KEEN

Newport H2

Women's

When I bought this shoe, I tried to find out the difference between this one and the Keen Whisper, and nobody could tell me...so I'll tell you -- this one is a more substantial shoe, and has better grip, a thicker sole and better arch support. I was looking for something my feet would love, and that I could wear in town, at the beach, in the lake, or on a hike. Check. The elastic adjustable straps mean you can make it a little tighter when you need more support (ie, hiking), and looser when you're just walking. I went on a 3-mile hike the second time I wore them, and was amazed that they were comfortable all the way through. My only issue is that my feet get hot and sweaty if it's really hot outside -- I wish there was a little more ventilation. My guess is that the Whisper might do better hotter conditions, but I decided to go with this one because of the extra support.

The shoe is definitely worth its price tag. It is everything they says it is. It has great support for your arch and cushion for your heels. I love the toe protection. The grip these shoes have on wet/slippery terrain is amazing and they dry super quick. I have wide feet so when I first tried them on they felt a bit tight and rubbed one of my pinkie toes. After I loosened the lock laces and wore them a few days I have had no problems with them at all. They do keep your feet nice and dry even from sweat in 90+ degree weather, however, this past summer in NYC we had a heat wave and temperatures reached over 100 and up to 110 in the subway. No matter how much foot powder I used and how many times I washed my feet these shoes became so funky that I was embarrassed by my own feet. It was not just the fabric part that had begun to stink but the inside rubber sole. So I put them in a net bag and tossed them in the wash. Hung them to dry and they were like new, they wash well. No more problems! After the heat wave the odor never came back. So watch out for extreme temperatures.

Very sad. This is the 4th pair of Keen water shoes I have had and this one was a disappointment as have my last other pairs of Keens. Something has happened to Keens. Their quality and comfort has gone. These were too short, toes hit ends and arch supports are in wrong place. Remember this is my 4th pair and I am still wearing #2 and #3 for old shoes so I know how they used to fit. It's not my feet, it's the Keens. Very sad. I had worn Keens for over 10 years but here I come Tevas.

I really love these Keens. They are quite heavy duty - perfect if you plan to actually hike in them versus just wearing them at the beach or to walk around town. I think there are better, lighter weight Keens if you don't really need to hike (the Whisper is great), but for maximum balance, stability, and anti-slip while hiking on rougher terrain, these are perfect. My one gripe is that I'm currently waiting for a different size. I listened to several reviewers (and the Zappos fit guide) which said to order a half size up. I definitely do not need a half size up. I am a 7.5 and the 8's were exactly a half size too big. I do have narrow feet, so I'm wondering if the people who need to size up have wider feet and find the toe box too snug in their actual size. With my narrow feet, these shoes are a little too wide (something I am used to!), but the pull strap tightens them and my foot doesn't slip at all (even in the ones that were a half size too big). I ordered them in the slate black/canton, which is not black at all. It is definitely more of a chocolate brown - combined with the blue lining/stitching, they are really attractive. These will be perfect for my upcoming trip to Hawaii (once I get the right size!).