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Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Keen Humboldt > James Triplett > Long Term ReportLong Term Test Report Trailhead Shoes
 by James E. Triplett October 11, 2006
Personal Biographical Information: Name: James
E. Triplett
Age: 46 Gender: Male Height: 6' 2" (188 cm) Weight: 189 lb (86 kg) Foot size: 12 (US - as measured on a Brannock Device) Email address: james_triplett@hotmail.com City, state: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Backpacking Background: I am
an experienced hiker, backpacker, and camper, and am gaining more
experience with winter camping every year. I hike every day, and
backpack as much as possible, which equates to many weekends
backpacking and camping each year. I try and take at least one
week-long backpacking trip yearly, in addition to many one to
three-night weekend trips. My style can best be described
as light to mid-weight, but not at the cost of giving up too much
comfort. I sleep in a tent, and generally pack more gear than I
need.
Manufacturer: Keen Footwear Product information: Year of
Manufacture: 2006
Date Item Received: May 23, 2006 Product Name: Men's Humboldt (Shoe) Model Number: 1209 BKOR Size: Mens 11 ½ US Color: Black/Burnt Orange MSRP: None provided
Additional Product information: Materials and Features:
Colors
and Sizes:
 REVIEW: Test Conditions: The
Keen Humboldt shoes have become my go-to shoes for all walking, hiking,
and backpacking. While on my feet they have been submerged in
water, slopped through mud, and worn on trails, streets, through fields
and forests. The terrain has been flat to hilly, without any
dramatic climbs. The temperature range for the test period has
been from around 42 to 90 F (5.5 to 32 C), and believe it or not, I
experienced both extremes within 24 hours last week here in Iowa.
Hiking locations have been predominantly in Eastern Iowa where the
elevation is approximately 860 feet (262 meters). I have also
used the Humboldts on some trails in Missouri where the elevation is
approximately 530 feet (162 meters). The total distance on trails
with the Humboldts I estimate to be over 300 miles (500 km), plus a
significant amount of use as every-day outdoor shoes.
Humboldt Fit & Comfort: As
reported in my Field
Report, the
Keen Humboldts fit my feet quite well. There has been some
loosening of the stretchy sock-like uppers, but overall they still seem
to fit adequately. The only issue with fit remains the fact that
the top pair of shoelace retaining loops are not far enough apart
causing them to meet when pulling the laces tight, and thus not
allowing any further tightening (see image below). The insoles in
the Keens are not glued in and are easily removable. I
experimented by putting a pair of my off the shelf insoles in the
Humboldts and they fit fine. However, the insoles which came in
the shoes are quite respectable, and I decided they offered enough
support for my needs, so I returned to using the Keen insoles.
Trail Use: I
have used the Keen Humboldts for all my hiking and backpacking over the
test period. This includes hikes in the wooded areas around my
house, day-hikes in nearby state parks, and six overnight backpacking
trips in Eastern Iowa. The shoes are not overly supportive as
their design is geared toward light weight and low bulk. They are
indeed light-weight, and my feet feel pretty fresh even after a long
day on the trail. Even when carrying a 30 pound (14 kg) pack, the
shoes breathe quite well and my feet have not overheated. That
being said, the shoes do seem to retain foot odor. I have worn
the Humboldts exclusively with socks.
Test
Results:When traveling down well groomed trails the Keen Humboldts are perfect for my needs. They are light and airy and provided enough support. When scrambling over rocks or other challenging terrain, the reduced amount of ankle support is evident, and I have consciously used caution in these situations. This is especially noticeable when carrying a loaded backpack. The webbing up the center of the shoes (beneath the laces) and around the back of the shoes has reflective material stitched into it, and when hiking in the dark while using headlamps, the shoes are easily visible by other hikers.  The
Keen Humboldt Trailhead Shoes offer a unique design where the uppers
are more like socks than the traditional sides overlapping a separate
tongue. The uppers are mesh for improved airflow, and stretch so
that they snugly fit all around the foot. Although these are
unmistakably "shoes", they offer some of the comfort and breathability
of sandals.
I have had the Humboldts totally caked with dirt and mud, and they clean up quite well. On most occasions when they are damp and/or filthy, I simply continue to wear them and if the trail conditions are dry the shoes will self-clean to a great degree. Once foot odor is established though, a quick scrub back home in the kitchen sink is in order. I am a little surprised that given the breathability of the shoes they still take a couple of days to dry when sitting outdoors in a well ventilated area. Wearing them while slightly damp seems to drive the moisture out more rapidly.  The Keen Humboldts show some wear in the fabric, the laces, and there are some gouges in the sides of the rubber soles. The treads show very little wear, and the shoes still perform in the same fashion they did originally. They grip as well as or better than expected, on all trail conditions I have encountered.  As I mentioned in my Initial Report the Keenfootwear website lists the Humboldts as having a "Secure Fit Lace Capture System", which is a cord-lock that the laces run through rather than the conventional long laces which are tied. Checking the website again today, they are still shown that way. Below is a picture of my son's Keen sandals which have this feature. The Humboldts received for testing have conventional laces.  Summary: The Keen Humboldt shoes have performed
well throughout the test period. They offer reasonable stability,
excellent traction, and are light weight and breathable. My only
complaints are that they didn't come with the "Secure Fit Lace Capture
System" shown on the website, the design won't allow me to lace them as
tight as I would like, and they retain foot odor. That being
said, I really like the shoes and have had zero foot trouble while
wearing them. Even right out of the box I was able to hike all
day in the Keens without issues. I will continue to use and enjoy
the Keen Humboldt Trailhead Shoes on many upcoming hikes.
Respectfully submitted, -James T. 
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