For their Venture Mid WP, Keen has eschewed several traditional hiking boot features, opting for a more futuristic look and integrating next-gen technology. These $180 lightweight/day hiking boots are packed with style and comfort, as well as features you won’t find anywhere else. Keen has managed to produce a relatively budget-friendly boot without sacrificing creature comforts. Because they’ve opted for proprietary materials in the outsole and waterproof lining, they’ve managed to keep the price down to only $180, with a build quality that guarantees they’ll be on your feet for many years.

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Based in Portland, OR, Keen (or KEEN) was established in 2003 and quickly found a foothold in shoes constructed for sailing and water-centric outdoor activities, including the highly popular Newport Sandal. They’ve grown very quickly over the last few years and now offer a wide variety of footwear, ranging from casual shoes to work boots and, of course, hiking boots.

For their Venture Mid WP, Keen has eschewed several traditional hiking boot features, opting for a more futuristic look and integrating next-gen technology. These $180 lightweight/day hiking boots are packed with style and comfort, as well as features you won’t find anywhere else.

Comfort & Weight

One of the best things about Keen footwear is their immediate comfort. With a well-cushioned EVA midsole, removable, dual-density polyurethane footbed, and performance mesh upper, the Venture Mid WP is no exception. The only drawback we found was in the toe box, which has a slight inward bend right out of the box, but this is easily rectified after a short break-in period.

The Venture’s lacing system is a real standout. Four TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) reinforced eyelets run up the bottom, followed by the Venture’s party piece: the KonnectFit heel-capture system. A metal ring connects to an embedded cord running behind the boot, enabling hikers to dial down their fit and ensure everything is snug. This is especially helpful due to the generally wider fit of these boots. Above the KonnectFit eyelets are two metal speed hooks intended to simplify lace adjustment while out on the trail.

A pair of men’s size 11 Keen Venture Mid WPs weigh in at around 2.4 lbs (1.08 kg), which falls well within the reasonable range for lightweight/day hiking boots. Although far from the lightest boots on the market, they’ll feel quite light on your feet, and you may even forget you have them on. For those days when you’ve worn them just a bit too long, the Cleansport NXT technology will help keep odors at bay.

Traction & Stability

The outsole of the Keen Venture Mid WP is made of KEEN.ALL-Terrain+ non-marking rubber, a proprietary compound with 4mm multidirectional lugs. The lugs could be a bit more aggressive for better grip in mud and snow, but they performed their job well on moderate trails.

The stability of this boot is reinforced with its stability shank as well as the aforementioned KonnectFit heel-capture system. While the performance mesh upper does an excellent job at promoting comfort while keeping down the weight, it’s not as stiff as other boots that use leather uppers, so overall torsional rigidity does come into question.

Water Resistance & Durability

Like with the Targhee II and III, Keen has opted not to use Gore-Tex for the waterproof lining and instead opted for the proprietary KEEN.Dry waterproof breathable membrane. The KEEN.Dry passes the waterproofing test but could use some improvement in the breathability department. Flood height for the Venture Mid WPs is 4.5 inches, which runs about average for mid-height hiking boots.

The performance mesh uppers are reinforced with TPU overlays to increase durability without adding too much weight. Still, we have doubts that the parts of the upper not overlaid with TPU will stand up to a serious number of scrapes along rocks and other debris. Additionally, the rubber toe cap could be just a hair taller to adequately cover the front of the boot.

Styles & Sizes

• • • Blue Spruce/Evening Primrose
    • Black/Black
    • Blue Nights/Raven
    • Caramel
    • Magnet/Chartreuse

The Black/Black and Magnet/Chartreuse provide a more muted look, while the Blue Spruce/Evening Primrose and Caramel are much more eye-catching. We were partial to the Blue Nights/Raven style, which manages to sport a modern look that would work well on the trail or in the city. Sizes range from 7-15 US with only regular width options available. The Keen Venture Mid WPs come with a 1-year warranty.

The Bottom Line

With the Venture Mid WP, Keen has managed to produce a relatively budget-friendly boot with several creature comforts. Because they’ve opted for proprietary materials in the outsole and waterproof lining, they’ve managed to keep the price down to only $180, with a build quality that guarantees they’ll be on your feet for many years.

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