KEEN Men's Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals - Breathable Quick-Dry Hiking & Water Shoes for Beach, Pool, Kayaking & Outdoor Adventures

These sandals fit slightly small and the heal strap will chafe. I tossed the heel strap entirely because of that reason. The other thing is these fit slightly smaller than a proper size 10, this is because the webbing over the top of the foot is not big enough even with the tension straps fully relaxed. The webbing pushes your foot back making the sandal feel smaller at the heelI use these sandals to walk my dog in WET grass. Unless I am willing or able to use rubber boots every day, the use of these sandals provide the best alternative. My sandals and my feet get soaking wet but that is OK as they dry out quickly when put in direct sunlight. In reading the reviews, I noticed a comment by another buyer to go one half size larger; I did and it worked. Thanks other reviewer and this is what you like to get out of reviews - useful information. The sandals are difficult to get the back strap on as it is a tight fit but insures a snug fir once the sandal is on. This is my second pair and I like them but new buyers should read reviews to make sure this sandal is what you want/need.I bought these as an everyday shoe for a trip to Kauai. I used them on boats, on the beach, hiking long trails, in the ocean, etc - they held up great and were comfy throughout. I have only ever owned the "leather" footbed Keen sandals in the past, but those weren't appropriate for this trip. Anyway, the plastic footbed in these didn't get "slippery" like some sandals will when you get water inside the shoe. No chaffing, never had them slide off my foot or anything.This sandal felt good as soon as I put them on. I had ordered four other sandals trying to find just the right one and this style of Keen is exactly what I want. I put them to a mild test right away wearing them as my primary shoe for a road trip. They were very comfortable all day in the car. Also comfortable walking around quite a bit the next day. I almost didn't keep them because they felt suffocating on my feet after only 15 minutes. But I realized I had simply cinched them too tight. Once loosened properly, they still felt solid on my feet (not slipping or anything) and my feet could breathe easily.The only downside - and the reason I am giving them 4 stars instead of 5 - is they are a bit difficult to get on. Once on, they are comfortable. But there are definitely easier closed-toe sandals to get on than these.TL;DR: 5/5 without integrity issue, 2.5/5 with integrity issuesPros: Good traction (even in the White Mountains/ Mt. Washington) and comfort, great weight.Cons: Quality and/or Durability is lacking/bad. Summary: A well-balanced and favorited shoe that is tainted by its poor integrity.Recommendation: Buy, but be warn that use, especially on rocking, high-elevation gain hikes, may lead to a short lifespan. _____Long StorySo I’m a weekend warrior hiker. Most of the time I stay in CT, with a White Mountain hike once a month, more or less. I’ve been using ankle-supporting boot user since I started hiking, but I was forced to get sandals for the Narrows, so I got these. Didn’t get to do the Narrows because of the water level, so I did Angel’s Landing with them. I have converted to a sandal user ever since. However, my experience with the H2s hasn’t been all positive.I’m going to use other shoes I’ve worn as comparisons to illustrate my pros and cons: Merrell Moab Mids, KEEN Targhee III Mid, Saloman X Ultra Mid, and Brooks Cascadia 13s, with rankings in each section ranging from great, good, okay, lacking, to bad.- Traction: Good.When I say good traction, I mean good traction once I learned how to hike with these. There was definitely a learning curve for me. Boot’s weight and distribution of force make it so I don’t have to really engage my feet when I hike, I just need to put my foot down. Hiking is just a walk with Moabs and Targhees. Not so with sandals. I have to think more, actually grip with my toes, take more consideration with my balance. It was kind of a turn off at first, because I was constantly slipping. This is a serious issue because the hikes I do always have steep sections. Wether it is Sleeping Giant’s Blue Trail’s 0.4 mi section up 500ft of slab or the 2,500 ft+ elevation gain bagging Mt. Tom and Mt. Field, I need shoes that will keep me grounded. All the initial slippage definitely made me miss heavy shoes with Vibram soles. But I don’t turn tail unless I have to, so I kept pushing, and eventually I learned how to hike in these sandals.I would say traction plus skill on the H2s would be the same as my Targhees. Moabs, with their Vibram soles, have great traction, and are unrivaled in my experience. HOWEVER, the H2s have greater flexibility and a sleeker frame that allows me to stick my foot in holds and hop on uneven boulders that I wouldn’t be able to do with boots. And, Unlike the lacking-traction Ultra Mids, I don’t slide standing on smooth New England trap rock with the H2s.- Comfort: Good.I used to be a big fan of Moabs because of the cushion. Those are the only hiking shoes I would rank great in comfort. The H2s are good for the complete opposite reason; there is no cushion at all. Instead, there are just straps. Unlike an enclosed shoe, my ankle and heel can move freely, without worry of friction. Unlike plush, which wears and becomes a blister-friendly area, straps don’t wear down, and can be better adjusted when my feet are swollen. I would have liked the ankle support to have better adjustability, but it was never a serious issue. The only reason why I wouldn’t consider these shoes great in comfort is the toe box was too narrow for my toes, which are longer than normal toes. This wasn’t an issue until I went downhill. Then my pinky toe would be bruised and bent to awkward angles.- Weight: Great.Weight was an issue for a while since I was used to heavier shoes that needed less effort from me to push into for traction. Like I said before, there was learning curve for me. If not for my trekking poles I would have slid right off Wildcat Ridge trail. I no longer slip after a couple of mountains.I also used to use only boots because I was afraid of twisting my ankles and general injury. Come to find out, I hike better with less weight on my foot. I can confidently say twisting my ankle hasn’t happened yet. Compared to nearly happening every three hikes with boots, this is definitely a plus.Take my other shoes as reference points. My Cascadias, which also rank great in weight, weighing a bit less than the H2s, are just plain uncomfortable to hike in. I always get bruises and blisters using them when doing 4+ miles cuz' of my toes. My Ultra 3s, weighing a bit more than the H2s and ranking good in weight, have traction that is not suited for New England + NY trap rock.- Quality and/or Durability: Lacking/Bad.Man, these shoes were a let down when it came to durability. The toe box is solid, so no knock on those. I would say the shoe seemed put together until mile 80-ish. But come on, these shoes are UNUSABLE now after ONLY a 100 MILES of use. Fine, including 8 White Mountains (Mt. Washington and Monroe up and down too!) and steep parts of other hikes, 70 of those miles were tough on these shoes. But shoes shouldn’t deteriorate like this. Last weekend, I went to the beach with my friends with the H2s on, and see what happened. The stitching came apart, something like cardboard came out, and the webbing, admittedly already breaking a bit due to descending the Jewell Trail, just kinda holed-up. The shoes are total fubar. This is sooo disappointing because the H2 became my favorite hiking shoe up until this point. I can’t say whether it was a durability or quality issue, but this is ridiculous. My friend’s plain Nikes, aside from being gym shoes, has been his go to for hikes CT and White Mountains for almost two years are in better shape than these. It may be a valid point to say these shoes weren’t meant for the punishment I’ve put them through, but I think there is a genuine problem when low-end Nikes hold better than the H2s under similar circumstances.The H2s balance traction, comfort, and weight to make hiking a more enjoyable experience, allowing me to hike longer. All the other shoes have their own balancing issues. My Targhees has good comfort and traction, but the weight is lacking. My Moabs have great traction and comfort, but bad weight (I know they should be lighter than the Targhees, but they aren’t for me on the trail). My Ultra 3s have good weight and comfort, but lacking traction which has lead to dangerous instances (almost sliding off Mt. Marcy’s summit). My Cascadias have good traction and great weight, but are not comfortable at all for my foot built (long toes). The H2s are well balanced; good traction, good comfort, and great weight. I just wish they were more durable. I don’t want to keep buying H2s every two months. Maybe it was a singular instance of poor quality, I’ll need to get in contact with KEEN to figure that out. But unfortunately, as is, I have to find another shoe for me.I like these sandals, and even more if I could wear them. They run small and narrow. I can't get my foot in without about an inch of sandal left to go. Out of 10 sets of shoes bought on Amazon of my size, these are the ones, along with some body glove sandals that run small, and these are too small to use at all.Part is I have a wide foot and these sandals do not expand more than a tough to allow that. Second, they are short even ignoring that.Nice shoe, but I got screwed on the sizing.I wore these sandals exclusively on Ragbrai . I’m glad I did .My husband is just not into water sandals like I am I love my cane so he put them in the storage unit our wedding by our house so when he gets them back out I will updateArrived sooner than expected and quality good. Pleased with the delivery, colour, design, look and feel but they are too small and I’ve returned them for a larger size. My feet are regular Eu size 8. Taking advice from other reviewers I ordered a half size up. Not enough. I struggled to get them on as the heel strap has to be pulled up. Once in them, they were a very snug fit, comfortable but tight. I would possibly have kept them and worn them in if getting them on was easier. But then my other half tried them on. Slipped on no trouble. Perfect for a 7.5 sized foot. So in our case, one size up is needed, not one half.Ps: now have a size 9 and it fits perfectly. Thank you seller. However, from the slightly rumpled paper packaging and the loosened front loop, I think these have been sent out before to a customer and returned. It would help if the seller issued guidance on US vs UK sizing as continual return postage must be eating into their profitability, as well as causing inconvenience.Purchased at £53.00 as part of planning for The Camino de Santiago.Package arrived one day early in excellent conditionI'm pleased I payed attention to some of the other reviews that suggested going for one size up; on doing so the fit is snug and wide.First impressions are that they look like a quality product and nothing shouts out at me as a defect.I'll be using these for light hikes along the Camino and evening wear after a long day in bootsThe fact that they can take a soaking and be thrown in a washing machine is a plus that I'll be taking advantage of on the trail.I'm pleased with my purchase and even more so that I didn't pay the RRP which is a bit prohibitive.Hope this helps.My third pair of Newports. I’ve worn one pair out in two years and I walk a lot of miles as I love hiking and backpacking. My app tells me I average about 11-12 miles a day over a year. Use them all year round for walking around town, going to the pub, playing golf, hiking on trails in the mountains, etc. In winter I team them with waterproof socks.Pluses: extremely comfortable hiking sandals, very good toe protection, very durable and long-lasting. Fit true to size. The elastic tightener is reliable, doesn’t accidentally loosen and holds the foot in the footbed. Dry out quickly. Thick soles give loads of cushioning on rough ground. Can be washed clean easily when they get muddy.Negatives: Footbed is dimpled to aid grip and ventilation. When new it’s a little abrasive so I wear those invisible/ankle socks to reduce friction. Like all sandals little bits of stone can sneak in so I need to stop walking and give them a shake. Neither are serious issues.Personally I find driving a car when wearing them is ok but thick soles mean some adjustment to the driver’s seat is needed.They suit me perfectly and I trust them.Been wearing Keen sandles for over a decade. Still wearing an old pair of faithfuls that are about 8 years old and still going! I would say the quality is still apparent, some companies when successful take the piss and find more profit by reducing the quality, Keen didn’t take that route! On the sizing, for me I went a 1/2 size up, which is snug. I did try one size up and they we to loose and would have rubbed. From experience, the snug (not tight) sandles will give in no time and fit like a glove like the others for years to come!Had some of these for quite a few years and decided to upgrade to a new pair. Having size 12 to 13 feet it's always tricky to find things that fit well. I have had to make slight adjustments to make these fit just right. I have looked around shops and not found any others I like as much as these.Don't use for hiking, just for all casual day wear in the summer.I always spray the with a bit of rain shoe protector.GoodRoom on the toe areaComfortable to wear all dayNever given blisters or rubbed, even from newLike the styleRugged and good gripNever seem to smell even after a full day's wearBADno adjuster on the back to fine tuneI have had to pull the back strap in and sew it , otherwise my little toes catches on the gap at the front.