Why I Never Travel Without My Keen Targhee 3s

I made a couple of changes when I entered my 30s. I bought an extremely good adjustable bed frame, stopped ordering late-night pizza every week, and became patient enough to enjoy the films of John Cassavetes. I also gave up the delusion that I’m going to release one of the world’s great doom metal or ambient records. Sometimes, I buy more dried pasta or beans than I immediately require, just in case I might need them later. An “actual” adult might call this growing up, but I just like to think of it as finally becoming willing to spend a little more time and money to feel prepared. This universe-brain new mentality has definitely had an effect on the shoes I keep around, especially when I travel.

Within the past few years, I’ve tried to zero in on the absolute most comfortable shoes for my feet and body type. Thousands of dollars and many painful walks later, I’m here to tell you, my brothers in sore feet, that you really only need a few amazing pairs of shoes in your arsenal. At home, I literally never stomp around without my Haflingers on, because they’re the most comfy clog-slippers known to man. When it comes to exercising and bouncing around the city, I’ve settled on the fact that the iconic New Balance 990v6 is the most durable and dependable shoe in the game—at least for me.. But for everything from long walks on the beach, to punishing hikes, to moshing at the Slowdive Tomb Mold show, the Keen Targhee 3 is my go-to.

The Keen Targhee 3 is technically a hiking shoe, but in my experience, it’s truly ideal for doing anything. As someone who lives in Chicago, I’m not exactly a regular hiker, but as a big man who walks and travels a lot, I do require my shoes to handle some wear and tear. The Targhee’s  got extremely powerful high-traction, multi-directional tread, so it’s almost impossible to slip or fall in them (unless you had way too much mezcal, in which case, no shoe can help you). 

Super tough rubber covers the sole from the toe to the heel, so you feel like your foot’s practically gripping the Earth beneath you. It makes stepping on uneven ground feel much less precarious. The shoe is also built from a unique (and IMO pretty handsome) blend of leather and performance mesh, making it functional and breathable, but still something you can wear in social settings. The KEEN.DRY membrane makes it waterproof as well, so you never have to worry about getting caught in the rain. 

Ultimately, the Targhee 3 is simply very comfortable. It’s the right amount of supportive and roomy, but also snug enough that you feel like you’re totally in control each step of the way. I’ve become the kind of person who always travels with multiple pairs of shoes. Whether I’m going to the suburbs to visit family, heading to rural Michigan to relax, or off to explore an entirely new metropolis, I’ll make sure my big, ol’ weekender is always packed with some Targhee 3s. On a recent trip to Minneapolis, my Keens kept my feet dry and happy during a miles-long rainy day jaunt that included an art museum, a baseball stadium, and a long bridge over the Mississippi; I never once had to worry about my feet. I just switched out my shoes before dinner, hopped in an Uber, and later returned back to the hotel  to a drying, decidedly-not-smelly pair of shoes that I’d happily put on again the following morning. 

The Keen Targhee 3 is a perfect shoe. Even if you don’t hike, the Keen Targhee 3s are versatile enough for any kind of activity, from city walking to outdoor adventuring to jumping around at concerts. Their heavy-duty rubber soles protect you from terrain and water alike, and keep you steady so you can keep pounding margaritas (or, you know, climbing mountains) all night. And with a leather and mesh build, the shoe will also have you looking somewhat cool while doing it. All that’s left to do is get a weekender bag or backpack big enough to make sure you’ll never be without these bad boys.

Slip into a pair of Keen Targhee 3s by ordering them on Amazon or from Keen.

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