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Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
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| Biographical Information |
Name:
|
Mark
Wood
|
A Brief
Introduction
I grew up camping with my
parents and had taken a few short backpacking trips, as well as a
couple of 10-day trips before I got married. While my wife and I have
enjoyed car camping and day hiking for close to 6 years, this year we
have decided to make backpacking a permanent part of our lives. Our
trips are generally shorter (2 - 5 days) over rocky, hilly terrain. My
general pack weight for a 3 day trip is around 25 lb (11.4 kg) including
food
and water. |
| Age
/ Sex: |
26 / Male |
| Height: |
5' 11" (1.8 m) |
| Weight: |
250 lb (113 kg) |
| Email
Address: |
mwood_bgt at frontiernet dot net |
| Shoe Size: |
Mens US 11.5 |
Web page:
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http://www.markandkc.net
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| Location: |
Chenango County, NY, U.S.A. |
| Product
Information |
|
| Manufacturer: |
Keen Footwear |
| Year of Manufacture: |
2006 |
| URL of Manufacturer: |
http://www.keenfootwear.com
|
| MSRP: |
None Specified |
| Listed Weight: |
12.6 oz (357 g) (Presumably per shoe) |
| Weight as Delivered: |
Left: 14.4 oz (408 g) Right: 14.7 oz (417 g) |
| Sizes: |
Available: Mens 7 - 14 US (half sizes available thru 12)
As Tested: Mens 11.5 US |
| Colors: |
Available: Grey/Green, Black/Burnt Orange, Dark Grey/Navy
As Tested: Dark Grey/Navy |
Materials:
(From Web page) |
Uppers: Synthetic, Webbing, Mesh
Lining: Woven Synthetic
Sole: Carbon (non-marking)
|
The Keen Humboldt shoes are part
of Keen's Trailhead series of shoes. From the website, the shoes
are described as an all terrain shoe with a "stretch mesh bootie" and
"secure-fit lacing system".
Arrival Information
The product arrived in a standard shoe box with the Keen
logo on it. There were no hang tags attached to the shoe and no
product information included.
|
| Initial Impressions |
When I first saw the shoes in person, they were not exactly what I
expected. The shoe is basically a mesh bootie attached to a sole by
means of nylon webbing. However, the shoes fit wonderfully and are very
comfortable so I'm not complaining! I was a little disappointed that
the pair I received did not have the "secure-fit lacing system".
Looking at the web page, this appears to be a locking device which
eliminates the need to tie the laces. Since I often suffer from laces
untying on the trail, this system appealed to me.
One of the most striking features of the shoe is the prominent toe
guard. Since there is little structure to the stretch mesh from
which the upper is constructed, the toe guard appears to be a good
design choice. While it initially looked somewhat clunky, after wearing
the shoes, I never noticed it. The other striking feature is how
breathable these shoes are. Since the majority of the upper of
the shoe is mesh, while walking, I could feel noticeable air
circulation on the top of my foot. This shoe really feels more like a
sandal in use which is ideal since my feet tend to sweat a lot while
hiking. I'm hoping to see if these shoes eliminate the damp
feeling my feet are so accustom to after even short hikes.
I find that my feet often require
more support than the standard insole. The insoles in the
Humboldt are removable and my custom insoles fit very nicely in these
shoes. However, I will attempt to use the included insole for the
duration of the test to determine its durability and support.
From my initial walking around the house, I'm not sure that
Keen's insole needs replacing as it appears to be quite supportive.
Also worth noting is that the included insole has small holes in
it near the toe. Presumably, these are intended to provide
ventilation. Testing will determine the functionality of this
approach.
The final item worth noting on these shoes is the rather aggressive
tread that Keen has placed on the sole. There is a pattern of
alternating triangles covering the sole which are actually cut quite
deep. Initial walking on my gravel driveway and lawn show that
the traction to be at least as good as other hiking footwear. I
will be especially careful of how this sole performs on smooth hard
surfaces such as rocks and how it works in wet conditions.
|
| Field
Conditions |
I try to get out in nature at least twice a month
either car camping or backpacking. Most of the trips involve two nights
of camping. The Keen Humboldt shoes will accompany me on all such
excursions and will be used as my primary footwear source during the testing time frame.
Most of my hiking and backpacking trips center around the Adirondack
and Catskill regions of New York as well as numerous overnight trips
along the Finger Lakes Trail which passes within 10 miles (16 km) of my
home.
Due to the timing of this test, it would not be unreasonable to expect
a wide range of weather conditions from cool spring to warm summer
months. Precipitation is very common in this region so rain is almost a
certainty. Average elevation for the areas surrounding my
house is 500 - 2500 ft (150 - 750 m). Average temperatures during the
testing time frame will range from 50 - 90 F (10 - 32 C).
Also, the Keen Humboldt shoes will see almost daily use around town and
on my evening walks with my dog. Since I seem to destroy footwear
in around 4 months (the testing time frame), I will attempt to put
many miles on these shoes to give an accurate portrayal as to their
durability.
|
| Test
Plan |
I propose to test the Keen Humboldt Shoes for the following characteristics:
Fit and Comfort:
- Can I lace the shoes tight enough to properly secure my heel? Does doing so place too much pressure on other parts of my feet?
- Do the shoes have any break in period? If so, how long?
- Do I get any hot spots or blisters from the shoes? What about when they are wet?
- Does the included insole comfortably support my feet? Will
I find that I will have to switch to my more supportive insoles during
the testing time frame?
Functionality:
- Do the Humboldt offer good traction on all common types of terrain encountered? (Wet rocks, loose sand, mud, etc.)
- Do I find that the shoes retain unnecessary amounts of water? How fast do they dry?
- Does the stretch mesh bootie keep all forest duff and debris out of the shoes as advertised?
- My feet tend to sweat a lot. Do these shoes offer
sufficient ventilation to keep my feet comfortable? Does the Aegis
Microbe Shield Treated mesh lining help keep foot odors down?
- Do the shoes offer enough support for my feet while carrying a pack?
Durability:
- How well does the shoe wear over time? Does the synthetic
material on the upper of the shoe crack or scuff with repeated exposure
to the elements? Does the mesh begin to fray or tear?
- Does the sole hold up well during testing? I expect some
wear as I expect to use the shoes quite a lot, but is the wear
consistent and steady or do the shoes suddenly give out?
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| Summary |
While the shoes are not what I expected, I have found
them to fit comfortably and am really excited to see how they work on
the trail!
Likes:
- Comfortable and light.
- Appear to breathe well.
- Quite aggressive sole.
Dislikes:
- No real instructions provided with the shoe for use and care. (There are washing instructions on the web page.)
- No "secure-fit lacing system" provided on the pair of shoes I received for testing.
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I
would like to thank Keen and
BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to participate in this test!
Read more reviews of Keen gear
Read more gear reviews by Mark Wood
|
