Chris Townsend recommends the Keen Hyperport 2 sandals for kicking rocks on hot days in the hills.
The Keen Hyperport 2 is really a cross between a sandal and a trail shoe. It has a closed toe and lacing. Fill in the cutouts at the sides and heel and it would be a shoe. As it is, it has some of the advantages of both.
Chris Townsend recommends
In these sandals, the protection means you can kick rocks, should you wish to!- Closed toe
- Cushioning
- Cinch lace
- Shallow tread
| Quick Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: $126 / £95 Weight: 652g (UK size 9) Materials: Polyester webbing, stretch mesh, injected foam midsole, Aquagrip rubber outsole, bungee lacing Features: Closed toe, quick-cinch lacing, Eco Anti-odour treatment, PFAS-free durable water Repellency Heel-to-toe drop: 15mm Lug depth: 2mm Sizes: UK men 6-14, women 2.5 – 8.5 Women/Mens version: Yes keenfootwear.co.uk |
Most significant is the closed toe, which provides good protection unlike open-toe sandals. It’s the familar Keen toe with a thick bumper, similar to those found on the brand’s boots. You can kick rocks, should you wish to! The uppers are made of stretch fabric reinforced with webbing and have an anti-odour treatment.
The stretchy lace can be easily adjusted with a cord lock. Because there’s far more fabric around your foot than with conventional sandals, they can get slightly sweaty in hot weather. I haven’t found that a big problem though. The cushioning is thick and soft and gives good protection.
The outsole has a dense, shallow lug pattern. Keen says it’s designed to grip well on wet surfaces. I’ve found it fine on wet rocks and wet grass but not so good in mud as the lugs clog easily. Deeper more widely spaced lugs would be better. The Hyperports fit my wide feet well as they have Keen’s wide fit at the toe. I find them very comfortable and secure.
Less attention is needed to foot placement on rough terrain than with open-toe sandals. You do need to remember those side cutouts though. Especially when walking off-trail in a forest with much ground debris, as I found out. With open-toe sandals any grit or twigs that enter the shoe can easily be kicked out. With the Hyperport, you have to take the sandal off and shake it out.
Testing conditions
Chris wears a UK size 9, has a wide forefoot and a narrower heel. He tested the sandals in the woods and heather moors of the Eastern Cairngorms in autumn 2024 and spring 2025. Weights, lug depth and heel to toe drop were measured by Chris.
This review was first published in the July 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.
