Keen Koven WP Womens Walking Shoes

After the majority of winter living in my hiking boots, whether it’s my three season for general hikes or winter mountain boots for climbing snow-capped peaks in the UK or high altitude ascensions, I’m thinking more towards lighter evenings and more weekends spent walking and camping in the UK National Parks. Don’t get me wrong I love winter but with recent signs that spring is on its way, with the buds beginning to show through and the weather slightly milder I am looking forward to tackling trails and hanging out around the tent in a lighter pair of shoes. Unfortunately my last pair of approach/walking shoes have walked their last mile so I have been looking at a replacement pair.

I was drawn to Keen Walking Shoes as I had not really had any experience with their footwear before apart from their sandals, so was eager to take the Keen Koven WP Womens Walking Shoes for a test drive to see how comfortable, supportive and waterproof they are and whether these would become my chosen pair of walking shoes for the adventures I have planned for the spring. Rather than wait until then, I thought I would go on a walk through woodland trails, over limestone rocks and a small ascent up a local hill to see how they fared.

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When I first put them on it was obvious what a great fit they were as they felt comfortable and supportive on my foot arch which is down to the EVA footbed. I tried them both in fairly thick walking socks and thinner ones as I tend to wear walking shoes rather than boots on trail walks and for hanging out around the tent after a day on the hills and in both types they still fitted well. The laces were strong though a little short but I still managed a double knot for an extra secure fastening. Heading on the woodland trail the walking shoes felt comfortable as I walked over tree roots, muddy paths and boulders ascending to the top of a hill.

At no point did I feel unstable or hesitant with each step as my feet felt very protected and my ankles supported whilst allowing flexibility.

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They look good too and I love the gnarly named 'Gargoyle Alaskan Blue' as sometimes with womens shoes outdoor brands can go a little over the top with stereotypical feminine colours, such as bright pink or what not. The subtle colour scheme is attractive yet not too bold, which I like.

The Keen Koven WP Walking Shoes have a deep tread so they handled wet and mossy rocks well, avoiding slips whilst comfortably supporting the foot which is a sign of a good walking shoe.

The waterproof leather and mesh upper of the Keen Koven WP Walking Shoes, along with the combination of a KEEN.DRY membrane, means the walking shoes are both waterproof and breathable to ensure that they remain dry on the inside and out. Whilst walking in wet grass and through puddles my feet remained dry and comfortable, though I am looking forward to seeing how they handle shallow stream crossings and long walks through wet terrain to truly test out how waterproof they are. I did give them a wash off with the hose as they had got pretty muddy on the trails and it was clear that the membrane withstood the water, stopping it penetrate through the leather and membrane. I think the true test will come in time when they have been used a fair bit and the fabric has softened to see whether they need to be reproofed on a more regular basis, which is what I have experienced with past walking shoes, but for now I am pretty confident in their capability.

I look forward to testing these on slightly more challenging terrain and over longer distances this spring to see how they stand up overall but for now I am very impressed by the comfort, fit and durability of the Keen Koven WP Walking Shoes.

Looking forward to taking them on a future adventure!