I exchanged a pair of Danners for the Keen Summit boots based on your recommendation & went out yesterday. They are comfortable and lightweight. I was able to climb my sticks easier than my previous boots because the Keens allowed my ankles to flex a little more making it easier to reach the steps. Thank you!
I bought a pair KEEN Men's Revel 4 High Polar Insulated Waterproof Snow Boots they are junk. First rain 2nd day of rifle season out in it less than an hour and feet soaked. I bought them cause of your review.
I have not bought a new pair of keens in a few years because I stocked up on the amazing summit County when they were discontinued. But I have been hearing alot this year from people saying these new ones are not that good anymore. Shame too, cause they were an amazing boot. people saying the same thing you are now. They didn't use to be like that
so i have had many of the same experiences. danner told me i ruined the waterproofing in my boot because i didnt use a danner approved oil. my adidas, solomon, and many other trail running shoes that said they were waterproof were not past the first few uses. some the first use. the common symptom was water leaking through canvas sections of the shoes that had gore-tex backing them. gore-tex sucks, and even if it is holding a seal as soon as you spray a pair of muddy shoes off you ruin the seal. i found if i refrain from spraying off my muddy shoes the waterproofing lasts longer. the spray from a nozzles beaks up the seals of the gore-tex from the outer layer of the shoes compromising the waterproofing. im trying to buy shoes that do not have these designs flaws anymore. i need shoes that cost $150-$200 to last at least two seasons before i feel they deserve to fail. that being said im going to take your recommendation and try to summits. Thanks for the video, great content. Cheers!
Yep not a gortex fan either. But just as a testimonial to the keen summits. I hunted 2 days ago in my 4 year old summits and was walking across a frozen creek to recover a deer and my right foot punched thru the ice. It was so slippery I was stuck with that foot in 6 inches of water for about a minute and a half. When i got out no water had gotten into my boot and i thought to my self. Huh, almost 5 years old, best to hell and cracks in the leather but still waterproof.
Nice one. Never heard of Keen. In the real world where folk think for themselves a boot is a boot its defined by the individual & what it's works for. Only in the fake world of created perceptions are there "Hunting boots" that are just for hunting & "Hiking boots" just for hiking etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Hey Jason, love the videos always so much real life information in them. Just bought lots of flannels and Walmart wrangler pants for hunting after I saw your camo video. Now today I ordered the keen Pittsburgh’s they are going to be here Tuesday. I just watched the video of you talking about side jobs and the Amazon thing caught my attention. I’m probably going to give it a shot I was just curious do you dropship through Amazon to sell things? There’s many different ways but dropshipping was the one I was probably going to try so was curious if that’s what you do as well. Thanks for all the info! -Bryce
Glad you are enjoying the content! I do not drop ship at all. I had products made to my specs from a manufacturing facility and sell them thru amazon. This is called "fba" selling on amazon. I took a course thru amazing.com to learn how to sell on amazon.
@@SamkoTradBow Ah okay that makes sense. I will probably give that a shot then, I never understood deopshiping completely anyways. I’ll look into the course and try to expand from there. I appreciate the information and the reply!
I'M ALSO A HUGE FAN OF KEEN! I HAVE A PAIR OF DANNERS BUT THEY ARE MOUNTAIN TYPE BOOTS. FOR MIDWEST, YA KEEN! THEY ARE TOUGH AND REALLY HOLD UP GOOD. 25 DEGREES, MILITARY BUNNY BOOTS.
I might have to give these a try, both models. I've been a huge fan of the fit and comfort or Merrell shoes for early/mid season but need something taller and a bit of warmth.
@@SamkoTradBow hey. Could I use them for work? Cuz I been wanting a great comfortable shoe.. cuz thr ones I have are all flimsy, flat, uncomfortable, I feel the shock of the shoe 👎
I have worn keen for 12 to 15 years but unfortunately they are going downhill..They adhesive for the sole has been letting loose..You can see alot of pics on Amazon of this problem.I think they switched glue because they are trying to cater to the go green crowd.
I have noticed the lugs on the side coming unglued lately. But I re glue them with gorilla glue and never have a problem with them again after that. But it's a shame the quality has dropped a bit. Most comfortable boots I've ever worn. And the quick reglue is worth it to me for the comfort and keen dry quality.
I know this video is old. But how do you explain my adidas terrex free hiker goretex that have about 9 seasons on them. 90% scouting in morning hours in the Pennsylvania mountains and walking across creeks and what have you. Feet dry… n believe you me. Tall wet dew grass is ALL Pennsylvania woods from June to January. I think your feet just sweat alot and one boot breaths better then the other. Is that fair? Why would these amazing multi billion dollar companies use goretex then? They wouldn’t. But they do because it’s an alternative waterproof design vs using leather and other compounds. I would try changing socks and giving goretex another go. Stay safe out there brother! Happy hunting
We have had different levels of luck with gortex. Wet grass will push thru any membrane eventually. Only thing it won't push theu and only thing completely water proof is rubber. Nothing to do with sweat. Maybe I walk faster or my grass is taller.
I have Danner pronghorns so far so good. They keep my feet warm and are extremely comfortable but don't get them wet! I agree with what he says! I might have to take a look at Keen. The thing is with Danner since they go after defense contracts their quality control goes in their military and tactical lines of boots. Their military and tactical boots are phenomenal. If you are going to buy Danner's get their military and tactical lines of boots. I kinda digging those keens... Hmm
This is interesting. I just bought their Downrange boot which is in their tactical line but looks more like a hiking boot to me. It was $104 on their site, marked down from $250. Not many reviews out there on it but I feel more comfortable about my decision now
My feet love Keens, it seems to me they have a generous toe box that make my feel comfortable ... In Danners, Chippewa, Belleville, Redwing, I wear a size 8 , but in Keen i wear an 8 1/2 .....I have about 6 pairs of Keens and just now ordered a pair of Keen revel 1V High Polars... The last pair i ordered from Backcountry they give you 15% off you first order which knocks a good chunk of money off.. My feet loves Keens ,,,you feet may vary lol
My keen-dry leaked out of the box and none of my goretex boots have leaked until they were falling apart. Funny how you have had the complete opposite experience.
Yep we have had the exact opposite experience. I won't buy gortex if I can help it. It always let's me down fast. Keen dry is the best I have ever used going theu wet vegetation and not having water push through.
I have the keen Pittsburgh steel toe. I love Them however I do landscaping/lawn care and mine lasted about 8 to 9 months. How did you get yours to last for five years?
Love my Targhee III's. I had a minor stitching issue on one boot and expected to just exchange them or have them repaired. Instead they sent me a new pair of boots and told me to keep the ones I had. The original pair are still going strong 1 1/2 years later. Great customer service...great boot. I need to replace my winter boots and it appears that the Summit County are discontinued. I am assuming the Revel IV High Polar Boot would be the replacement? Does anyone have experience with these? Thanks
@@SamkoTradBow I bought the REVEL IV near the end of last whitetail season. They performed great in the teens with snow. Climbed the tree easily etc. Just recently got back from a Colorado elk hunt 8 days about 15 miles a day. ZERO issues. The tread is a little softer on this boot and the rocks did tear up the tread a little but my feet stayed dry, no blisters, no hot spots, no stink. I cant complain one bit. Great boot for the money. I cant imagine being much more satisfied with a higher priced boot.
I bought the Keen Pittsburgh after watching this video and I think they're terrible. The soles are hard as rock and very slippery on the tree stands. As far as dry there's no way the tong is fabric and get wet in dewy grass. Definitely not the ultimate boot.
Bought a pair of the Keen Summit boots two years ago based on your review. I too had not had any good results with gore tex and wanted something to keep my feet dry. These are deffinetly not it. A walk through wet grass results in my socks being soaking wet. The rubber around the bottoms has started coming loose. Not impressed...the search continues
I hate to say it but there is not a boot other than rubber that can walk thru wet vegetation with out pushing water thru the membrane. I talked about this in detail in my learn your hunting gear video a couple years ago. So membranes will make it farther than others but none of them can stop pushed water like that for very long. I have had the rubber side lug come loose as well after a few season. a quick shot of gorilla glue and good for another few years. I love these boots. after 5 years with the same pair and only having to glue a lug tight again I call these boots amazing. and mine are still waterproof. But again nothing is tall wet grass or wet fern waterproof except rubber.
Dude every boot i bought from Keen the sole sepperates from the boot. Now they are comfortable but in 6 months of wear the heel comes off because they are glued on not sewn.😢
I have never had a heal come off. Only thing I've had happen is the side lugs come loose after a year or 2. But a quick shot of gorilla glue solves that quick and easy.
Didn’t expect to see my work boot on here. I wear the Pittsburgh composite toes for work and my only problem with them was the heel, it didn’t sit flat since the day I got them. They’ve worn down to be close to flat now but I think my knees are paying the price. When doing a search to see if it was just my boot, I found reviews from other people with the same problem. I’ve had them just under a year now.
You mentioned some of the other boots you’ve tried but it didn’t sound like any of the higher end trekking boot brands like kenetrek, crispi, hanwag etc. have you ever tried those brands ?
I have not tried those. I have tried on crispi and liked them in the store. never bought them. I dont need to spend that kind of money on boots personally. the keens work great and last a longtime with amazing waterproofing.
I like Keen boots/shoes/hikers and have worn many over the past decade. Their one weakness is the sole. They suck. First thing go. I finally gave up on them.
I just bought my first pair of Keen boots for cutting timber, absolutely the BEST BOOT IVE OWNED!! hmmm, never thought about them for huntin, have to check it out!! You are 100% correct on the gortex! Works great until it gets a little use and pressure on it, then it's like an old canvas army tent! Lol! Thanks again! Have a Blessed Day! Signing Off from the Stand!
Not really. I'm not picky. 90% of the time I'm in Haynes white cotton socks and when cold throw a pair of thick thermal socks over my white cotton ones.
I believe the summon County has been discontinued. I know they were replacing it with a newer version but have not looked into what that is yet. But if you go to keen.com and click on men's winter boots it should show all the new models
Keen revel 4 is supposed to be the replacement for the summit. Baffin boots are very warm. Other option is a keen revel and then add a boot cover when on stand.
Hey Jason, I went out and bought two pair of keens, one for work and the other for hunting. My dad also bought a keen pair at the same time. We had two different models to test out. Pros 1) nothing is more comfortable than a keen for my high arch foot. 2) fantastic traction for my western adventures, Midwest white tails, small game and daily work (I’m an electrician) 3) ankle support is good 4) keen dry is fantastic, way better than goretex Cons 1) while walking through the woods I noticed that the tie grommets piece where you cross the strings at the top of the boot constantly gets caught on the mesh lining. This is a tripping hazard in the woods and work place. 2) the tread on all three came unglued in the same place within 2 months. I would be fine with this, but I’m confused on how the ones I use for hunting came unglued at the same time as my work boots with only 1/8th of the amount of use. Have either of my cons happen to you? Appreciate all the videos and your hard work. -Gram
I jave never caught the boot loops on anything like a trip hazard. I have one 2 different pairs had one side lug come un glued. I simply used some gorilla glue to re glue it and both are still perfect today. I jave had this happen on a few different brands of boots also. Its the way stuff is today with all soles glued and not stitched. But such an easy fix im good with it. Litterally takes 10 seconds to re glue with gorilla glue. And both times it was just on the side lug that comes up thw side.
But seriously, tell us how you really feel. BTW I have owned many Gore-Tex products over the years, (not shoes) and I have never had a problem keeping dry. Thanks for the vid.
Yep I have had better luck with gortex in clothing like some of my sitka gear. But in boots always had problems very quickly. But then again Its been probably 10 years since I have even tried gortex in boots as i lost trust long ago. Maybe its better now.
@@SamkoTradBow I'm with you on the Gore-tex. I've bought many pair of Gore-tex "waterproof" boots from big names...Merrill, Salomon, etc. All failed inside of a year, sometimes within 6 months. Tall, wet grass would just soak my feet. For what they cost...very disappointing to have them end up at Goodwill. I have a pair of Keen Targhee slip-on shoes. I wear them for easy hikes with the dog, and around town. All leather. I treated them once with Sno-Seal and they are completely waterproof after a year. I may try a pair of these Pittsburgh boots for tougher travels, and I'll hope the KeenDry performs as well for me as it has for you.
Received my EvelIV boots today, One thing I'm Not liking is the lack of a locking ring Like SALOMON. Use twice today and both times a double knot the laces still come undone.
Since the summits are your cold weather boot do you up size any? I’ve always liked the fit of keen boots. I also have a pair of Zamberlans that fit me well and are top notch quality.
I dont up size anymore as I dont like to wear more than 2 pairs of socks and I can fit them in the size I buy. If i need more warms i put a wool dock over my boot toe with a hand warmer stuffed in there when I'm on stand. But i did up size winter boots for a long time and it worked great.
Everything going that way now. Nothing completely made in America anymore. 99% of everything people wear, use, and have in and around thoer gouse is made in china
I picked up a pair of the Summit Country for November-December in New England and I love them. I also use them for my job doing habitat work and they have been fantastic. I do find that when sitting still in temps below 30 I have to throw in a toe warmer or footwarmer but the comfort and lightweight of the boot is great.
Im looking to get a new pair of winter boots. The Summit County looks perfect for me. My only question would be, what temperature would be too warm for them? Thanks for showing the durability of these Keen boots. I have been on the fence about them, but seeing that an experienced hunter and that extreme wear they showed, and still work perfect. Im probably going to get them now. Thanks for telling us!
thanks for all your info man! im in college and can't wait to hunt first time in 2021. would you recommend a certain small game head? (steel blunt or claw style like the G5?)
I just bought my first pair of Keen Pittsburg soft toe. They are VERY comfortable and pretty light weight. My only concern is, will the outsole hold up? I've heard some complaints about the soles coming off from the upper. I hope that's only very rare cases. Other than that, I really like the Keens alot.
I have never had a problem with the pittsburg. on my targee hikers a lug that wraps up the side will eventually break loose but is very easy to put a couple drops of gorilla glue on it and good for another hundred thousand miles. But even on those when that does happen the boots are pretty worn out and should probably be replaced anyway. but this happens with any glue on sole boot. its s 3 second fix when it does happen.
I just ordered a pair of their newest versions , the Keen Revel IV High Polar Boot. Sooooo hyped to get these in. Ive completely switched over to keens for my everyday stompers, have a few different versions for the different seasons but I havent pulled the trigger until now for Full on winter boots. My old winter boots ( although high quality) were a pair of Carolina boots. Great boot but just waaaaaay to much boot. Ridiculously heavy, obnoxiously bulky , and have a logger style sole which grips good but has a high heel which JACKS my back up after hrs on my feet. I know these will be Game changing. We get Hit with some Hard winters here and I can be out working in the snow for 12 hrs straight. Im stoked to get these in.
I I bought these Revel 3s on Amazon Monday. Today they went up from $122 to $170. Like wow. But you're right. Very nice boot. That V cut at the top back has got to be for me. So how do we maintain that keen dry waterproofing?
As expected, looks like there are a bunch of brand snobs who have to cry theirs are better simply to justify paying such outrageous prices to themselves. I have some insulated Winchester brand camo boots (no idea who actually made them) from Meijer I bought ~22yrs ago for ~$40 (were supposed to be $80 but rang up wrong in my favor. They're STILL waterproof and plenty warm for most applications. The only reason I stopped wearing them, is because the outer sole separated from the upper so I have to reglue it. I recently got my 1st pair of Keens (Innate hikers) and, especially after watching this, I'm stoked. I've walked around in the house a bit for fit and comfort and I'm already very impressed. If they hold up 1/2 as well as they have for this guy, then I'll very likely be a lifelong customer too.
That's the best straight forward zero bullshit boot review i think i have watched. I was already leaning into Keen about trying them i am now sold i will do that. Very very helpful review and most people out there with their review videos just don't know how to do one, guys cut out the shitty unnecessary music, the stupid intros, and just get to the facts and cut the fluff like this guy does!!! Thank you sir great job!!!
I got a pair of targhee ii and they are awesome. I got them as a gift at my 2016 birthday. 2020 and they are still ready to battle. This people saying "But keen is not a hunting boot..." i say ,well, i dont know how they hunted before hunting boots ever existed. This maybe gonna sound crazy but, could you hunt without hunting boots? (Sarcasm)
I love Keen shoes and boots however the Keen Summit is only waterproof up to maybe the bottom of the ankle. This is because the tongue of the boot is not webbed with the upper. Still a great boot, but don't expect it to be waterproof as you are walking through ankle high mud or creeks.
I'm with you on the Gore-Tex. It sucks. I've been eyeballing the Pittsburgh soft-toe for a while. Looks like a solid boot, with better ankle support than the Keen hiking boots. I've been wearing a pair of Cabelas hunting boots for years. Gore-Tex in those...only Gore-Tex boots I've had that didn't leak. Last year, they started to let water in, so I'm looking to replace them. I have a pair of first-gen Keen Targhee shoes. All leather, slip on. I bought them to replace a pair of same-style Merrills that didn't last a year. I treated them with Sno-Seal and those Keens have been terrific. If the Pittsburgh performs as well as a hunting/hiking boot, I'll be very happy.
Keen boots are the best winter boots money can buy. I bought my pair 15 years ago and I still wear them to this day. They're a little worn but otherwise they're still waterproof and keep my feet warm. Best $200 dollars I've ever spent.
My Keens only last 12-14 months per pair but I wear them every single day and they’re put through the ringer. Nothing else lasts over 8 months. Nothing.
Yep they are very tough boots. As we speak I'm wearing a 3 year old pair that I only wear hunting and they have been caked in river bank mud for 4 straight days from getting in and out of my canoe and are still dry.
I personally have never conditioned leather or put anything on any boots. I just wash the mud off at the end of the season with a garden hose and brush.
Don't looks like vortex has improved over the year. I remember when it first came out. Alaskan guide would say goretex is nice but if you want to stay dry use a real rain coat.
After trying them in the store numerous times I prefer the steel toes because they have much more toe room up and down. The soft toe pushes down on my toes too much. They make another similar newer model (mostly black in color) with a composite toe which I may get but can’t find one to try locally.
When he talks about how his boots stay completely dry from wetness. I gotta get these boots. I've wasted a few dollars on old boots, and they gave me bunions and wetness lol. Good stuff, bruh. I'm gettin' these boots, for sure though.
Been wearing Keen exclusively for all of my boots, hiking shoes, shoes and even my motorcycle boots now. Found them in 2005 and I've owned over 20 pairs since. I can stand for 8 hrs a day in every pair I've ever owned and they are more comfortable than running shoes. Keen for life!
Looks like they don’t make the Summit Country boots anymore. Do you use something different now that you would recommend for an insulated boot that’s similar?
I also use and love keens but like any other gear I like to try other things. For my feet nothing cones close to the keens no matter how much I want to like other boots.
Got really expensive keen in Australia 6 years a go. Worst buy I have made ever. Work with hunting boots so use every day almost my boots. But the Keen I dumped after that hiking trip and told my self never 2 look at again. Love VIKING or any other real brands. Gore-Tex or any other water proof material is great. So don't get that you talk bad about it also?
My experience is the exact opposite of yours and in my opinion gortex in boots is the worst waterproof liner I've ever used. But to each thier own. For me and my needs. Keen is great and jeep dry is amazing
Jason, Always wear tall rubber boots for scent control. Do you just not worry about leaving scent? Need something better than the rubber boots but concerned over leaving scent trail.
I don't ever wear rubber boots unless I'm in swamps and need it. I do not believe rubber boots do anything for scent control personally. I also do not practice any scent control at all. I do wash my clothes in uv free soap but that's about it. I also don't use or believe in camo. So take my option with a grain of salt as many think I'm crazy. But I would never wear rubber boots to a spot that simple keen hikers would work for.
Dude I've taken nearly every game Michigan has to offer and the only camo I've ever worn was my Cabela's brand insulated coveralls. Plenty of deer and such were taken for 100+yrs well before any of us were around just fine w/o camo, scent control, or rubber boots...
I personally am not. I dont pay any attention to scent control or camo. So my opinion might not match that of others. But for me, no scent control, no camo, no worries.
Teen temps are pushing it for the summits unless you use toe warmers and or a insulated boot cover. 25 to 50 they are perfect. 50 and above I go non insulated. Teen temps i run the summits with toe warmers. Single digits and lower i switch to baffin titans.
Agree completely. If you are looking for a swamp snake boot i love the lacrosse 4x alpha snake boot. I have about 50 miles of walking in mine so far and the y are amazing! basically a lacrosse rubber boot but with snake guard in it. Love them.
Hey Jason, Just bought a pair of the Pittsburgh boots and cant wait to try them out. I have used Salomon quest boots as non insulated and with the amount of synthetic material they tend to get pretty soaked through. Great price for a leather boot. Have you ever noticed any leaking in the gusset of the tongue? Also do you have any specific conditioner for the leather that you use? 5+ years is an impressive boot life and I look forward to testing mine out. Love your channel and your take on hunting! -Amateur Vermont hunter
You are gonna love them. Never had any leaking but don't walk thru water higher than the sides of the tongue or it will seep thru there. I don't condition mine or do anything other than wash them off when they are muddy. The keen dry membrane is the best I have ever used in a leather boot.
@@SamkoTradBow yeah I normally pair any of my boots with a good pair of leg gaiters if I make the mistake of dipping too deep in a small water crossing for that exact reason. Hate getting wet from dew on the ferns and tall grass!
I wont be reviewing any more hunting boots like that now that I live in south georgia and live in snake boots all year long. I do still wear my keens on my mid west hunts but will take along time to wear those out.
No. In a marsh I wear lacrosse rubber boots or hip boots. And in snake country like Georgia swamps i wear lacrosse rubber snake boots. All boots have a place and reason. These keens are for soild ground hunting.
@@SamkoTradBow I'm going on a wyoming mule deer hunt next year the first week of october. Having a hard time deciding on insulated or non-insulated. Thanks for the quick reply.
@@matthew8031 I just saw at a local store that keen now has a boot similar to the Pittsburg that has like 200 grams of insulation. Did not catch the name of them as that store was crazy expensive but worth looking them up. They were a sweet boot. I'm gonna buy them this year.
@@matthew8031 I have a pair of keen 200 gram insulated boots similar to these new ones that I bought about 8 years ago. Love then. Never reviewed them as they are no longer in production so no one could buy them. I think these new ones will be just as good. I cant wait to buy them.
As an eastern terrain bow hunter, would these Keens be appropriate for an archery elk hunt out west? Steeper terrain, ankle support, climbing ridges, blow downs etc??? Thanks
I thinks so. I wear them in the smoky mtns hiking and hunting a few times each year and where I hunt in ohio and Missouri the hills are short but rugged and steep bluffs. Now if I was doing a sheep hunt and carrying 80 pounds side hilling for 10 miles a day I'd probably want a stiffer boot. But for elk or mule deer etc I'd wear my keens all day.
Good to hear. As a senior citizen hunter( 59) in very good shape for my age, I would follow up with which model of the Keen boot would best suit me to bow hunt MT, WY or CO in Sept-Oct? I want the ankle support of a higher boot, not an ankle only height. An 8" boot would be my choice. Waterproof is a MUST, breathable and supportive. I prefer leather over man made fabrics...they failed me in the past with leakage and punctures. Thanks
@@stewartlampe5748 great question. You might have to look at the keen line up. They make about 100 different boots. Amazon has all of them for you to see.
I agree, Keen makes very comfortable footwear. I suggest you use a leather conditioner, such as Bick 4, to keep the leather parts healthy and looking like new.