Review: Keen Newport Sandals

Product: Keen Newport H2 Women’s Sandals

Price: $139.99

Store: Trailhead Paddle Shack

My Keen Newport H2 women’s sandals are awesome! I wear them on a regular basis. I use them to go walking in the city, when hiking in the mountains or on day trips from Edmonton. They are versatile. The rubber toe offers protection and prevents a person from stubbing their toe, unlike regular open-toed, sandals. The cushion beneath the heel of the sandals allows a person to travel for long distances in them without getting blisters, or feeling uncomfortable and wanting to change into shoes. Shoes get sweaty after a while, especially on hot days. While wearing Keen Newport sandals, the air can circulate more easily around the feet.

Keen Newport Sandals for Watersports

These are the best sandals for kayaking and canoeing. Instead of having the sole of a water shoe fold beneath your feet as I’ve experienced recently, the built-in cushion in the sandals will stay in place. These sandals can be soaked in the water, shaken off, and can dry in your watercraft as you continue your outdoor journey. It’s easy when your kayak or canoe is close to shore and you need to push off. One foot can remain in the boat while the other one steadies the watercraft in the water and then the other foot lifts off when you’re ready to leave. The sandals don’t get water logged either. After a few minutes in the sun or the warm air, they tend to dry quite quickly.

Keen Newport Sandals for Hiking

Keen Newport Sandals have a lot of attractive features for exploring, hiking and walking around the campsite after backpacking. Below, I go into more detail about these advantages.

Keen Newport Sandals Quick Secure Fit-Lace Tie-Up

The quick fit-lace tie-up allows you to quickly remove your foot from the sandal. It also secures a foot into the sandal to prevent it from falling off. You don’t have to worry about loose laces or having to make sure the sandal fits in the adjustable ankle hole like other sandals. It’s a quick slip-on and go solution.

Cushioned Sandal

The cushioned sandals add some bounce to your step. I find that so many sandals are not comfy to wear for a long period of time. These Keen Newport sandals offer support under the heel, encouraging you to keep them on for the duration of the activity or the day without getting blisters.

Tip: I find that after wearing them all day, they do smell. You might want to wash your feet between your daily excursion and your evening activity if choosing to wear them for a casual supper.

Webbing

Unlike other kinds of sandals, the webbing has rubber underneath it close to your skin preventing it from rubbing and keeping your feet happy. The webbing is spaced out wide enough to offer support on the top part of the sandal while allowing air to flow around the foot. This type of sandal does not tend to cause blisters even after wearing them a while.

After a day of backpacking, Keen Newport sandals allow a much-needed rest for your stinky feet to air out through the webbing. They allow hikers to walk comfortably around the campsite while enjoying the cushion under the feet. Flip flops don’t have any heel support and sand easily gets caught between the base of the sandal and the heel. The webbing on these reviewed sandals helps prevent an abundance of sand to enter underneath the foot.

Tip: If sand does enter the sandal, it can potentially be difficult to get all the sand out. You might need to remove the sandal and re-adjust. Also, stones under the foot can hurt! Remove any stone quickly!

Loop Straps

There are loop straps on the back of the sandals behind the ankle that allow backpackers to put a clip or carabiner through them to hang them on the outside of the backpack. When sandals get dirty or wet, it’s nice to let them air-dry outside as opposed to stuffing them in a dry bag in your backpack which has the potential of creating a foul odour.

These Keen Newport H2 sandals are very practical but they are a bit on the heavy side for a week-long backpacking trip.

Sandal Tread

The sandal tread provides grip when walking on dry or wet rocks. It can get a bit slippery when crossing creeks that are knee-deep.

Tip: Make sure to bring poles with you to help keep you stable and steady.

Overview for Keen Newport H2 Women’s Sandals

Pros

• Comfortable to wear for a variety of activities
• The webbing doesn’t cause blisters or sores
• Easy to wear with a quick fit-lace tie-up
• The cushion underneath the heel allows for long-distance hiking
• The rubber at the front of the sandal helps prevent a stubbed toe

Cons

• After wearing them for a while, your feet might smell.
• A significant amount of sand could gather under your foot when walking on a beach. You might need to remove the sandal to get rid of the sand.
• They are quite heavy for a week-long backpacking trip but they are so practical at the campsite.

Keen Newport Sandals are Best for:

• A short 3- to 4-day backpacking trip
• Watersports
• Hiking
• Walking around the city