KEEN Men's Tempo Flex Mid Wp-m Hiking Boot

Product Information

WATERPROOF: KEEN.DRY waterproof, breathable membrane keeps your feet dry and comfortable all day long by allowing vapor out without letting water in; KEEN uses PFC-free water repellency so that you leave the outdoors as good as you found them And: “KEEN.BELLOWS FLEX hikers on average required 60% less energy to bend, contributing to increased efficiency and comfort with each step.” These boots are true to size, unlike the Keen Targhee shoes which come up big for their size. If you’re after the super spacious toe box usually associated with Keen footwear then you won’t get it with the Tempo Flex boots. They’re certainly not cramped or narrow, just not wide across the toe. What I love the most about the Keen Tempo Flex WP Hiking Boots As with all of our boots and shoes, KEEN takes care to select premium leather and sole materials to ensure that your boots will go the distance. Our vulcanized slip-resistant rubber will keep you feeling planted on any terrain, and Leather Working Group (LWG) certified uppers ensure we use leathers from the most environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices. The flex has been added to a KEEN hybrid hiker-trainer platform with the aim of creating a light and fast boot with waterproof protection and traction on a range of surfaces.

The majority of KEEN women’s boots get our proprietary KEEN.DRY waterproof membrane, which allows vapor (i.e. sweat) to escape while keeping external moisture (like slush, rain, mud, snow) away from your toes. Keen’s Tempo Flex boasts new technology from the brand in the form of something called Flex.Bellows. The upper has a series of four rubberised ridges or bellows where the toe meets the foot, which are designed to improve flexibility, and perhaps help ‘pop out’ or unflex the boot when straightening the foot. The effect is not something I can measure scientifically, and without everything else working well, new tech would not matter, but thankfully elsewhere there’s a seamless blend of comfort and function.

Y’know what these hiking boots need – to be more like an accordion”. Said no-one ever. But, as it happens, that is exactly what outdoors footwear requires. Oregon-based brand Keen claims to have “created the most efficient hiking boot on the market” by adding an accordion-style TPU insert at the forefoot. Like the ridged bellows of an accordion, which expand and contract with the player’s musical manoeuvres, this TPU insert flexes with a hiker’s every step. The result is supposedly twofold: more energy efficient walking and a more durable boot. The best part about the KEEN.DRY membrane is that you won’t notice it until you need it. It’s so thin and breathable that you get the benefits of waterproofing without feeling like you’re wearing rubber rain boots or bulky snow boots. The KEEN Tempo Flex boots are effortless to wear – they are lightweight and comfortable right form the start. In terms of niggles, the only issue we’ve had so far was some slight fiddliness when lacing the boots up, as the top two pairs of eyelets are located very closely together. We suspect that the eyelets have been positioned as they are to allow a really secure fit of the boot’s ankle cuffs around the ankles, so despite it taking a second or two longer to tie the laces that we’d have liked (so impatient to get out on the trail as we are!), it’s definitely worth it for the extra secure fit you get as a result.

Why bellows? Made from a proprietary TPU-based material, our flex technology is built to bend with an accordion-like design. We’ve added it to key friction points in two of our hikers: Ridge Flex, a rugged leather hiking boot built with the same comfort as our iconic Targhee, and Tempo Flex, our new light and fast hiker built on our more streamlined hiker-sneaker platform. Ridge Flex Hiking Boots When the foot is in motion the forefoot compresses, which when combined with overlaying materials typically used in conventional boot construction, creates flex points that not only consume energy, but also can lead to premature failure of boots in this area”, explains Selim Say, product line manager at Keen. “The addition of the accordion-like Keen Bellows Flex technology to this critical area enables hikers to move with less effort, leading to easier days on the trail and many more miles of comfortable performance during outdoor adventures.”

However, my first day hike in them was supremely enjoyable and I really did feel like I was wearing sneakers or trail running shoes and not heavy and cumbersome hiking boots. First up, sneaker hiking boots are a superb option for the casual hiker. Casual in terms of hiking frequency and distance. But also in terms of style. They’re ideal for people who want a stylish and practical boot for everyday wear that is also completely at home on the trail without sacrificing performance too much.