Customer Reviews KEEN Austin

These shoes have been very good. They are comfortable, warm, have good traction and most importantly, they stay on my feet. I have narrow heels and most shoes slip in the back. These stay on my feet without slipping but they don't feel narrow. They just have good padding around the heel and hug my feet well.

I picked these up from Zappos to replace my old work shoes. I had a pair of Keen sandals and decided to try a pair of their shoes. Thanks to Zappos amazing service I had them the next day! The shoes are fantastic. They are so comfortable and I wear them all the time in place of sneakers. Keen makes a great product.

The main reason I selected the KEEN Austin shoe was due to the favorable reviews. I think one should order a half size larger for a better fit. I enjoy wearing the shoe, although it is far from being non slip as is advertised. I don't dare wear them on rainy days. I would buy this Austin shoe again only if the shoe was non slip.

Am a huge fan of Keens and have been wearing them for years. I think this is my fourth pair. And as always I like the big toe box and general comfort of the shoe. For some reason this pair has been a little slower to break in than their predecessors (the top of the shoe is rubbing my ankle a little lower than the others did) but am sure in a week or so it will all be fine. My one ongoing grievance with Keens are that they wear down in the heal pretty quickly. Other than that, I love em.

I recently took a trip to the UK and when I went to my closet a week before hand to grab my favorite pair of walking shoes, I found that the sole had deteriorated and fallen apart. Oh no! What should I do? I was leaving in a few days, the shoes were not repairable, and it's hard to find a decent selection of good shoes locally. I quickly went to Zappos.com and started looking for a replacement shoe (well, at least a "fill in" for the time being). Since I would be in UK for 3 weeks I wanted something waterproof, or at least water resistant, or leather so I could treat them myself while I was there. And since I anticipated wearing the shoes for upwards of 12-18 hours a day, I didn't want a shoe with a waterproof membrane (come on, do any of them really breathe?). I also didn't want to spend a hefty chunk of dough on a pair of shoes that I couldn't actually try on ahead of time. I chose two shoes by two manufacturers. The Keen Austin I picked because of all the favorable reviews and it seemed like a versatile shoe. I own a pair of Keen Wasatch Crest trail running shoes which I found to be about perfect for my use (dog walks, hiking, running), so I gave the Austins a shot. The shoes arrived within 2 days (thanks Zappos!) and I was able to try them out for a day before I left on the trip. The fit: the shoes are true to fit -- the 11.5 fit perfectly (my Wasatch Crest running shoes run a 1/2 size small, so their size 12 fits perfect -- too bad they've canceled that model!). The toe box is typical of Keen shoes: wide and sort of goofy looking from above (two words come to mind: Mickey and Mouse). The heel cup holds nicely without being too snug or short. The leather is nice and and the stitching and slight color differences add the needed detail and style. I was amazed at how light weight the shoes were -- they actually felt like my running shoes. That also alarmed me, because I figured that they wouldn't be all that long-lasting. One minor con is that the shoe comes up a bit too high on the front of the foot (where the upper eyelet is), making it a bit difficult to slip on and off easily (think airport security on/off here). This slight problem might actually be a key to helping the heel cup hold the foot in place. I'm a pretty skinny guy and didn't have a problem with it, but someone with "cankles" might be a little cautious. The shoe: the shoe performed wonderfully for me in England and Scotland. They kept my feet dry during a few rainy days out, and they were supportive and I was able to wear them all day without any problems. My feet never once felt worn out or tired even after standing in place on concrete for what seemed like days to see the Changing of the Guards, listening to speakers in Hyde Park, walking paved paths and city sidewalks. The shoes were versatile enough to use for minor trail walks and also going out to dinner. The semi-athletic fit made me feel that I could even go for a short run in 'em if I wanted. The style is sort of an "either hate it or love it" type. I was looking for a utilitarian shoe with just a touch of style and these fit the bill. I did eventually receive one positive comment on the shoes from a baker in Scotland.

I’m on my 4th pair of Austins in 2 years. I’m hard on shoes and tend to replace them early. I’ll keep buying them as long as they make them. I also own other Keens (water shoes, sandals, and hiking boots) as they fit me the best and last a while. I’m very pleased with their fit and wide toe box. I have a narrow heal and they don’t slip off like a lot of shoes of this style. My only complaints are short laces (on the latest pair) and my feet tend to get hot due to the all leather construction (including foot bed) and I wear Smart Wool socks that wick, too.

I've loved Keens since my first pair, and these may be my favorite. As you'd expect, they're super-comfortable, and ugly-in-a-good-way that is characteristic of Keens. The sole is also nice and grippy. My one complaint is that the laces are a little too short, and are of a material that tends to slip out of knots. But that doesn't happen too often, and eventually, I'll get around to getting some different laces. Still, though, I'd buy these shoes again.

These are the typical reliable Keen Austin for sure. Just be careful on the color choice. The "Slate" color which claims to be slate and black is actually slate and BROWN. Yes the pics make it look like the trim leather is black but it is definitely brown. You can see it easily in person, especially after a scuff or two. I was so disappointed. I thought I had won the lottery when I saw this color, thinking that Keen actually made this shoe in a color combo that didn't have any brown in it--but alas, I was sorely disappointed. I have been waiting years for a brown-free Austin (or any other men's Keen shoe for that matter), and with more than a half dozen options you'd think they would leave the diaper color off at least one model but disappointingly they can't seem to resist the color of mud and insist on putting it on every shoe they make except the solid black ones. Ugh.

Great Shoes, But Trouble With Insoles - I love these shoes, I really do. I walk around NYC all day and that's just what these shoes are made for. Unfortunately, after a week or so I developed a big blister on my right big toe (no problem on the left foot). I believe it was the funky molding of the included insoles, which are raised in areas, as opposed to being smooth like most insoles. I replaced them with new insoles and so far so good... I hope it works out because otherwise these shoes are really awesome.