Tom's Guide Verdict
I’ve walked over 50 miles in the Keen Hightrail Mids, rain and shine, and they haven’t disappointed me in any way. Grip levels are great in both wet and dry conditions, while the waterproofing has held up even in wind and rain. Lightweight, padded and breathable, with no break-in period, these are the easiest and comfiest hiking boots I’ve ever worn. There’s only one potential issue: while Keens are known for their wide toe chambers, the Hightrails use a slim profile, so long-term Keen users may find them too tight. For me, though, they’re perfect.
Pros
- +
Super comfortable, with no break-in
- +
Plenty of grip in wet/dry conditions
- +
Decent support
- +
Lightweight and breathable
- +
Waterproof and easy to clean
Cons
- -
Slim sneaker profile may not suit the widest feet
Why you can trust Tom's Guide
The Keen Hightrail Mids are lightweight, sneaker-cross walking boots that blend the speed and comfort of sneakers with the ruggedness and grip levels of hiking boots.
I’ve tested these boots for around 2 months and 50 miles of hiking and walking, and I’ll tell you right now, these are some of the best hiking boots you can buy for summer or three-season hikes.
Incredibly comfortable, with no break-in period, plus decent levels of support, grip and waterproofing, these have fast become my go-to boots for summer hikes.
They aren’t perfect, as they use a slimmer design than Keen’s typically wide profile, meaning long-term Keen users with wider feet may find them too tight.
That’s really about it, though. Find out more in my full Keen Hightail Mid review.
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Cheat sheet
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Specs
Specs | Keen Hightrail Mids |
---|---|
Price | |
Size availability (men’s) | U.S. 7-15 U.K. 6-14 |
Size availability (women’s) | U.S. 5-12 U.K. 2.5-9.5 |
Colors (men’s) | U.S. Gray/green; dark brown; sand; gray U.K. Gray/green; black; gray; sand; green |
Colors (women’s) | U.S. Light green; brown; sand; gray U.K. Black; brown; light brown; gray |
Material | KEEN.DRY membrane; leather; rubber |
Waterproofing | Yes (no Gore-Tex) |
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Price & availability
The Keen Hightrail Mids cost $155 from Keen and cost the same for men’s and women’s. In the U.S., they’re available in men’s sizes 7-15 and in women’s sizes 5-12. U.S. men’s variants are gray/green, dark brown, sand, and full gray.
In the U.S., you can also purchase the men’s variant in a wide profile, but only in the sand colorway. Women’s U.S. variants are light green, brown, sand, and gray. There is also a low variant for both men and women, which costs $145.
In the U.K., the Hightrail Mids cost £135 from Keen for men’s and women’s. They’re available in men’s U.K. sizes 6-14 and women’s U.K. sizes 2.5-9.5. Colorways differ slightly across the Atlantic, and the men’s boots are available in gray/green, black, gray, sand, and green (which I tested).
The women’s shoes are available in black, brown, light brown and gray. Once again, there is a low variant for men’s and women’s, costing £125, although there is no men’s wide variant available.
These aren't the cheapest boots around, but $155 is reasonable for premium lightweight boots. The Merrell Moab Sport 2 Mids will cost you $180, while the Hoka Ancapa Mid 2 GTX will set you back $195.
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Design & comfort
The Keen Hightrail Mids are a blend of sneaker and hiking boots, like the Hoka Ancapa Mids. The Hightrails utilize Keen’s ‘Contoured Fit’ as opposed to the brand’s ‘Original Fit’, which means they have a narrower shape than Keen’s traditionally wide profile.
I’ve seen user reviews online that some long-term Keen users, who usually appreciate the brand’s famous width, have been disappointed with how narrow the Hightrails are.
If that includes you and you’re in the U.S., you may want to opt for the wide variant, although that’s only available in a single sand color (which I think looks great). You can always try them out and return them to Keen if they’re too narrow.
All that said, I have fairly wide feet and usually find Merrells or other boot brands too tight — then when I step up a size, they’re too loose on the ankle. I had no problems with the U.K. Hightrails, which only come in one width.
The Hightrails use a leather mud guard, just above the sole, which uses “environmentally preferred premium leather from LWG-certified tannery for cleaner water,” according to Keen.
The upper is constructed from a breathable waterproof mesh, so no Gore-Tex, but as I’ll cover a little later on, I’ve had no issues with waterproofing.
As with other Keen shoes, like the Keen Targhee IVs, the Hightrail Mids utilize an anti-odor treatment. I don’t have particularly smelly feet anyway (if I do say so myself), but I haven’t noticed any unpleasant odors, even after a 7.5-mile hike in 85F/29C heat
Break-in and comfort
The Keen Hightrail Mids are such a perfect fit for my feet that I got a little emotional after my first hike — I’d accepted the idea that all boots were inherently uncomfortable and never realized I could have it this good. I’d finally found a boot perfect for me (at least in the summer).
I’ve walked over 50 miles in the Keen Hightrails now. That tally consists of around 30 miles of trail hiking over four longer hikes, with everything else being general use and longer walks around the city/parks.
My first time in the shoes was an 8.5-mile hike up and down Mount Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa in Wales. I took band aids, thinking I’d get blisters, which ended up being a wasted effort. There was no real break-in, and the shoes are as comfortable now as they were when I first put them on.
This is down to the lightweight, flexible outer construction materials, which don’t put any pressure on the tops and sides of your feet, the wide toe chamber, which keeps your toes free from chaffing, and the sneaker-like levels of padding — honestly, it’s like slipping on a set of Nike mids.
It’s also down to the sole padding, of course. This is of paramount importance to me as I have a form of immuno-arthritis which often enflames my anterior tibial tendons, causing acute plantar fasciitis in my heels.
The Hightrails utilize a foam board, high-rebound foam in the sole and a foam insole for a bouncy, cushioned feel underfoot, and I suffered no aches and pains in my heels while walking in them.
As I mentioned earlier, I hiked in pretty hot 85°F/29°C conditions and found the Hightrails extremely pleasant to wear thanks to the lightweight mesh design. These are very comfortable boots for summer expeditions.
Support
The Keen Hightrail Mids provide a decent level of support for such a lightweight boot. The leather mud guard and sculpted rubber sole both provide decent levels of lateral support around your foot, while two cross-brace straps that tighten with laces help provide decent lateral ankle support.
That said, these are still lightweight, sneaker-cross boots, so the support won’t match that of solid outershell winter boots like the Keen Revel IVs or Targhee IVs.
The level of lateral support you need will also be decided by your gait. My ankles tend to roll slightly inwards, again stretching my anterior tibial tendons, so I prefer a boot with a higher sole on the inner foot.
The Hightrails don’t have quite as much height on the inner sole as I’d like, so I noticed some stretching on my tendons at first. I simply tightened the lacing, pulling in the ankle cross-brace straps, and this solved the issue for me.
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Performance
As a sneaker/trail boot hybrid, the Keen Hightrail Mids are intended to provide a balance of speed, comfort and trail performance. And they strike that balance perfectly. Despite the high levels of comfort, these are excellent summer boots for the trail.
Grip
My first hike in the Keen Hightrail Mids was up Mount Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa in Wales. We ascended via the hardest path, Watkin, which is very steep and involves a lot of scrambling. The weather was also very changeable, and about halfway up, we were engulfed by mist and rain.
I never put a foot wrong in the Hightrails, which use Keen’s proprietary ALL-TERRAIN grippy rubber and multi-directional lugs for grip. I had ample grip in both wet and dry conditions, and didn’t slip once on wet rock or in mud.
By our descent, weather conditions were terrible, with driving rain and hail, so we took an easier route down: Llanberris. While not so steep, Llanberris is heavy on the rocks and shale, so slipping is a strong possibility. Once again, even in the wet, the Hightrail soles proved perfectly grippy.
My next two hikes were through dense woodland in Monmouthshire, U.K., with plenty of steep slopes on both ascent and descent. The Hightrails had no issues gripping over rocks, mud and tree roots.
My fourth hike was through/over a combination of woodland, fields and roads along the Welsh coastal path. This involved a scramble up a very steep, loose, muddy slope to reach the top of a cliff overlooking the Severn Estuary. Once again, grip was never an issue.
Waterproofing
Despite using a proprietary waterproof membrane (KEEN.DRY) instead of Gore-Tex, you can rest assured that the Hightrail Mids have you covered against the weather. I’d have no issues using these boots for 3 seasons here in the U.K., where we get a lot of rain.
As I mentioned earlier, my first hike in these boots was up a mountain, and the weather took a nasty turn. The Hightrails held up just fine, and I experienced no leaks from the boots themselves.
Unfortunately, my emergency rain poncho didn’t cover down to my ankles, so my boots ended up getting filled with water running down my legs, but that isn’t the Hightrails’ fault.
I then tested the Hightrails in rainy conditions under general use, and did my fair share of jumping in puddles and streams on my remaining hikes. No leaks whatsoever.
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Maintenance
The Hightrails are easy to clean with mild soap and warm water, while the leather can be wiped clean with a soft brush to remove dried dirt. After cleaning or general wet-weather use, they’ll dry out in a few hours.
If you are unlucky enough to get the Hightrails saturated, however, as I did on my first hike, you’re looking at 24 hours or more to get them dry. Keen recommends air drying the Hightrails only, so I wasn’t able to put them next to the fire as my hiking buddies did with their boots.
Keen Hightrail Mid review: Verdict
As I mentioned in my introduction, the Keen Hightrail Mids have quickly become my favorite boots for summer hikes, and I’ll happily use them during our rainier spring and autumn months here in the U.K., too.
The chief advantage of these boots is the comfort they offer. There’s no break-in, and they feel just like sneakers, with the support and grip you’d expect from a proper set of lightweight trail boots.
Sure, they use a narrower profile than Keen’s notoriously wide one, but I’m a wide-footed person myself, and I’ve had no issues. I only think this will be a problem for those with the very widest of feet.
Add to that adequate waterproofing, pleasing styling and reasonable price, and I really can’t justify not buying these boots.

Peter is a Senior Editor at Tom's Guide, heading up the site's Reviews team and Cameras section. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he's an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. When he's not snapping away on his beloved Fujifilm camera, he can usually be found telling everyone about his greyhounds, riding his motorcycle, squeezing as many FPS as possible out of PC games, and perfecting his espresso shots.
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