My lovely mother shares many nuggets of wisdom with me, and one she often repeats is, "If you don't have a comfy pair of shoes, you can't enjoy yourself." The best hiking boots are designed with that in mind.
They don't always have to look the prettiest or the coolest as long as they keep your feet blister-free. Luckily, the Keen Zionic NXT Mid Waterproof boots check both boxes: they're visually stunning and they're ridiculously comfortable, and right now, they're up to 25% off at Amazon!
I love going on long walks and immersing myself in the beautiful nature around me. Recently, my partner and I went to Iceland on vacation, and the landscape there is the most strikingly beautiful scenery I've ever seen.
We walked on volcanic sandy beaches, through gushing streams of water, you name it — and through it all, the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs kept my feet bone-dry and blister-free.
Keen is well-known for making comfy, rugged shoes, as we've seen with the Zionic Mid and the Targhee IV. The Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs are no different. They're fashionable, highly waterproof, and they provide you with good grip regardless of the terrain you're on. I hiked and walked 50 miles in them, and they've quickly become my go-to boots. Right now is the best time to buy them, so read on to see why you need a pair.
Makin' a splash
If you're familiar with boots, you may have heard of Gore-Tex which is considered the gold standard for waterproofing. It drives the price up but it's well-worth the investment. The Keen Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs, however, don't utilize Gore-Tex, and I'm here to tell you that not every boot needs Gore-Tex. These boots feature Keen's proprietary waterproofing tech known as KEEN.DRY, and it works extremely well.
Why should you take my word for it, you ask? Iceland has many streams of water, over 10,000 waterfalls, and the capital Reykjavik experiences heavy rain on nearly 150 days of the year. We visited many waterfalls, dipped our feet in many streams of water, and walked through Reykjavik on an extremely windy day with torrential downpour. And through it all, the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs kept my feet dry — no one likes soggy socks, right?
On numerous occasions, my feet went straight into the water and the boots were submerged (barring their top part sticking out). Surprisingly — and luckily — no water made it in. This gave me such a confident boost that I stopped looking for rocks to put my foot on in shallow water.
Comfort for days
The Keen Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs are also very comfortable boots. When I was testing them, I wore them for up to 15 hours straight on many days, and I never once felt any discomfort. Firstly, I didn't need to break them in at all. Secondly, their 'Contoured Fit' means they're more streamlined than a straight or wide fit, which makes them fit snugly around my feet. I love how spacious they are as well, enabling me to wear double socks on very cold days.
As for grip, the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs' 4mm multi-directional lugs provide great traction in the water, on slippery surfaces, and on solid ground. I never once lost my grip, even when I was climbing up or standing on wet boulders. Jumping down from big rocks was effortless, too, as the Zionic NXT Mids were firm on the ground as soon as I landed.
Oh, and the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs' feature toe bumpers to protect your toes and keep sand and debris out. I hit my toes against a few rocks on my walks and hikers but I felt no pain. Walking on the Reynisfjara black sand beach in Iceland was easy too, as I didn’t need to worry about sand getting in.
Worth every cent
If you like hiking, walking or simply need a pair of shoes/boots for everyday use, I can't recommend the Keen Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs enough. They replaced my Keen Zionic Mids — which had, in fact, replaced my Salomon Supercross 4 — and I now feel like I've found the perfect pair for me.
What I love about the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs is that they don't look out of place even if you're wearing them to the grocery store. To me, they look a little like basketball shoes, and a bit edgy — just my thing. Right now is the best time to grab yourself a pair, as the Zionic NXT Mid Waterproofs are 25% off at Amazon, so you can save big, just in time for any fall hikes you have planned!
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