoes on at a retail store to make sure I requested the correct size, so I had no sizing surprises. The shoes fit well both with and without socks, although I found it hard to snug the heel quite as tight as I might have liked.

The Metatomical (TM) insoles seem sturdy and well-made. It has a ridge across the toe line which helps keep the foot in place, although the shoe fits snuggly enough this isn't too much of a problem. The insole is not made of a single material. The top has a soft and fuzzy covering over a stiff black material. On the underside can be seen a softer yellow material which is placed where the foot contacts the footbed. The insole is contoured to help support and secure the foot. One of the nice features of this sandal-like shoe is that you can remove the insole and put in an orthotic. My 3/4 length orthotic fit well but I had problems with it sliding around when I put the shoe on. Once the shoe was on successfully, which sometimes required a second try, I had no further problems with orthotic movement. My experience is that this is because I have a short orthotic so it is free to move forward in the shoe.

The sole has thick lugs on the outside and a stiff shank. Dry traction was good, but I have not gotten the shoe wet yet. The deep lugs in the sole did hold mud.

The lack of laces is nice. The shoes came with the plastic-secured ends tucked under the laces and that approach has worked well so far. The only problem I've had is fine-tuning the adjustments to get the heel tight enough without getting the rest of the shoe too tight.

It is a good looking shoe with an aggressive-looking tread. My brother remarked to me that they looked like climbing shoes because of the wide black wrap-around toe cover.

I've worn the shoes around the house and yard and have found the only problem with them to be is that even without socks my feet were getting rather hot.

Field Test Plan

Locations for Test:

1. Month-long trip in July in Michigan/Wisconsin
Description: Multiple kayak and hiking day trips

Weather: I’m not sure of the weather patterns but I would guess from the 70s F (21 C) into the low 90s F (32 C).
Goal: Durability, functionality, intense use. I will endeavor to make this shoe my main shoe for the trip.

Other activities and tests:
2. Kayaking (Texas)
Description: You can never have enough kayaking.

Weather: See #3 below.
Goal: Determine comfort while wet, drying time and of course, to administer the funky smell test.

3. General use
Description: Normal activities around the house, yard work and trips around town

Weather: Seasonal variation with highs in the low 70s F (21 C) at the beginning of the test period to highs at the middle to end of the test period going in to the hot range (95-105 F / 35-41 C). Overall, I expect a lot of hot weather.
Goal: How does it hold up to yard dirt, how well does it breathe, long term use. Use in the heat. Comfort and fit.

Considerations for Test:

Fit/comfort:

-General comments on fit (heel, toes, and so on).

-Comments on general fit without the orthotic and a lot more attention on comfort and use with an orthotic.

-Stability and support of the sandal as a whole.

-General sandal worries such as the frequency of grit and dirt in the shoe and how difficult it is to remove.

-Will the shoe remain comfortable when wet?

-How well does the lace system work?

Materials:
-How well does the material hold up to repeated wet use?
-Will the AEGIS Microbe Shield work or will it get a funky smell over time and will washing cure it?

-Will other dirt and stains come out of the material?
-What does repeated machine washes do to the product over time?

-How quickly does the material dry? The claim is air dry in a few hours.

-Is the sole non-marking as claimed? (Pirouettes on the linoleum usually can confirm this.)

-How well does the sole grip on wet rocks or loose dirt trails?

Summary of initial likes:

Initial impression of fit is good
Orthotic support in something like a sandal

Summary of initial concerns:

Hot feet

A final note:

Thank you to BackpackGearTest and Keen for the opportunity to test the Taos.

Read more reviews of Keen gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Joy

Initial Report