Keen Sandals!

I just received a pair of Keen Venice H2s in camo & apricot. I wanted that dark green and the closed toe, and finally found them! (I even got a pedicure yesterday and had my toenails painted a bright apricot.)

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/15323188/c/86847.html

Here is my question.

I know some of you wear Keens and I need feedback. I wore them around the house last night and it seemed like the combination of closed toe and whatever the sole is made my feet feel uncomfortably hot. (It was a warm, muggy evening with thunderstorms.)

When I walked out on the porch, my feet immediately enjoyed the cool breeze. But it's making me wonder if these are too hot in the summer. (Strange question to ask about sandals -- I wonder if it's the closed toe that is causing me the prob.)

Do you love yours? Did you buy them and hate them? Please let me know because right now I could still send them back, and they cost enough that I don't want to keep them if they're not going to be everything I wanted them to be. I love the color; they seem like they'd be great for cycling (are they?) and I like the H2 part because I'll be in Hawaii in September and they seem like they'll be practical for that, too.

What say you?

I did not love my Venice H2 at first - I often wear them as slippers in the winter with socks because they do make my feet hot - but I have grown more used to them and like them in the summer now as sort of in-between from my open Teva sandals and my closed sneakers. I like the protection they afford - but they are still hot in the summer. I have another type of keen sandal too - the Newport and they are more closed in and even sweatier than the Venice. The only practical suggestion I can make is to begin to get used to them by loosening the strap thing so that more air circulates around the feet. I only wear them around the house or to places where I won't be walking a lot - or on float trips, kayaking etc - I would not wear them for sightseeing or trails or biking - not enough support for me. for biking - I think the sole is too bendy

I have 3 pairs of Keens. And 3 pairs of Chacos. (I like Chacos the most)

Yes, the H2 can be hot. I think it's the straps, rather than the toe cap. All my fisherman sandals feel the same, heat-wise. Check out the Keen Zerraport for another strap option.

I ride in Keens and in Chacos with my flat pedal utility bike.

Oh dear. These sound like they're totally wrong for me, and I loved them so much!

If they aren't going to be good for walking or sight-seeing, that's a major problem.

they're great for walking and sight-seeing! (and biking) (and kayaking)

Just be aware that they are going to be as warm as any other pair of fisherman sandals.

I know a lot of people who do love their Keens for walking/sightseeing etc. I may be the oddball here - I like more support than the Keens provide for my feet for any distance walking and I like to wear socks if walking a lot - so I would choose sneakers or walking shoes.

I have tried biking in them and it was okay for very short distances - under 5 miles - anymore than that and my feet hurt.

Well, I just noticed that they're getting mostly raves on zappos, though a few people have had the same reaction as you, farrellcollie.

I'll wear them in the house some more and see how they feel.

For serious walking (or triathlon) I prefer more support, too. That's why I love my Chacos even more than Keens. The arch and sole and strap placement on Chacos just work beautifully with my picky feet.

http://www.rei.com/online/Search.do?...haco&x=25&y=11

I have Z1s, Z2s, and Arturos. I can wear all with socks or without. (toe socks with the Z2 sandals) They can be resoled and rewebbed. Dog ate the straps on one of my Z2s and Chaco rewebbed the entire sandal for only $15. (and it only took a week!) Chaco's customer service is fabulous. There have been murmurings that Chaco is planning a SPD sandal. All my Chacos are very comfortable on the bike. No hot-foot.

My oldest pair is about 8 yrs old now, and even though I wear them a LOT, I only just this year decided I really do have to get them resoled. After the warm weather, of course...:D

I've got leather fisherman's Keens with a closed back (forgot the name) and they're great! I wore them every day last summer and they're still comfortable.

They were good on flat pedals and for walking, lots of walking. The warmth issue didn't come up...I'm more bothered by the tendency of mulch to jump into the shoe. The toe cap was a really positive feature for someone as clumsy as me.

I have six pairs of Keens in various configurations. I'm not sure which sandals I have. I'm a teacher - on my feet most of the day.

I commute to work in them, wear them for light hiking, yard work...They are my favorite shoe.

They do make my feet sweat some. But it's a small price to pay to avoid having my feet stepped on at recess. :p

V.

I have other non-sandal types of keens that I like a lot. I actually like my Venice sandals a lot - I just don't wear them for long walks or biking.

I'm going to have to look at Chacos the next time I get an urge to buy shoes.

Oh and I double counted my new sneakers. I only have five pair. :D

V.

http://tandemhearts.com/coppermine/a.../rbw-w3-16.jpg
Me and my Keens.

I dare anybody to say your pink socks look nerdy with your cute Keens!

I've come to the conclusion that I will give up on the camo color and return these, and order them from REI, instead. (They don't have camo.)

REI will let me return them for any reason. So I can buy them, wear them to walk and cycle, etc. and if I decide they really aren't for me, I can return them. Zappos has a fabulous shipping policy (free shipping both ways) but only will accept returns if the shoes are unworn or defective.

I do love this camo color though.

V - I have those exact Keens! They are great! I also have the Seattle Mary Janes and the Bronx sneakers.

Pooks - I have the kind that V shows in her pic above, just in sapphire blue. I love them. They are comfy all day long, whether I wear them with or without socks. They are the first pair of sandals with a heel strap that haven't torn my skin graft off of the back of my heel. As for the hot thing, my feet are cold (even in the summer) all of the time so I kinda like having a bit of warmth with my sandals. I've used mine hiking and kayaking as well. I have taken them into the surf but I don't generally recommend them for the beach though since the dry sand gets packed in there and you can't just dump it out through the toes while you're walking. For that, I'd go with a pair of Crocs. I hope you find something you like.

I have three pairs of Keens -- a three-year-old pair of Bronx sneakers, an older style of the Newport sandals, and a pair of flip-flops. I liked them all at first but the shine has worn off. Like farrellcollie, I need more support ... I think Keens may be better suited to people with lower arches than I have.

The Bronx sneakers stopped being waterproof this last winter, which is the only reason I bought them and still wore them, because they are miserably hot and sweaty even in cold weather. They now leak at the seams and I don't think I can fix that with waterproofing.

The Newports are too hot to wear in any kind of sandal weather. I use them as camp shoes when we go backpacking, but otherwise I hate them and never wear them. They aren't good for the beach because they trap sand like crazy, they aren't good for water because they never dry and they give me blisters when they get wet, and they are so hot that I consistently find myself reaching for any other pair of sandals if it's over 75 degrees, or even my Salomon amphibian sneakers.

I liked the flip flops for a while but I took them to Mexico and found them so irritating any time there was sand around that I haven't worn them since. I thought the toe protection would be nice but I am just not crazy about them and wear my Chaco flips instead most of the time. My husband does like his Keen flip flops for around the house, but he hated them at the beach, too.

Pooks, have you checked Ebay?

Well. I kept the camos because I just love the green and it goes with a lot of my clothes. I wore them out shopping and since it's raining, they splashed through puddles.

Only time will tell if they work well for walking distances, etc. I'll see how they do when we're camping (but I've ordered some lightweight hiking boots that I'll probably be wearing if we go any distance at all).

And September is a long time away; I can always get something different before then.

My arches aren't high (any more). So maybe that will work in my favor!

As for Ebay, great idea. After I've worn these enough to know I love them, I'll check out Ebay and see what's available there.