Australian Hiker

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Keen Targhee III Men's Open Toe Sandal Review

In the US there are groups of long distance hikers that wear sandals as their footwear of choice but don’t ask me how. For most of my hikes I need to deal with heat and UV, the occasional snake, and lots and lots of sticks and rocks that do their best to get into trail runners let alone open toe sandals. So up front I’m going to say here that I’m never going to wear sandals on a hike.

Having said that, I have always worn sandals as casual wear finding them the ideal choice in hot weather when you don’t want to wear closed in shoes. So when my previous pair of sandals died after 12+ years (they were still comfortable but just looked pretty bad) I had to replace them and after having a look around I opted for the Keen Targhee III Open Toe Sandal.

First up this sandal looks ‘beefy’. The sole on this sandal isn’t a run of the mill street sole instead it’s a full on hiking sole. It has an aggressive grip but with that my chosen pair of size 14’s weighs 716 grams which is very close to many of my trail runners. Having said that they do protect your feet from harsh trails.

Size wise my trail runners are usually a size 15US but that’s because of my left foot while my right foot is a size 14US. Sounds weird but most people have one foot larger than the other. I opted for a pair of size 14’s given that I didn’t have a toe box jamming my toes together and I found the sizing to be spot on.

Where I found the sizing to be a bit out was that these sandals assume that if you are a size 14 length, then the expectation is that you have a wide heel which in my case I don’t. Its not a real negative for me and the extra length in the rear means it will suit just about anyone unless you have a very skinny heel.

Colour wise this sandal comes in three options. The brown colour is by far the easiest to source and in most cases that’s your only choice. You can however get a black-grey or a grey-black option which provides some choice if you really hate the brown.

The foot bed is an EVA which I prefer when compared to the ‘furry’ lined sandals which irritates the soles of my feet.

Price wise the RRP of these sandals is $199.00 AUD but you can usually find them at cheaper prices.

The first day I wore these sandals I found them to be a bit hard but in all fairness, I was used to my 12+ year very well worn previous model but within a week of wearing these I came to really enjoy them and find them very comfortable.

While I’m never going to wear these sandals on a hiking trail, they have found a place as part of my casual wear.

We Like

• Waterproof premium leather upper straps for durable protection
• Three points of adjustment for a secure fit
• A robust aggressive sole for great traction
• Cushioned midsole
• EVA footbed with arch support for all-day comfort
• Sandal length is true to size

We Don't Like

• Heavy as far as sandals go
• Rear strapping assumes you have a broad heel so may be overly long if you have a very narrow heel

Best Use

• Great for hiking or walking in dry conditions but I wouldn’t use these on long trails when the track is likely to be wet and greasy
• For hikers with a wider forefoot

Buy One

You can purchase the Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal at Amazon Australia, from Snowys or from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through one of the above links and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $199.99 RRP

Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal

 

Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal black-grey colour

Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal in grey-black

Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal in brown

Keen Targhee III Men’s Open Toe Sandal sole view

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

Last updated

7 February 2024

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