Initial Review of KEEN Chandler CNX Hiking Shoe

The review of the Keen Chandler CNX is a fruit of cooperation with SoleLabz.com, website reviewing top rated hiking shoes, boots and sandals.

Keen - the company

Keen company started out firmly set on developing a hiking sandal that also offers toe protection. Their signature toe-covering black thick bumper was thus born. This happened in 2003, and they’ve been growing ever since by not just making some of the best hiking sandals out there, but by broadening the scope of high-quality footwear they manufacture.

In 2003, they were named “Launch of the Year” by Footwear News making them the new hot brand. In 2006, they relocated their headquarters to Portland, Oregon and got Kirk Richardson joining them after a 27-year career in Nike’s management. Salomon’s ex CEO James Curleigh joined them in 2008, and big names and achievements just became too hard to keep track of ever since.

Let’s take a look at what Keen says about Chandler CNX
The upper of the CNX is synthetic mixed with breathable mesh, ensuring light weight and optimal performance.

Toes are protected at all times by sturdy rubber rand. The model offers plenty of flexibility, and it locks the foot inside thanks to the secure lacing capture system. Collar and tongue are well-padded for extra cushioning. They also feature pull-out loops for easier on/off.
A contoured arch provides your little ones with superior mid-foot support. Outsoles are non-marking with multi-directional lugs, giving superior traction and making the shoe more durable.  

Features:

- Breathable mesh lining
- Contoured arch for added midfoot support
- Lightweight performance mesh and synthetic upper
- Multi directional lug pattern for increased traction
- Non-marking rubber outsole
- Reverse strobel construction provides streamlined interior
- Secure fit lace capture system

Mine and Grace's initial thoughts

This is the first review in which we will be utilizing our new Hiking Forward Review system. The system is based on a five star review measurement, however we just use hiking boots instead of stars.

Grace has been wearing the shoes for a couple of weeks. We will continue to update our thoughts as she engages in multiple activities in them and time generally passes. We were both excited to find out that there are some hiking related shoes out on the market for Grace. At her age and size there is a limited supply of quality footwear for outdoor activities that is above and beyond normal sports. Keen to the rescue. Both Grace and I are quite familiar with Keen and their product line as all of us in the family can be found from April through October in Keens. 

Quality:
Keen is a company we already know and trust, so giving these shoes a try was not a hard sell for either Grace of I. Immediately you can tell from the material and stitching that the shoes are very well made and so far have no signs of wear that have caused defects in the manufacturing of the shoes. Grace is extremely hard on her sneakers. Her sneakers typically are worn out from the punishment she provides versus the soles giving out. While it have only been a few short weeks of Grace trying these shoes I doubt that the quality will diminish over time. Our initial quality rating is:  

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Comfort:
Without hesitation the first words out of Grace's mouth upon getting the shoes on was about how comfortable they were. She even mentioned this after our first initial hike in the shoes, when typically on the same route in other shoes she complains of her feet hurting. This along his a huge success in my book. Nothing will end an afternoon family jaunt in the woods then one the kids complaining about feet problems because they don't have the proper footwear, This is not their fault or yours. The availability of proper footwear for non-sport related is extremely sparse. The mesh top of the shoe allows for extreme breath-ability which enhances the comfort of the user in warmer temps. The traditional non-tie laces allow for easy on and easy off instead of having to take the time to tie up or untie when done with your adventuring.  Our initial comfort rating is:

Durability:
​While it is hard to test true durability after only a few weeks of testing, we know that the shoes are well made and are a quality shoe. Our history and general awareness of Keen and their other footwear products that we have worn for years have lasted well longer then they should have. We both would be extremely amazed if durability of the shoe would be an issue. The protected Keen toe-box is a great feature of all Keen shoes but as a Dad, this is a great feature for the kids who tend to not look down when hiking. 

Because of our initial experience with this shoe we believe it to be an immense value for parents of an outdoor minded child looking for proper footwear for hiking, camping or non-sport related outdoor activities. Our initial durability rating is:

Stay tuned as Grace continues to put these Keen Chandler CNX's to the test. 

Keep Hiking Forward!

Scott & Grace