Keen claims the are ultra durable and should be ‘the last hiking boots you ever buy’. Without testing them over an actual lifetime, it’s hard to substantiate this claim, but at first glance they absolutely do seem built to last. More on that later, but it’s worth noting that these boots are the latest iteration of a very popular Keen model, and therefore come loaded with a certain expectation that they are going to be a winner.
So did they actually stack up on test against the ? Here’s how they performed: The Targhee IVs have a proprietary waterproof inner membrane, with a leather and mesh water repellent outer. The semi-bellows tongue means that in theory water shouldn’t be able to penetrate at all below ankle height, as long as they are fitted correctly. On a recent descent from Gowbarrow Fell in the Lake District I got slightly confused as to where the trail was and ended up ankle deep in a bog several times.
Given that the gloop was a hair's breadth away from coming over the top of my boot, which is a good inch above where the tongue gusset separates, I was fully expecting to feel some leakage where the tongue met the front of my ankle, but there was nothing. I have continued to wear the Targhee IVs in the wettest weather, and waded through plenty of puddles and streams, and they keep me dry every time. Yes, sodden leather is going to get heavy, so I don’t suggest you set out to get them soaking wet if you can avoid it.
But if you are caught out by stormy co.
