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See All Hiking Boots

Keen Targhee II Mid

*Est. $120

Reviewed

September 2011

Pros

Roomy, rounded toe box
Good traction
Supports backpacking loads up to about 35 pounds

Cons

Mixed reviews for durability, waterproofing
Sizing seems off for some users
KeenDry membrane not very breathable
Takes a long time to dry if they get wet inside
Some customer service complaints

Where to Buy

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Our Analysis

Both the Keen Targhee II Mid and the low-cut Keen Targhee II (*Est. $115) no longer use the eVent waterproof membrane that earned both models rave reviews before 2009. Now Keen uses its own proprietary membrane, KeenDry, which testers at Backpacker magazine judge less breathable than Gore-Tex. Except for this drawback, reviewers give the Keen Targhee II mid-cut hiking shoe high marks for comfort, saying they are a good choice if you want the light weight and flexibility of a shoe, but need a little extra ankle support. Reviews say they are appropriate for backpacking with loads up to about 35 pounds. Quite a few owners say the shoe lacks durability and the waterproofing isn't up to par. We also found complaints about poor customer service from Keen. In addition, some owners say that sizing is tricky and that you may need to try on several pairs before you find the right fit. For a waterproof mid-cut hiking shoe, reviews recommend the L.L.Bean Waterproof Trail Model Hikers II, Mid-Cut (*Est. $90) .

We found excellent comparison tests at Backpacker magazine, but they cover the earlier version that used eVent for waterproofing. GearReview.com reviews the low-cut version of this shoe, and we found hundreds of owner-written reviews at Zappos.com, REI.com and Backcountry.com with consistent ratings and comments from owners.

Where To Buy

Store Rating	Notes	Total Price
87 store reviews	In Stock. Special Order	$129.95	See It
80 store reviews	In Stock. Free Shipping: No Minimum Order	$130.00	See It
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Our Sources

1. Backpacker Magazine Details/Subscribe

This backpacking magazine tests more hiking boots than any other publication we've found, putting dozens of models through rigorous field testing (for a total of more than 5,000 miles in all). For both 2007 and 2008, the Keen Targhee II Mid hiking shoe has been recommended as an excellent value -- but this was the older version that used eVent for waterproofing.

Review: March 2008 Boots Review: Mid-Duty Boots, Editors of Backpacker magazine, March 2008

2. GearReview.com

Two experienced gear reviewers provide a detailed review of the Keen Targhee II in its lower-cut version, comparing it with an earlier version as well as with other hiking shoes. The review recommends the lower-cut version for hiking and the mid-cut version for backpacking.

Review: Keen Targhee, James Sharp and Jon Sharp

3. Zappos.com

We found more owner-written reviews of the Keen Targhee II hiking shoe here than at any other site. More than 200 women and 130 men review their respective versions of the mid-cut Keen Targhee II, giving it above average ratings with praise for comfort and traction. For many users it runs small.

Review: Keen Targhee II Mid, Contributors to Zappos.com

4. REI.com

More than 100 men review the mid-cut Keen Targhee II shoes at this top retail site, and the women's version (found elsewhere on the site) gets nearly 100 reviews. The shoe earns praise for comfort, but has accumulated some criticism that leads to a below average rating on the men's model, mostly for poor durability and waterproofing. The criticism is mostly confined to the men's model, but because we can't check dates on the reviews for the women's model, we have no way of knowing if the majority were written before or after the change to KeenDry.

Review: Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots, Contributors to REI.com

5. Backcountry.com

More than 50 men and two dozen women rate and review the Keen Targhee II hiking shoe here. Most are satisfied, but several women report slippage at the heel, and quite a few owners complain that the sole isn't durable. Again, there is criticism that the waterproofing is substandard and fails quickly.

Review: Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Shoe -- Men's, Contributors to Backcountry.com

6. Amazon.com

More than two dozen men and women review the Keen Targhee II Mid shoe here, echoing the reviews at other sites -- most users find them comfortable, but report problems with durability, waterproofing and Keen customer service.

Review: Keen Men's Targhee II Mid, Contributors to Amazon.com

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