Discover Keen Shoes

By Courtney Miles on Monday, January 18, 2010 - 10:01

My search for great walking shoes has led me down many a path. Unfortunately, no shoe has lived up to my needs. Most of them are in pieces by the end of the first year. Then I discovered Keen shoes. Their reputation preceded them through several different friends. They raved about how much they loved their Keen walking shoes and how I just had to have a pair. Skeptical as always, I decided to do some research of my own.

I soon discovered that Keen started out as a sandal company who now makes a large assortment of walking shoes, boots, sandals, tote bags, and more. They create socks and bags out of recycled materials from their footwear plant. They pride themselves on being a very eco-friendly company, which is important to me. I was a little leery about the $100 price tag on some of their shoes, however, I calculated if they lasted at least a year, that’s less than $10 per month. So I decided they were worth a try.

There are dozens of shoes to choose from when looking for a comfortable walking shoe. It took quite a while to determine which type of shoe and which of the fifteen colors I liked best.  Not all of the shoes come in all of the colors - most of them have a minimum of five colors to choose from.  There are also a number of pros and cons attributable to each one.  They have different heel heights, some are waterproof and some are not, also the soles of the shoes are made out of different types of materials. I needed slip resistant shoes, so I made that a priority for my first pair.

They arrived looking exactly like the picture on the website. They fit comfortably but were a little stiff to start off. After wearing them for several days, they began to loosen up. These walking shoes were soon fitting like a pair of old house slippers. I can stay on my feet from morning until night and never have my feet ache. The comfort is backed up with the ability to walk on any type of terrain. I can wear them hiking on wooded paths or walking an asphalt track. They even keep my feet steady on my mother’s gravel driveway. The slip resistant soles mean no more sliding on the wet pavement or on the hardwood floors when I’ve been out in the rain.

I started wearing Keen shoes as my main walking shoe approximately 3 years ago. They look as good as new. Unlike my other sneakers, my Keen shoes show no wear and tear, no holes in the toes or signs that the seams are coming apart. I liked the first pair so much, I bought two more pair and I’m looking into buying a pair of boots as well. One thing I have noticed in acquiring multiple pairs is that no two designs fit the same. This means that trying them on is a must. Ordering from a place with an easy exchange policy is the best way to go. You never know for sure that the second type of shoe is going to be best for you.