KEEN Men's Newport H2 Sandal
CUSTOMER REVIEW
I resisted for a while (years) while my wife raved about her Keen sandals. I like Tevas (Terra Fi 2) and have owned many pairs over the past 10 years. Love them for warm weather hiking, around the water, and general warm/wet conditions. But, I finally gave these Keens a try after wearing out the soles of my Tevas.
The reviewers are right on. They feel like sneakers and I wear them all day with pleasure. These are a great buy. I'm going to buy another pair of Teva Terra Fi 2s also but I do love these Keens.
Pros:
- Rugged build
- Great traction (I think the Tevas are a little better but I hardly notice the difference - that's the key detail)
- I bought the mostly nylon (not leather) version (brown/bison) and they do dry quickly. My wife has the leather version and they're significantly slower to dry - overnight at least.
- Extremely comfortable to wear all day
- I never have to adjust these - they stay on my feet in all conditions with no worries
- Look good with everything
- There is a nice sense of comfort with that toe protector on the front
- Wide toe bed - very nice
Cons if I have to name some (certainly won't deter me from buying these again):
- In the sun, the toe bed/cap does get hot on your toes if you hang out in direct sun for a while
- I agree with the other reviews (not necessarily on Amazon) that you'll read regarding the "funk". Yes, these do get funky/smelly very quickly - much more quickly than my Tevas ever did. But, hey, they're outdoor sandals. Throw them into the washing machine or go swimming with them every 3-4 days and you're set.
The "funk" reputation worried me a little so I held off buying these but I can live with it. It's not as bad as I expected. And, these are super comfortable!
Added after owning for six months:
I think the Teva Terra Fi 2 probably have a slight edge when it comes to rafting/boating because they dry in record time and you can really tighten them so they don't shift on your foot. So, I'd give them a slightly higher score in terms of functionality for the very active or career outdoors folks.
Also, I do get annoyed at the gravel that gets stuck in the toe bed of these - I can't shake it loose so I have to take them off and turn them upside down. This wasn't an issue with the Teva open toe design and I kind of miss those days. Last pet peeve: despite what my wife says, (she has same kind of Keens) the tread just isn't as good as the Teva's. Conclusion, I have to buy both for the forseeable future - they're both solid products and I won't give up either.
Latest and Last Update: the sole gave out in less than a year - literally pieces/chunks fell off. I'm back to Tevas and happier with the much more reliable tread. The Tevas dry much much faster also. I think the Keens are really for wearing when you want to pretend you're doing something active outdoors - they were fine for just walking.
2013 update: I bought what must be my 4th pair of Keens now. This pair is holding up much better than the last ones. So far, no problems at all with the sole. And, the stink/funk isn't a problem with these. There does seem to be a new kind of coating on the soles (inside) and so maybe that's helping. Anyway no issues so far and I'm a happy camper.
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