I am a fan of Keen sandals; their hiking boots also tick plenty of boxes, being sturdy underfoot, with roomy toe box, all-round support and good shock absorption. This model, Durand, is principally leather on the upper, with mesh around the lacing area and on the cuff. They look wider than they wear, which may be an illusion created by the lace width across the tongue. A moulded rubber rand shadows a leather strip, with a reinforced rubber heel box which is extremely positive. The laces have a fair width to reach across the heavily-padded tongue, and run through leather loops rather than metal. These elements combine to make lace adjustment somewhat laborious, although the final phase through two pairs of metal ankle loops runs smoothly. The boot feels snug and dextrous, although less so than lighter, slimmer boots (notably Asolo Mesita and Hanwag Belorado). Keen is proud of their dual-compound outsole: “the outer rubber edge uses a composite engineered to maximise edging and grip, while the centre unit features a modified rubber blend to maximise durability in high wear areas.” I found that they clogged quickly with mud, with reduced grip further hindered by the sloping, rather than squared-off, heel. They were good in drier conditions, but my feet often overheated in the dense upper.
