KEEN Marshall WP Review
Our good friends at KEEN sent us a pair of their New Marshall WP (Waterproof!) trail shoes for testing.
They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and boy do these taste good!
We’ve been using these for a few weeks now, so lets see how we got on…
KEEN, perhaps known more for their toe-bumper sandals, have a superb range of footwear for all applications; from casual to light trails, to hiking and snug winter boots and even a utility range. Their mission statement:
If you take a look at their website, KEEN Homepage , this statement summarises their range pretty well.
Most manufacturers have a feature, branding or theme that permeates all of their products. With KEEN their brand is synonymous with the “toe bumper”
So, what about the Marshall WP itself? Well it’s a fast, durable and versatile trail shoe designed to tackle everything you through at it, even if the weather turns foul. It features a durable, high-rebound PU midsole and a solid rubber high-traction outsole. The contoured heel lock allows for customised, comfortable fit. The perfect hiking shoe for your next best adventure in a low cut style.
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed using the Marshall WP so far, it’s extremely comfortable out of the box and for me offers all day comfort, doesn’t pinch or chafe anywhere and provides excellent traction across a whole host of different terrains. Perhaps most importantly – as this is one of it’s primary selling points – our feet stayed nice and dry when walking through wet and boggy ground, thanks to the breathable KEEN.DRY membrane. I’ve found this to be a good litmus test for waterproof trail shoes, more so than short sharp showers.
Always a sucker for “ologies”, the Marshall WP offers the following to make your treks and travels all the more enjoyable.
KEEN.DRY
A proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane that lets vapor out without letting water in.
KEEN.PROTECT
The reason is KEEN Patented Toe Protection where the shoe outsoles wrap up and over the toes for ultimate protection
For me, the tow protection as well as the substantial rand and footbed make for a quite versatile trail shoe. If you’re on rockier ground or scrambling, these features will become invaluable and there’s nothing worse than continually stubbing your toe on rock. A great compromise between a extreme lightweight running shoe and a full on heavier boot, which in summer is a great option to have and it’s full of features:
- Lightweight leather overlays
- 4mm multi-directional lugs
- Contoured heel lock
- Durable high-rebound PU Midsole
- KEEN.DRY ® waterproof breathable membrane
- Moisture wicking lining
- Non-marking rubber outsole
- Removable EVA footbed
- Solid rubber, high-traction outsole
- TPU stability shank
- Waterproof mesh upper
Until we’ve had chance to test the Marshall WP longer term, please refer to the “First Impressions” tab for more detail.
Or visit the KEEN Homepage and checkout their great range of footwear and clothing!
The Marshall WP from KEEN have had a few outings now and all we can say is we’re very impressed; as a lightweight trekking shoe they excel
Everything from light walking to scrambling and a little climbing / rock hopping – thrown in for good measure! – has been an effortless affair. The build quality of these things is superb and immediately obvious the moment you take them out of the box. We loved the broad and stable footbed, which provides great feel but doesn’t get out on shape on the rougher stuff.
As a day-hike shoe, these things are epic! When I get back to the car after a hard day in the hills, I tend to change out my footwear and put something more comfortable on, just to keep your feet a rest. The Marshall WP’s stayed on the whole time. It never even crossed my mind to take them off!
The stability cage and heel lock system offer a superb fit and help to reduce any unwanted pressure points.
The breathable KEEN.DRY membrane works exceptionally well. Our feet remained totally dry when the weather turn nasty and more importantly when walking through boggy ground and wet grass; for me this is great as so many waterpoof trial shoes I’ve owned seemed to fall foul of wet grass, puddles and sodden ground.
Another point that’s really worth mentioning is the their ability to shrug off dirt and marks; this is helped tremendously by the KEEN Patented Toe Box and the high rand
Another welcome feature is the fact the insoles are removable. As the shoes are breathable you certainly don’t need to leave these things to dry, albeit a little ‘damp’ is likely, but I like to air my footwear, I’m not sure if this prolongs the life of the shoe, but hey, it works for me!
They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and boy do these taste good!
- Weight: 15.3 oz/434 g
- Type: Hiking Shoes, Waterproof
- Activities: Hiking, Trail Running
- Weather: Wet – water resistant
- Fit Tip: Most customers find this style is true to size!
- Lining: Moisture Wicking Textile
- Upper: Textile
- Rubber: Non-marking rubber outsole
- Lightweight leather overlays
- 4mm multi-directional lugs
- Contoured heel lock
- Durable high-rebound PU Midsole
- KEEN.DRY ® waterproof breathable membrane
- Moisture wicking lining
- Non-marking rubber outsole
- Removable EVA footbed
- Solid rubber, high-traction outsole
- TPU stability shank
- Waterproof mesh upper
Aside from the tissue paper, just these bad boys…
So far we’ve been hugely impressed with the Marshall WP and as yet there’s nothing we don’t like. Whilst I probably wouldn’t wear these over a prolonged trip, for dayhikes and even around town they are excellent; you almost don’t want to wear to keep the magic going. I’d strongly recommend you check these out.
No comments yet.