Review topics: ["fit","feel","comfort","problem","design","grip","height","shoes","balance","performance","protection","toe box","versatility","trails","run","terrain","wander","traction","work","feet","section","miles","midsole","platform","hiking","dirt","gravel","use","foot","profile"].
Reviews
Fast delivery, apparently good quality so far
"I really like the design and it feels very comfortable out of the box. Sizing seems different than the Keen boots (Durand II) I bought - the Wander is longer and skinnier in the same size (9.5 US). Great-looking shoe for everyday wear."
— Bike O. (4/5)
These feel great, but run long.
"If only these shoes ran abit truer to size, everything about the shoe works other than that. If I size down, its too narrow. wish they had a wide. Great for people with long skinny feet."
— Ethan (4/5)
Great shoes!
"Great shoe! Stable, lightweight. I'd buy again if they had more color options."
— David E. (5/5)
Perfect
"These have been exactly what I was looking for—lighter but sturdy enough for trails/hiking, plus not so hiking oriented that they’re out of place in the city."
— Paul K. (5/5)
Keen Wanderer Trail Shoe review
"Quickly became my go to trail shoe. I’ve found the cushioning is BEST for lighter trails, packed dirt and less technical/uneven terrain, however it does it all very well. I did not do a ton of super wet/muddy runs, and have a little concern about the lugs maybe not being deep enough. Regardless it’s an amazing trail shoe for anyone who likes a wide, yet secure fit that is light weight. I compare the fit to the Altra lone peak, however might lighter and more secure lock-down."
— Alexsander K. (5/5)
Light and breathable, true KEEN fit
"I got these Wander trail runners last week, I really love them. I'm not a huge runner but go for short jogs, and I just don't really love wearing a running shoe as my daily driver. However these Wander's just fit and look a bit more like a cross training shoe, not like I'm lacing up for the Boston Marathon. The weight and breathability really stood out, as the summer heats up I can tell these will quickly be a mainstay in my shoe rotation. So far I've done more hiking, long boarding, and biking in these than I have running. If I had a gripe, because this is a review, I'd just say that the white outsole does darken from asphalt. But like who cares, it's just the tread, the black midsole looks super fresh still."
— Ben M. (5/5)
Cloud Hopping
"The Keen Low Pros are so freaking comfortable and durable - The 1 thing i love the most is how much they allow my feet to breathe 😍 Hard to find a great trail Shoe built for the Rockies"
— Jacob H. (5/5)
A top tier trail running shoe!
"Out of the box I like the color scheme and the overall outdoorsy and rugged design. They seem to be well made, have a reinforced material where you need it, and breathable. I like the soft padded tongue and the feeling around my ankle/heel. Tread design seems to be flatter than I am used to for a trail shoe, but I think it will work very well for a variety of terrain and more fit for this type of shoe. Feels like a decently wide tow box and feel very grounded which is what I think keen was going for. Did 4 trail runs ranging from 6. 5 miles to 13. 1. Total milage run so far is 35 miles with 5,100ft elevation gain. Ran on soft dirt, hard dirt, small gravel, medium gravel, medium to large rocks, technical single tracks, and a few boulders. Overall am very impressed with these shoes, i tried to run them into the ground, pun intended, and they performed very well. Felt light, agile and very grounded. Toe box was perfect for my specific feet with plenty of room for my toes to sprawl out. Soft and hard dirt these shoes do great as the wide base and tread design helps grab like an all terrain tire. The tread and flexibility of the soles also helps on boulders as it grips very well. If your pounding the trails and get to rocks around 1" your gonna feel them through the insole a little which fatigued my feel a little bit. Off camber single track trail sections felt solid and didn't have 1 instance where my ankle wanted to roll. Even 13 miles in on fatigued legs/feet the shoes were stable. Compared to my higher stack trail shoes, these are clearly more grounded and stable. I felt more nimble and comfortable to push through the fast, technical, and off camber sections. Sections I have almost rolled my ankle in the past had no instances in these shoes. Overall comfort was great for a lower stack shoes and I was pleasantly surprised. It's not going to be the same as a high stack shoe, but there has to be some trade off and I think Keen found a wonderful balance with these shoes. Everyone's feet are different, but for me the slightly wider toe box was perfect and my toes were able to spread out without rubbing or any discomfort. I am very impressed, well done Keen! I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review."
— Mark E. (5/5)
Grounded Hybrid Trail Shoe with Real Road-to-Trail Versatility
"I tested the KEEN Wander for about 27 miles across a short familiar loop, hardpacked crushed shell trail, road, a beach 10K, easy trail, an 8-mile long trail run at Hal Scott, and a follow-up run club trail run at Split Oak. That gave me a good feel for where this shoe works best and how it behaves across firm and softer surfaces. Fit was one of the best parts of the shoe for me. The 4 mm drop felt natural right away, the toe box is wide enough to allow real toe splay, and the heel hold felt secure without being restrictive. The padded heel collar and gusseted tongue helped keep the foot locked in comfortably, and the upper stayed supportive even on longer trail use. Underfoot, the Wander feels low to the ground and connected without being harsh. Compared with higher-stack trail shoes, it gives much more ground feel and a more natural ride, but still has enough protection to avoid feeling barefoot. Cushioning is moderate rather than plush, which worked well for me on hardpack, crushed shell, grass, road, and firm sand. Stability was consistently strong. The wide platform helped the shoe feel balanced on turns, uneven footing, and off-camber sections, and traction was dependable on crushed shell, grass, hardpack, road, and beach sand. It is not an aggressive technical trail shoe, but it felt very confident on firm surfaces and easy trail, and it handled an 8-mile trail run without any shoe-related issues. For me, the ideal use case is hybrid running: easy miles, road-to-trail routes, hardpack, beach, and light-trail running. That is where the Wander stands out most. The strengths are comfort, toe-box room, secure heel hold, stable platform, strong ground connection, and better road versatility than expected. The limitations are that it is not the fastest shoe in the rotation, it feels more hybrid than technical, and it would not be my first choice for steep, rocky, muddy, or race-focused trail efforts. Overall, I would recommend the KEEN Wander to runners who want a stable, grounded, comfort-first trail shoe with a wide toe box and real road-to-trail versatility. It works especially well for daily training on firm surfaces and casual trail use, but I would position it as a hybrid trail option rather than a dedicated technical trail racer. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review."
— Carlos C. (5/5)
Rather Enjoyable to Hit the Trails In
"The first thing to know is that the Keen Wander is a low stack, low drop trail running shoe with a wide toe box. If you want a shoe with a very flexible sole that allows you to better feel the roots and rocks you're stepping on, these are worth checking out. If you are looking for something with an amount of cushion that's closer to average for the industry, these shoes are probably not the ones you want. I have enjoyed the 100k that I've been able to put on these shoes over the past couple of weeks. The extra wide toe box is rather comfortable and I think it allows me to better stabilize myself on uneven terrain when compared to more traditionally shaped shoes. I hadn't previously used a low-stack trail shoe before but I found that having a lower stack height is a unique and fun experience that really lets you feel the terrain you're running on. The thinner midsole is also quite flexible and it seems to conform to your foot rather than being a slightly rigid platform you're pushing off of. The tongue is nicely padded and I never felt the lacing getting uncomfortable on descents. When I first tried the shoes on, I was mildly concerned that I'd picked a size that was too small. However, during runs this has not been an issue. The toe, while wide, is not very tall and that seemed to be what I was feeling. I'd say this makes them very slightly (like a quarter size) small if you're looking for advice on sizing. The lugs are shallower than some other trail shoes I've used; 2-3mm as measured by calipers as opposed to the 3-5mm I measured on other shoes. In practice, this hasn't been a big issue on my runs but in very muddy conditions I found myself slipping around a little. I'm not sure that deeper lugs would have prevented that specific issue, though. The shoes drain well, which I put to the test on a very soggy weekend during testing. Having to wade through water isn't a big deal because half a mile later the majority of the water will be gone and a mile after that they'll be completely fine again. I also found that the Wander dries (like at home) faster than some other trail shoes I've got. I think this might be related to being a minimalist shoe - less material to need to dry. I do have a nitpick or two about these shoes. First is the shoelace length. I'm a big believer in the heel lock lacing method and these shoes do have the eyelets to do that. However, you're left with very little shoelace to work with after doing so. The laces stretched a bit after putting a few miles on them, but the shorter length meant that I was having to stop and retie them during the first couple of runs. Finally, let's take a look at the aesthetics of the shoe. This is, of course, rather subjective. However, I dig the style. I'm a fan of orange and I'd say that the several contrasting shades of the color with cream and green accents works well. The white midsole with blue specks (reminiscent of a stick of minty gum) is a nice touch in my opinion. The pull loop on the heel has a bit of reflective thread woven in so somebody behind you with a headlamp will be able to easily pick you out at a distance. The shoe uses a material in the upper made out of recycled plastic bottles, which is a nice side advantage for the trail crowd - you're keeping material out of the landfills for a little longer as you enjoy the outdoors."
— Ryan G. (5/5)
