Keen Targhee II Mid: Your Trusted Companion for Every Hiking Adventure

Suitable hiking boots protect your ankles and enable miles of effortless walking. You may find that the Keen Men's Targhee II Mid WP Hiking Boot meets all the requirements of hiking boots that we described above. In this Keen hiking shoes review, we feature two models by Keen and a couple from another brand.

Introducing the Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots

If you are looking for a pair of hiking boots to suit the requirements above, you would probably like to look at the Keen 1002375, a hiking boot that you would probably be proud to own. Made of 100% nubuck leather, it has a rubber sole and is adequately waterproof, keeping your feet comfortable and dry for hours each hiking day.

The breathable membrane keeps the water out but eliminates vapor within the boot, giving excellent breathability to the sweatiest feet. The PVC-free water repellant makes the boot waterproof but preventing harm from chemicals. You won’t miss your footing with the all-terrain rubber outsole, designed for all environments.

The rubber soles are non-marking, enabling you to wear the boots indoors without messing up the floors. You get sufficient ankle support from the Extra Support Shank (ESS). It offers ample protection to your ankle in the rugged terrain of rocks and thorny branches. The contoured heels offer excellent overall stability to your feet.

The low profile upper provides a high degree of comfort with a padded tongue and collar. The unique Metanomical Foot Design gives excellent arch support that accommodates the contours of your foot. With Men’s Keen Targhee II Mid boots, you can hike across the most rugged terrain effortlessly for memorable hiking trips.

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Pros

• Good value for money 
• Adequate toe protection
• Effective traction
• High level of comfort from day one
• Waterproof
• Sufficient toe space
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Not very stable
• Low durability
• Not as breathable as other brands
• Heavy on the foot
   

Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots: Key Features

Men’s Keen Targhee II Mid Boots are Made for Comfort

With so much being said about these hiking boots on Keen hiking boots reviews, let’s take a closer look at the features in more detail. We cover the various aspects of the Keen Targhee II Mid Mens hiking boots for you to decide whether you would like to try out a pair for yourself.

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Comfort

We prefer to break in our new hiking boots before wearing them on a hike, but it rarely happens. We end up breaking them out of the box on the day we set out on a hike. Fortunately, Keen Men's Targhee II Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots are as comfortable straight out of the box as if you’d been wearing them for ages.

Once you walk on a rough, rocky patch, you will feel the cushion and padding effect. The Torsion Stability ESS shank steps in to absorb the shock that the soles of your feet would otherwise receive. Hence, you can rest assured of walking comfortably over wet, slippery, and rocky terrain with ease.

Stability

The heels of these men’s Keen Targhee II Mid hiking boots are contoured. The result is to provide adequate stability to your feet. No matter how much the slope of the terrain or if you walk over irregular surfaces, the boots have got you covered.

Another factor that adds to the stability is how the upper is so flexibly designed and the versatile lacing system. It makes the shoe fit comfortably for various widths of feet. The result is that these boots provide adequate ankle stability, not the best, but it is pretty superior to most other brands and models.

Breathability

Leather Uppers Offer Excellent Breathability

As this boot has leather uppers instead of mesh and foam, you would expect it to breathe less than the mesh and foam variety. Keen uses a waterproof membrane that keeps the moisture out but allows the humidity to escape. Although it isn’t as advanced as Gore-Tex technology, the breathability is fair but not excellent.

However, if you are wearing thick socks, breathability will not be that much an issue. But with thin socks during hot weather, it could be a bit of a concern.

Traction

The Sole is Fitted with Efficient Side Lugs

The Keen 1002375 men’s mid hiking boots have a non-marking proprietary rubber that sticks well to all types of terrain, wet or dry. Moreover, the soles are fitted with efficient side lugs that significantly add to the traction. Keen could have made these boots even better if they had used the classic Vibram sole for superior traction.

A shortcoming of these men’s Keen Targhee II Mid hiking boots is the blocky forefoot. It doesn't allow you to scramble adeptly as you cannot place your feet precisely for balanced weight transference. The rounded edges of the sole also somewhat compromise the sole's grip on uneven ground while scrambling.

However, the overall performance is entirely on par for descents on slippery rocks and pebble-covered slopes. The bulbous toe also makes it awkward if you need to stick your foot into crevices while trying to get a foothold while climbing on rocks and craggy edges.

Lacing System

The Well-Designed Lacing System Makes for a Comfortable Fit

The lacing system consists of three lower, a middle, and an upper locking eyelet. The middle eyelet goes around the boot's heel, thus cinching your heel into the heel cup. It is a unique and efficient way of securing the heel, which is both innovative and useful. The upper eyelet securely locks the laces in place.

It means that even if the knot comes undone in your boots, the laces will not become loose. The lacing system's design offers a firm and controlled fit, resulting in adequate ankle and heel support. You will find that your foot will not move inside the boots once you have laced them up.

Weight

Heavy Boots Can Pull You Down

If you prefer heavier hiking boots, you won't face any issues with Keen's boots. However, if you are used to lighter hiking boots, you may experience foot fatigue. A pair of these boots touch the scales at just below two and a half pounds for US size 11, making it moderately heavy.

The extra features provided with the midsole and outsole, which add to the boots' traction and durability, make it heavier footwear. So, you are compromising on one metric to optimize on a few others. If you prefer a lighter boot, you can get one, but you cannot expect to get the best in traction and durability.

Water Resistance

Water-resistance is an Important Factor

Water resistance, an essential factor when it comes to hiking boots, is somewhat compromised with the Men's Keen Targhee II Mid hiking boots. It boils down that instead of using Gore-Tex technology, Keen has applied their propriety waterproof membrane technology.

These boots have a flood height of just 3.75, which is less than that of many other hiking boots. The seams are more around the toe box, which makes it prone to loosening with flexing over time. Ultimately, these boots withstand a considerable amount of splashing around in streams and puddles, but not in heavy snow.

   ➜ RELATED: Keen Targhee II Women’s: Affordable, Waterproof Shoes For Hiking

Durability

The Boot is Quite Durable

The upper is made from eight separate sections of nubuck leather, sewn to the textile inside the boot. Due to many seams, particularly in the forefoot, the boot is prone to wear and tear. But the high-quality material provided with this product compensates for the additional seams making it more durable.

The durability of boots depends a lot on how heavily they are used. Everyone wears out boots at different places and in varying periods. Thanks to solid materials used and leather uppers rather than mesh, the durability of these boots may not make them the best hiking boots in the world, but they will last you a season or two even if you use them continuously.

Price

Price is an essential aspect of any product and has much to do with potential customers' purchase decisions. Although there are many more expensive boots in the market, the Keen Men’ Targhee II Mid waterproof hiking boot cannot be considered cheap. But for the price you pay, you get a reasonably-good product.

Keen offers a one-year warranty on the boots. The company also responds effectively and promptly to most customer service issues, which helps, considering the quality issues that get reported from time to time.

With the Keen Men's Targhee II Mid waterproof hiking boot, you don't expect to get a product that you will be using for years and years for the price you pay. Nevertheless, you get a pair of hiking boots that you will be glad to have on a hiking trip, and you can expect at least a few good hiking seasons from them.

On the other hand, if you expect to be doing some serious, off-trail backpacking expeditions, then these boots are perhaps not the best buy for your purposes. In such a case, you would be better off looking elsewhere for a tougher pair of hiking boots by paying a bit more than you would be paying for these boots by Keen.

   ➜ RELATED: Merrell Moab 2 Mid: Out-Of-The-Box Comfort Hiking Shoes

Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots: Alternative Options

If you are not entirely convinced with the information we have provided here in this Keen hiking shoes review, we scoured the internet to find some alternative options that you might like to consider. In this Keen Targhee Ii Mid review, we feature below another popular choice in footwear from Keen and a couple of hiking boots from another leading manufacturer, Salomon.

#1- KEEN Men's Voyageur-M Hiking Shoes (Alternative Keen Model)

The Keen Men's Voyageur-M Hiking Shoe

Here’s another all-American option by Keen that you may like to consider. Made from pure leather with a mesh upper, the shoe has a rubber sole with a heel that measures 2 inches. The platform is a good ¾ inch thick, with a removable insole.

Furthermore, you get a metanomical ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), also known as polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA) footbed for added comfort. The EVA footbed serves as a durable shock absorber, which reduces foot fatigue considerably.

Like the Keen Targhee II mid boots, the Voyageur-M hiking shoes also have a non-marking rubber sole and a removable insole.

Another difference between the Keen Voyageur hiking shoes from the Keen Targhee boots is waterproof mesh instead of a waterproof membrane. It somewhat compromises on water resistance in favor of better ventilation thanks to the waterproof mesh.

The heels of the Voyageur shoes provide a contoured heel lock. The S3 Heel Support Structure ensures adequate shock absorption, stability, and suspension in contrast to the Targhee's injected TPU heel-capture system, which puts it almost on par with each other in terms of comfort and stability.

You can opt for the Voyageur shoes if you are looking to save a bit of money (they are slightly cheaper than Targhee) and looking for better ventilation.

#2- Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX Men’s Multifunctional Hiking Boots (High-End Option)

The Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX Men’s Multifunctional Hiking Boot

If you don’t have any money restrictions and are ready to spend more than a few extra dollars, this one’s for you. The Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX men’s multifunctional hiking boots will take a lot of beating on the roughest of hikes. They look sleek and have a lot of technology added to them.

These boots are a mix of textile and leather and have rubber soles for better traction. Sensifit technology keeps your foot comfortable and secure. These boots use running shoe technology, which will enable you to move swiftly and efficiently over the roughest of terrain, despite the weather or time of year.

Gore-Tex technology makes the boot waterproof keeping your feet dry in the wettest environments while providing ultimate comfort and flexibility. The molded shank injected with a metanomical ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) footbed helps absorb shock while traversing rough terrain to prevent your feet from becoming fatigued.

Add to all the above features, Salomon has also added ContaGrip to the outsoles. ContaGrip is a high-density rubber developed by the manufacturer itself. The outsole contains different densities of ContaGrip to provide a better grip at points of high stress.

Coming to the price, you will pay considerably more if you choose the Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX over either of the hiking boots that we mentioned in the Keen Targhee 2 reviews above. But one thing is sure. You will be getting value-added footwear that you can rely on.

#3- Salomon Men's Quest 4D 3 GTX Backpacking (Ultimate Hiking Boots)

The Salomon Men's Quest Backpacking Boot

If you feel like getting an updated version of the Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX hiking boots, you can try these for size. The Salomon Men's Quest 4D 3 GTX hiking boots are specially meant for heavy hiking and serious backpacking. The rubber soles are designed for maximum traction on any terrain with minimum foot fatigue.

The 4D Advanced Chassis gives you ultimate comfort as you travel for miles through the wilderness or steep hills and mountainous terrain with ease. These boots use running shoe technology that gives your feet ample support during the heaviest backpacking adventures.

In this improved version of Salomon's hiking boots, the sole provides a better grip with a lug pattern designed for optimum speed on descents and much better ankle support. The new features make this hiking boot highly-recommended for going on long hikes and extended backpacking trips over multiple terrains.

Comfort levels have been ramped up for this boot. The lacing system has also been refined in this model to keep the laces firmly in position while still providing your feet enough flexibility. Like the X Ultra Mid 2 GTX boots, these are also lined with Gore-Tex and perforated Ortholite inserts.

This boot has been found to perform well in mud and slushy snow. It is high on stability and traction thanks to the ContaGrip lugs and the stiff, supportive outsole. These hiking boots have also been found to be among the most durable boots around, and in fact, they seem to become more comfortable after breaking them in.

If you have the extra money to spare, you will do well to put it into a pair of these hiking boots for the ultimate hiking experience.

Put Your Best Foot Forward with Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots

Suitable Hiking Boots Make for a Happy Hiking Experience

We hope that we have provided you adequate information in our Keen Targhee II reviews. These reviews also include the Keen Targhee II Low review (KEEN Men's Voyageur-M Hiking Shoe) and the two Salomon hiking shoes. The four models featured here are among the best hiking boots in the world.

Hopefully, now, you can choose a suitable pair of hiking boots for your next trek. You should be able to pursue your dreams of hiking to exotic locations wearing your comfortable boots. And when you aren’t going on a hike, these boots are comfortable enough to use for daily wear.