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Time Magazine Names Targhee IV Best Invention of 2024

Time Magazine Names Targhee IV Best Invention of 2024

February 24, 2025

Targhee hiking boots have taken people all over the world on endless miles of adventures. Countless nights under the stars. Millions of dogs walked. It's been our bestselling hiking boot since 2005.

So why didn't we just leave it alone?

Well, as shoemakers with purpose, we're constantly looking for ways to make our shoes perform better and step lighter on the planet, so we re-engineered Targhee to last longer. Targhee IV is our most durable hiking boot yet and was recently recognized by Time Magazine when it named Targhee IV one of the best inventions of 2024.

"This radical boot is a testament to KEEN's long-standing commitment to reducing the impact that our shoes have on people and the planet," says Scott Labbe, KEEN Product and Innovation.

What's so revolutionary about Targhee IV? In most shoes, the sole and upper are connected through a chemical bond - a layer of adhesive that glues the two together. This type of bond can weaken over time, causing shoes to delaminate or separate. It's one of the most common problems with hiking boots today. The other problem with glue is that it contains harmful solvents.

With our KEEN.FUSION technology, we fuse the sole directly to the upper, creating a mechanical bond. That means that on a molecular level, these two pieces become one, creating a much stronger bond - three times stronger, in fact. It also means we can avoid the use of toxic glues in the construction.

The Targhee IV collection's long-lasting capabilities don't stop there, because we also reinforced the lacing system, used air-infused Luftcell cushioning that won't compress over time, and gave it a KEEN.RUGGED outsole that's twice as durable as rubber. We also kept our iconic KEEN fit that gives toes plenty of room to move with our nice wide toe-box. These elements work together to ensure that your Targhee IV boots are comfortable from the moment you pull them out of the box to many, many miles down the trail.

Seeing Targhee lovers out enjoying nature is our favourite "award". But we're pretty excited about this one, too. ;)

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