Kirsty Pallas recommends the Keen Leiki Open-toe sandals which allow a fit for wider feet.

The Keen Leiki Open-toe sandal is a women’s specific model from Keen, and a breakaway from their traditional closed toe models. It’s a cross foot strap model which gives options for adjustment, while still a simple entry.

Kirsty Pallas recommends

There’s a few good features for long term use, like anti-odour in the foot bed, and being able to wash them in a machine.
Pros
  • Weight
  • Women’s specific fit
Cons
  • Long for size
  • Non-adjustable heel strap
Quick Specs
Price: $120 / £90
Weight: 412g (UK size 5)
Materials: Upper – polyester webbing, Outsole – Aquagrip rubber, Footbed – EVA foam
Features: Padded heel strap, eco anti-odor footbed, contains recycled plastic
Heel-to-toe drop: 8mm
Lug depth: 2-3mm
Waterproof: No
Sizes: UK 2.5-9.5 including half sizes, EU 35 – 44
Women/Mens version: No
keenfootwear.co.uk

Of all three sandals in the test, these have the least aggressive lugs, and while I didn’t slip in them, I would be slightly more wary using them in mud or on wet grass. The rubber is good and grippy on rock, and it works well on wet rock too, plus it’s non marking, so ideal for a boat holiday!

The footbed is well cushioned and the sandal utilises Keen’s Regen technology, which provides a bit of rebound from the midsole to decrease the energy you need to use. It’s moulded with arch support, however definitely suits a narrower foot as I didn’t feel like my feet could fully spread out.

The cross foot strap just has one buckle for adjusting, but this generally works well for allowing a wider fit in some areas and tightening up in others. It’s also fairly straightforward to use and you can easily take them off with one hand.

The heel strap is comfortably cushioned for your achilles, however with no way to adjust this, I found it way too long. If my heel was all the way back into the heel strap, the sandal was really long in front of my toes. And for my feet to fit in the proper place on the footbad, I had about a finger width gap between my heel and the strap.

Keen Leiki open-toe sandals
Good for boats but maybe not for mountains! Credit: KIrsty Palls

There’s a few good features for long term use, like anti-odour in the foot bed, and being able to wash them in a machine. Plus some of the material used is recycled plastic, which is always good to look out for.

Unfortunately the fit on these meant I struggled with wearing them comfortably and on rougher terrain than the other models, but I think they’re a good option for a narrower foot if you size down slightly, and they come in at a slightly lower price point too.

Testing Notes

Kirsty tested these across Scotland and also in Portugal while hiking, bikepacking, and accessing climbs. Mostly in dry and warm weather, but it often included river crossings or being near the sea. She is a UK women’s size 5 with a broad forefoot. All weights taken from her own scales.

This review was first published in the July 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.