Keen Terradora Waterproof Mid

An excellent boot for day-hiking or backpacking, these boots deliver comfort and breathability while maintaining good support and water-resistance. Recommended!

I wore the Keen Terradora Mid WP boot on my 2019 LASH of the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Virginia, and they performed very well across multiple types of terrain.

Fit: The boots feature Keen's trademark wide toebox, which provides feet the chance to spread out and ventilate easily without sliding or creating friction.

Comfort: The break-in period for these boots was relatively non-existent for me when new, but I opted to purchase them used, mostly. Unlike leather hiking boots, the uppers on these boots are made of layers of fabric and foam, making them immediately flexible and forgiving on feet.

Support: The advantage of the Terradora Mid boots is their ankle support, which is why I choose them for backpacking. I tend to roll my ankles a lot while treading over rocks (or even just walking normally). The inner and outer ankles of the boots even have built-in cushions to provide extra... cushion. The high tops prevented me from scrapes and bangs each time I wrenched my ankles, and when I slipped or stumbled. Which I did a lot.

Water Resistance: These boots are highly water-resistant. If you end up calf-deep in a puddle, because you thought that mud was solid ground, these boots will protect the socks you've so desperately been trying to keep dry. They are definitely waterproof on single-dunk occasions. During extended drenching, such as an all-day downpour, these boots stayed dry until around halfway through the day. For any boot, waterproof or not, I think eventual seep-through is unavoidable. But these do a darn good job.

Traction: Good grip on these boots! The tread is very sticky and helped me traverse the extremely steep, gritty balds in southern Maine and smooth, dusty rock surfaces in PA.

Temp Control: The Terradoras ventilate well, despite their waterproofness. I hate the feeling of my feet overheating or suffocating in sweat, but I didn't encounter that while wearing these boots, even with merino wool hiking socks. As the temperatures dropped on trail, these boots were well insulated against wind and moisture.

Ease of Use: Very. As far as hiking boots go, the Terradoras are pretty lightweight at 1.64 lb. They aren't clunky or heavy to wear, and I found them easy to run in or step lightly when I was trying to be quiet in the woods. When lacing up in the dark, cold mornings, I appreciated the hook system which kept the laces evenly spaced. The insoles are easy to slip in and out, too.

Features: Wide toebox, cushioned upper ankle, waterproof strip that runs around the bottom of the upper, and flexible, breathable water-resistant fabric. Array of colors.

Construction & Durability: I used three pair of Terradoras (blowing out two of them) in 1,328 miles from Maine to Virginia. The first pair ripped open wide across the toebox after 100 miles and tore completely through at 200, mostly due to the endless roots and upward climbs of Maine, but the tread was still in great shape. By New Hampshire, the boots would soak through regularly because of the gaping rend, and I replaced them at 400 miles. They endured Vermont's mud and roots, and the rocky ridges of Massachusetts through Pennsylvania until I had to replace them again after 700 miles, this time for worn-away tread. The third pair travelled 155 miles from Harper's Ferry, WV to Rockfish Gap, VA, and they are currently in excellent, lightly worn shape.

100 miles:
200 miles:

400 miles:

Background

I purchased these boots new from REI. After they wore through, I went to eBay and bought several pairs, each for under $60. On my SOBO hike of the AT, I wore each pair of these boots until they fell apart, but never changed the style or model of my footwear because I was so happy with their performance.