Men/Women Boot Review: Keen Durand

[ ~ 9 MINUTE READ ]

Let me start by saying, I have never really liked Keen boots.

I tried a few pairs when I was younger because they were affordable and available everywhere, but I just never fell in love with them. They were heavy and clunky and when I was wearing them I always felt like I was wearing cardboard boxes for shoes. Plus, that giant rubber toe cap has always been a bit of a turn off...

A couple years ago I was talking to my uncle about how I needed some new boots and I was trying to figure out which ones to get. I had tried on about a dozen pairs without finding any that I really liked. He quickly suggested Keen's; of course I was like "Yeah right bro. I wouldn't wear those if you paid me!" Now, my uncle lives in Oregon, so he is a die-hard fan of the Portland-based company...I didn't know it was a slap in the face for me to trash talk his beloved KEEN! We fought about the brand for an hour or so and finally agreed to disagree.

About 2 weeks later, my uncle sends me an email that said something like "Hey, I've got a buddy who works at Keen and he can get me a discount. I'll buy you a pair to prove you're wrong about Keen!" So, I wasn't exactly getting PAID to wear them, but I wasn't about to say no to a new pair of boots!! I did some online research, went to a local REI and tried a few on and settled for the Keen Durand Mid, still thinking these were going to be mildly upgraded cardboard boxes.

And that's how I got my Keen Durand's, as always thanks for reading!

Ok, ok, calm down! I'm just joking!! Let's get into the review...

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Keen Durand: The Review

Alright, I'm gonna be a nice guy and tell you the big surprise right off the bat: the Keen Durand changed my mind about the brand. Keen went from one of my bottom 3 hiking boot brands to probably...top 10 or so. I know what you're thinking "Whoa, Gio is handsome AND brilliant!".....oh.....not what you were thinking??

Ok, well maybe you were actually thinking "Top 10? That's not that impressive..." but when you're comparing these Keen boots to Asolo, Zamberlan, Hanwag, Alico, Danner and the likes...that's pretty impressive, especially for a company that has only been making boots for about 15 years (to put that in perspective: Zamberlan has been producing boots since 1929 and they can cost $400+).

Alright, let's get into the deets (my wife told me that's how cool people say 'details').

If you read my previous article about my Top 3 Summer Hiking Boots you know what I look for in a summer boot...well, the criteria for an all season boot are pretty much the same, with less of an emphasis on breathability and quick drying features (and light weight, kinda). With that said The Durand hits the nail on the head with the majority of these criteria.

Hold up...before we get into all that, let's dive into the spec's for a second. The Durand's weigh in at a mind-bending 635 grams (1 lb, 6.4 ounces)...that's like, really light, especially for leather, high ankle hiking boots. These things look like they would weigh about twice that much... There is also a TPU shank for added stability and rigidity. The outsole is made of two different compounds; a softer one for grip on the outside of the sole (the black area) and a harder compound directly underfoot for added durability and traction (the gray area). Keen.Dry is used for the waterproof lining. The upper boot is made from nubuck to promote durability and mesh to promote breathability.

So, what did I like about the Keen Durand's? Well, it's a long list, so grab some popcorn.

Comfortable

My dudes and dudette's...these boots are hella comfortable! This is something that Keen has always done right (in my opinion). The over sized toe box, wide cut, and big, padded ankle make this boot a pleasure to wear, even on long, grueling hikes. Big pull loops on the back make it easy to get 'em on and the integrated heel cushion, although gimmicky, really does provide an extra layer of protection from all the rough stuff you're stepping on!

For about a year and half, these guys were my daily boots simply because they were usually all I needed and they were so comfortable I just wanted to wear them all the time. I would've slept in them if I was still living the bachelor life.

Rugged

With the nubuck leather upper, TPU shank, and beefed up outsole, the Durand's certainly check the rugged/tough/heavy duty check box. These Keen's are big and beefy, although their weight doesn't reflect it.

Now, let me be clear...this is not $300 backpacking boot. It's not a Lowa Tibet or a Crispi Nevada, so when I say it is rugged and tough be aware that I mean this is a tough, intermediate hiking boot. I've been on hundreds of miles of day hikes, hundreds of miles of backpacking trips, countless days on the river with portages and swims, and these boots have never let me down. What ultimately killed my Durand's? The pavement, but more on that later.

Lacing System

A lot of boots these days using fabric lacing eyelets; they save on weight, are cheaper to produce, and can integrate into the upper in different ways. BUT they are not as durable as metal eyelets, and once they are frayed or damaged, they are likely to break completely and usually can't be repaired. With the Keen Durand, you get a mix of both fabric and metal eyelets and lace hooks.

I'm a big fan of this lacing system for a few reasons.

First, there are metal hooks on the top three rungs, where you get most of your lace movement and where you tend to pull the hardest on your laces when you're trying to lock in the ankle support.

Second, the laces at the toe of the boot are fabric, BUT they use a thick piece of leather which ups the durability factor a bit.

Third, as you can see in this image, the top rung is a hook and the second rung is a "speed-loop" (what I've always heard them called). This has recently changed...Keen is now making the Durand's with the top 2 rungs as lace hooks. Now this may not seem like a big deal, but having your lace locked into that 2nd rung made it kind of a pain to get your foot in and out of the boot because it was just laced up too high. Now that you can easily unlace the top 2 rungs, it's quicker and easier to get in and out of.

All 4 Seasons

The beautiful thing about the Durand is that it's a pretty awesome all around boot. They work well in all 4 seasons, so if you're looking for a boot that won't break the bank and will take care of your tootsies all year round, here ya go. Now if you live in Alaska, New England, or other ridiculously cold areas (yeah, I'm talking to psycho's in North Dakota) you're not going to get away with wearing these in the winter...sorry. I'll give you the low down on winter boots in another article. But for all you normal folks who live in a more moderate environment, these will get you through all 4 seasons as long as you have some decent wool socks.

I've worn these all over the US and they served me well from the rainy springs in Oregon, to the winters of Pennsylvania to the summers of Virginia. They are breathable enough for hot, humid weather but insulated enough to the keep the heat in during the cold months. I wouldn't wear them for extended periods of time before 20 F, but short walks or anything above that you should be ok with some woolies on!

What ultimately killed my Durands? City livin'.

The sole of my Durand's finally blew out after about 1.5 years of wearing them. The rubber in certain areas began to delaminate because they were just so worn down. I could start to see the midsole in certain areas because the outsole was...gone. Now initially I thought, "Ok, 1.5 years isn't great, but I've worn these bad boys almost every day, in every condition." And again, I'm very tough on gear so you can take the lifespan of my gear and 1.5X or 2X it for the normal person. It's also important to note that I was wearing these boots to walk to work everyday (~2 miles round trip).

So a little while down the road I bought another pair of Durand's on clearance at an EMS

retailer in Virginia. Again, I used them a ton...but the key difference was that I wasn't using them to walk to work or walk the dogs; I was only using them for hiking. I've had these boots for over 1.5 years but they show almost no signs of the sole wearing out, just normal wear and tear. I'm guessing these will last at least another 1.5 years.

What I've found is that the outsole of the Durand is just too soft for the pavement day in and day out. Obviously it's not going to kill these boots walking on the pavement here and there but if you make it your downtown boot you might be retiring them a bit earlier than you'd like.

Final thoughts on the Keen Durand

Well, I pretty much laid it all out there the best that I could. I think the Durand's are a damn-good all around boot for moderate hiking. If you are an average hiker logging 5-20 miles per week on maintained trails, you can't ask for much better than the Durand. Whether it's wet, dry, hot, cold, you'll get good traction, solid support for the ankle and foot, and comfort that will let you hike as long as your water supply lasts!

If you generally hike on really rocky terrain or needs boots for rock climbing approaches, I would steer clear of the Durand, they are just not specific enough nor durable enough for that kind of terrain. Also, remember that these are intended go over the river and through the woods, to Grandmothers house we...wait, that's not right. They are intended to be used as hiking boots! Giving them tons of miles on the road may result in serious injury or death...for your boots.

Ladies and gentlemen, as always, thank you for reading!

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