I swapped my Skechers and Tevas for these Keen sandals, and they’re so comfy that I wore them to my friend’s wedding

Self-described as "The world’s ugliest sandals," it brings me great joy to announce that Keen’s iconic Hyperport H2 shoes are iconic for a reason. The Hyperports are, yes, ostensibly ugly, but in less of an ugly-duckling sort of way and more of a rugged, I-don’t-care-what-anyone-thinks sort of way.

The Hyperport sandals are, without a doubt, some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. They’re just as bouncy and less blister-prone than my Teva Universal sandals, as springy as my Skechers D’Lites, and much lighter than my Merrell Accentor Sport 3s.

But is comfort enough to make them some of the best hiking sandals? Yes. There’s no question about it. The recycled materials, toe protector, and AquaGrip sole mean the Hyperport sandals are versatile enough to be one of your only shoes, as long as you can put up with their ugly-cool appearance.

I’ll discuss everything in detail in this Keen Hyperport H2 review.

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Cheat sheet

• Who are they for? Well, they’re designed for water, but really, they’re for anyone who wants an über-comfy pair of shoes
• What do they do well? I feel like I’m walking on clouds, and they’re so breathable
• What do they cost? $120 / £95
• What are the weaknesses? They’re not ideal for narrow feet.

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Specs

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Price & availability

The Hyperport H2 sandals are $120 from Keen U.S. (women) and $120 from Keen U.S. (men). In the U.K., they’re £95 from Keen (women) and £95 from Keen (men).

If you’re in the U.S., you save $0.05 with the $119 Amazon price (women), but for men, it’s the standard $120 on Amazon.

On the U.K. Amazon store, the price varies from £83 - £286, which tells me it’s a little like the Wild West of hiking sandals, so I recommend purchasing directly from Keen.

The sandals are available in both women’s and men’s sizes. I tested the taupe/birch shade (cream and orange), but there’s a huge range of colors, including pink camo, blue, green, and black.

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Design

The Keen Hyperport H2 sandals have an inherently polarizing design, and that’s okay. Some of my colleagues said they were hideous, and some adored them. Personally? I think they look really cool.

There’s a stylish-yet-ugly vibe to them, and the shoes focus more on utilitarian functionality than fashion, but that doesn’t make them unfashionable.

The Hyperports aren’t the only ugly Keen sandals, though: Newport sandals look almost identical. The Newports are suitable for water and hiking, just like the Hyperports. While the Newport sandals look basically identical to the Hyperports, the latter are lighter and more versatile.

Keen also makes more ‘traditional-looking' sandals in the women’s Leiki sandals and men’s Targhee III sandals. These are open-toed and still have the same bouncy sole as the Hyperports, so they could be a good option if you’re not a huge fan of the Hyperports’ interesting appearance.

Another Hyperport alternative would be the aptly-named UNEEK sandals, which look like the Hyperports and a pair of moccasins had a (semi) ugly baby. These sandals are lifted and come with a curved sole for even more comfort.

Looks aside, where the Hyperports really excel is pure comfort. I wore these sandals for 12 days straight, and I regret absolutely nothing. Thanks to the bouncy, springy injected foam sole, I could walk for hours and be just as comfy as I was when I set off.

There was no wearing-in needed, as they were comfy right out of the box.

The Hyperport sole has the same bounciness as the Teva Universal Flatform sole, but I think the Hyperports are more comfortable than the Universal Flatforms in general.

As there are no straps or strap joints, there’s nowhere for the Hyperports to rub. I could wear these sandals for hours and hours without getting a single blister, but I’ll discuss that more in the ‘Performance’ section.

The only negative is that the Hyperport sandals aren’t hugely suited to narrow feet. I have very narrow feet, and when I tightened the sandals, the elastic cinch drawstring was so long that even when I tucked it back on itself, it looked ridiculous.

As a result, I kept the sandals a little loose. Even so, this didn’t cause the shoes to rub or slip around when I was walking, although I would’ve liked them to feel a touch more secure.

Keen claims it uses harvested materials (like recycled plastic bottles and agricultural waste) in manufacturing, but doesn’t specifically say what is used for the Hyperport sandals, so I’m unable to confirm how sustainable this actually is. I've reached out to Keen's representative for confirmation.

However, Keen does assert that the Hyperports contain PFAS-free polyester.

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Performance

I wore the Hyperport sandals for 12 days straight across various terrains. I wore them on hikes across muddy fields, tested their waterproofing and drying capabilities, wore them as my errands-in-the-city shoes, and, as stated in my headline, to my friend’s wedding.

I must confirm that I didn’t wear them during the ceremony — I obviously had to change into my wedding-appropriate shoes for that.

What I love most about the Hyperports is that they’re incredibly bouncy (thanks to the injected foam sole), but they're still tactile. When I walk, I can feel the ground beneath my feet. This helps with balance and stability even over uneven terrain.

Water

The Hyperports are waterproof, but it’s Keen’s proprietary waterproofing rather than Gore-Tex. I wouldn’t particularly say they’re water-resistant — when I dunked my foot in water, the shoe got wet.

However, these are better for river or beach use than Teva sandals, as they have toe protection and foot cover to prevent rocks from getting in.

After I wet them, the shoes took two hours to dry completely, much faster than standard hiking boots or sneakers.

Hiking

I cannot recommend these sandals enough for hiking. The soles, complete with Keen’s proprietary AquaGrip, are uber-grippy. As the soles have siping (small grooves to increase grip), the shoes made me feel secure even crossing muddy terrain.

Not only do these sandals have excellent grip, but they’re also incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods. Even after hours of walking, I still felt as bouncy and springy as I did at the beginning of the hike, thanks to the high-rebound insole and thick foam on the heel.

On top of being incredibly comfy, the Hyperports are also incredibly lightweight. They’re just 9.2 ounces per shoe, only 0.7 ounces heavier than the famously feather-light Teva Universal Flatforms (8.5 ounces per shoe).

In practice, this meant I could walk and walk without my feet dragging or throbbing inside my clunky walking boots (that I still love, but not in the summer).

Everyday

If you often find yourself running seemingly endless errands around town, again, I can’t recommend the Keen Hyperports enough. I did get a funny look or two (I think some people might not be ready for the Hyperport’s ugly-cool aesthetic), but I was too comfortable to care.

Just as with hiking, the Hyperport sandals were incredibly bouncy on tarmac and roads and helped me traverse hard city streets without blisters, aching, or rubbing.

Keen Hyperport H2 review: Verdict

The Keen Hyperport H2 sandals may not be conventionally attractive, but they’re comfortable and functional enough that I don’t mind. Come to think of it, I actually like how these sandals look. They’re ugly in a cool way, and I’m proud to be seen in public wearing them.

Considering they’re intended to be river sandals-slash-hiking sandals, the Hyperports perform both jobs incredibly well. They’re bouncy and comfortable, with thick soles, but you can still feel the ground beneath them.

They dried much, much faster than average hiking boots, and I think the toe seal works exceptionally well at keeping out gravel and mulch.

I would happily wear these as my main pair of summer shoes with no regrets whatsoever.