KEEN  Targhee II Waterproof Mid Hiking Boots - Men's

This is a long term review. I bought these shoes in 2009. I just replaced them with the Keen Voyagers because I wanted more ventilation. In the picture below you can see how the tread wore down over the years vs my brand new voyager shoe. I was very happy with how my old shoes held up. It's the reason I bought another pair of Keens. Not sure if the quality or build has changed in the last 8 years, but if it's as good as my old pair, I will be very happy. I'm not a professional hiker, or really even an amateur hiker. I hike a few times a year. Maybe 5 to 10 mile hikes in Yosemite, or the like. What I mostly use them for is walking around cities/towns when I travel, general usage when I'm at home, etc. They have been great for the uses I have/need. The tread is pretty grippy for rocks, dirt, trails, etc. Extremely comfortable! Most comfortable shoes I've ever owned! The other photos you see are how the shoe wore from the top. You can definitely see the leather wearing, but nothing came apart. Nothing was fixed/replaced. I also did zero upkeep or care for the shoes (e.g. no leather care, conditioning, etc.). The most cleaning they ever got was a hose if they were muddy. The only thing I ever did was change the shoe laces. I view these type of shoes to be worn and used without having to do upkeep in addition. I would say based on how poorly I took care of these shoes, and how well they look after 8 years says a lot. These shoes have probably somewhere between 2000 and 3000 miles on them. Again, I would say 95% of that is normal street/city/town walking, 5% trails/hiking. I also occasionally use them riding my dirt bike or street bike, which they are fine for as well.

HOW TO USE: These boots have a large sole area, and so would be great for snow or sand or, perhaps pine needles. On rocks and gravel, the sole feels too wide, and catches on edges when you'd prefer it did not. PROS: Comfortable and lightweight and available in a design suitable for people with wide forefeet and not-so-wide heels. CONS: NOT, let me repeat, NOT durable. After 4 days of 3 hour walks on a slightly stoney trail, I noticed that the "fingers" of the sole were coming loose. Thereafter, I would either super-glue or epoxy them back into place every few days. Luckily I carry these adhesives in my kit. These newer bonds would then fail because the material under the black sole material would break away. I have gone though dozens of peirs of climbing boots, and never had anything like this happen before. I was genuinely concerned that I would be stuck on some mountain in Turkey with no usable boots to walk back on. I mean, comfort is important. Waterproofing is important, but basic durability is the one thing that one has to reply on absolutly. I would never ever consider purchasing a Keen product after this, and I am a bit disappointed that REI carries them.