The KEEN Targhee IV Mid is built as a do-it-all hiking boot, and KEEN has spent two decades telling people the Targhee will outlast everything else in the rack. I wanted to find out where that holds and where it stops, so I put a women’s US 8.5 through two very different trips.
The first was a sandstone weekend in Saxon Switzerland, starting from Bad Schandau. About 14 miles22.5 km across two days, dry slabs and ladder pitches on the first day, six hours of intermittent rain on the second, with a 20 lbs9 kg pack and temperatures in the mid-40s to upper-50s °F.7 to 15 °C.
The second was the Negoiu loop in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romania, a month later. Granite scree, late-spring snow patches up high, three creek crossings, a six-hour descent in steady drizzle, and 35 lbs16 kg on my back.
The 4 mm KEEN.RUGGED lugs held better on dry rock than on wet, and the KEEN.DRY membrane kept water out through all three crossings. More on how the boot performed in the full KEEN Targhee IV Mid review below.
Quick Verdict – 4.7/5
KEEN Targhee IV Mid
Thanks to its new delamination-resistant KEEN.FUSION construction and roomy toe box, it is a highly dependable choice for shoulder-season backpackers carrying moderate loads.
After two trips in the Targhee IV Mid, I came away thinking this is still one of the better hiking boots for medium and wide feet, especially if your hikes involve rough trail, wet weather, and a loaded pack rather than moving fast.
The waterproofing held through rain, snow patches, and creek crossings, the platform stayed stable under load, and the new KEEN.FUSION construction feels like a real improvement over older Targhees that were known for sole separation.
The fit suits medium and wide feet best. Narrow feet may still struggle to lock the heel down completely, even with careful lacing. Grip was not the best on long stretches of wet rock, but for moderate backpacking loads and shoulder-season hiking, this KEEN boot felt dependable over long days.
Highlights
| Feature | KEEN Targhee IV Mid |
|---|---|
| Weight | Men’s: 2 lbs 8.2 oz1,140 g/pair; Women’s: 2 lbs 2.5 oz980 g/pair; my measurement: 2 lbs 4.4 oz1,032 g for a women’s 8.5. |
| Waterproofing | KEEN.DRY membrane handled everything I walked through, though it makes the boot run warm |
| Traction | KEEN.RUGGED outsole does well in mud and on grass but loses confidence on wet limestone |
| Comfort | Luftcell air-injected PU midsole, cushioned without going pillowy |
| Adjustability | Standard lacing, but a runner’s loop noticeably improves heel hold |
| Breathability | Mesh lining helps a bit, but the leather upper still cooks your feet in summer |
| Durability | New fused construction tackles the old delamination problem, and the toe bumper is taking abuse well |
| Arch Support | Neutral platform with moderate underfoot structure |
| Toe Protection | A chunky rubber toe cap that’s saved me from a few rock kicks already |
PROS
CONS
What We Tested When We Reviewed The KEEN Targhee IV Mid
Traction
KEEN builds the Targhee IV around its own KEEN.RUGGED outsole, a proprietary rubber compound the brand claims has better abrasion resistance compared to regular rubber. The lugs run about 4 mm deep in a multi-directional pattern.
On dry sandstone, the boot holds. During testing, I noticed the lugs bite cleanly into soft rock, and the spacing stays open enough that grit doesn’t pack the pattern. I got the same result on dry granite scree higher up. The forefoot lugs gripped hard when I kicked steps on the climb, and the heel pattern shed mud and gravel instead of holding onto it.
However, the lugs have little to key into on slick stone, and the compound does not have the soft, tacky grab of a Vibram Megagrip. On wet sandstone slabs and wet roots, I placed my feet with more care than I would in a Megagrip-soled boot. The grip is adequate rather than reassuring there.
Side-to-side grip is the other soft spot. The lug layout favors uphill and downhill bite, so on an off-camber traverse the edge lugs let go a little sooner than I wanted.
For most hikers on most trails this never comes up, but anyone spending serious time in deep mud or technical wet terrain will want a more aggressive outsole. On the dry mixed ground the Targhee is built for, traction is a strength.
Durability
This is the headline change on the IV. Previous Targhee generations built a reputation for sole separation, usually around the forefoot flex point where the foot bends a thousand times a day.
KEEN has now switched to a fused construction (they call it KEEN.FUSION) that bonds the upper and the sole without glue. This is designed to significantly reduce delamination, and is backed by strong durability warranty claims.
After a stretch of wet hikes and a couple of longer days under a loaded pack, plus some rocky descents, there’s no separation showing anywhere around the rand. The nubuck has softened at the flex point and resisted abrasion well against roots and stone edges that usually scuff a new boot fastest. The toe bumper has absorbed several rock impacts and remains firmly attached.
The outsole compound is showing minor polishing along the heel edge after a fair amount of gravel walking. That’s normal for the category, but worth flagging for hikers who log a lot of fire road.
The Luftcell PU midsole is designed to hold its shape longer than softer EVA foams, and the underfoot feel hasn’t changed across testing. A full season will be the better verdict.
Comfort
This is not a no-break-in boot, whatever some reviews suggest. For the first 15 miles24 km I felt the heel cuff rub at the back of my Achilles, and the tongue sat with too much pressure across the top of my foot.
I switched to thicker socks for the break-in, and that took most of the heel rub away. By the time I started the first trip the leather had softened enough that I stopped noticing the boot.
Underfoot, the Luftcell midsole runs medium-firm. KEEN’s claim is that the air-injected polyurethane resists compression over time. After 60 miles,96.5 km, the midsole showed no noticeable compression, which beats a lot of EVA midsoles in this weight class.
It absorbs rocky-trail impact without going dead, though it doesn’t return energy the way a HOKA rocker setup does. I would call this boot planted rather than springy.
Unfortunately, the stock insole sits rather flat and gave my arch nothing to rest on, so by the fourth hour of the long descent I felt pressure under the outside of my foot.
I swapped in a Superfeet afterward and the underfoot character changed completely. The internal volume took the aftermarket footbed without tightening the fit. I would budget an extra $50 on day one.
Weight
KEEN lists 17.28 oz490 g per shoe for the women’s Targhee IV Mid. My 8.5 pair came in at 2 lbs 4.4 oz1,032 g on a kitchen scale, slightly heavier than the spec. That places the boot squarely in midweight territory.
For context, that runs lighter than a Salomon Quest 4 and heavier than a Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX. The Targhee IV’s wide platform stayed solid over uneven ground and didn’t develop the vague, side-loaded feeling that lighter mids tend to show on pointy rock.
Some featherweight hikers feel composed on smooth trail, but become less stable once terrain turns rocky and uneven. The Targhee IV doesn’t have that failure mode.
Long mileage days feel longer in these than they would in a 14-ounce397-gram boot. Anyone coming from trail runners and used to that lighter cadence will find these slower work, though that’s predictable given the midweight construction.
Waterproofing
The KEEN.DRY membrane is KEEN’s own, paired with a PFAS-free water-repellent finish on the leather. I tested it three ways. I stood in a creek to mid-shaft, walked six hours of steady drizzle, and crossed ankle-deep snow. My socks stayed dry through all of it. The leather also sheds water well once treated with a wax conditioner, which I would recommend on any nubuck boot.
The limitation is not the membrane but the height of the gusset and collar. Once water rises above that point, it can enter over the top of the boot rather than through the waterproof membrane itself.
Within typical hiking conditions, including rain and stream crossings, the boot remains reliably waterproof.
Support
These sit between a traditional backpacking boot and a modern lightweight hiker, the niche the Targhee has always tried to occupy.
The stability shank and the heel-capture cup provide real structure under load without making the boot stiff enough to fight you on flat trail. Side-hilling and uneven descents felt controlled, an area where lighter mids tend to fall short. The mid-height collar offers useful ankle support without the joint-locking feel of a heavier backpacking boot.
The same roomy forefoot that makes the boot wearable over ten hours also means it doesn’t lock the foot down with the accuracy you’d want for technical traverses or climbing-adjacent terrain. Lockdown is sufficient for normal hiking but won’t compete with a Hanwag or a Lowa Camino.
Breathability
The mesh lining helps a little compared to the older all-leather Targhees that turned into ovens by mid-morning, but this is still a warm boot overall. Waterproof membrane plus leather upper plus padded collar plus modest tongue ventilation adds up to significant heat retention once you’re working hard.
On cool damp hikes that warmth is a feature, and my feet stayed comfortable through hours of wet weather without going clammy. On warmer climbs the picture flips and heat builds, the point where the non-waterproof version of the Targhee starts looking like a more reasonable summer pick.
Fit and Sizing
The toe box is one of the boot’s best features. KEEN offers both a regular and a wide version, but the Original Fit interior is genuinely roomy across the forefoot, with real space for the toes to splay, which pays off on long descents and over full days when feet swell.
Length runs true to size, with no toe contact even on steep downhill. Worth knowing that the roominess comes from width rather than added length, so the boot can feel larger than it measures.
Behind the wide forefoot, the heel and midfoot run medium and hold a medium-volume foot well. The heel-capture system does its job on moderate trail.
If heel slip shows up on steep descents, running the lace through the top eyelet as a lock helps, though it will not fully close the gap for a genuinely narrow foot.
How the KEEN Targhee IV Mid Compares with Other Products
KEEN Targhee IV Mid vs. KEEN Targhee III Mid
Against its own predecessor, the IV is the better boot underfoot. The Luftcell midsole holds its cushioning longer than the III’s EVA, which goes flat sooner on rocky ground, and the reworked outsole pattern grips dry terrain more confidently.
The III had a slightly more forgiving forefoot and still turns up on clearance around $110 against the IV’s $170. If the III fit your foot and a discontinued model does not bother you, that is a real bargain. For most buyers, though, the newer midsole and outsole make the IV worth the extra money.
For the full scope, check our complete KEEN Targhee III Mid review.
KEEN Targhee IV Mid vs. Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof
The Moab 3 is the rival hikers ask about most. It is a little lighter, breathes better, and holds the heel slightly tighter out of the box.
The Targhee answers with a tougher build, a roomier toe box, stronger waterproofing in my testing, and the redesigned KEEN.FUSION construction aimed at reducing delamination.
The Moab is the value pick ($150) if you have an average-width foot and plan to use it on moderate trails. But for a wider foot, harder mileage, or anyone who wants the durability and the warranty, the Targhee is the stronger long-term buy.
For more information, read our full review of the Merrel Moab 3 Mid.
KEEN Targhee IV Mid vs. Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX
The X Ultra 5 ($190)is the athletic alternative, narrower through the foot, lighter on the scale, and better on wet rock thanks to its Contagrip outsole.
It is the boot for moving quickly on dry, technical trail. The Targhee counters with a wider, more accommodating fit, a more durable build, and warmer, more protective coverage.
Both are strong boots aimed at different hikers, but Salomon is more for speed while KEEN is a better choice if you need comfort and durability.
We explored this shoe in our Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX Low & Mid comparison review.
Where the KEEN Targhee IV Mid Performs Best
The Targhee is at its best on moderate to rough trail in cool, wet, or unsettled weather, with a pack under 35 lbs.16 kg. It is an excellent shoulder-season boot, dry granite, packed dirt, sandstone, mud, and snow all play to the KEEN.RUGGED outsole, and the waterproofing means a turn in the weather is no concern.
It handles day hikes and short backpacking trips with ease. For wide and high-volume feet it offers a fit few competitors can match, in a build that should hold up for several seasons of regular use.
How The KEEN Targhee IV Mid Ranks
These boots consistently performed well across our comparison tests, proving they are an excellent all-rounder.
- Best Hiking Boots for Flat Feet (#3)
- Best Hiking Boots for Wide Feet (#2)
- Best Hiking Boots for Plantar Fasciitis (#4)
- Best Lightweight Hiking Boots (#3)
- Best Hiking Boots for Beginners (#3)
Where the KEEN Targhee IV Mid Falls Short in Performance
The boot is less sure on wet smooth rock and slick roots, and on off-camber traverses, where a grippier or more aggressive outsole would serve better. It runs warm once the day reaches the low 70s (°F),low 20s (°C), so it is not the right choice for summer hiking.
At 35 lbs16 kg the boot remained stable, though I would not want significantly more weight on technical terrain. Loads above this weight on technical ground ask for a stiffer boot. It is also heavier than a fast-and-light hiker would want. And a narrow foot will not get a fully locked-in fit no matter how it is laced.
Do We Recommend It?
Yes, for the right hiker, and that hiker is not hard to define. The KEEN Targhee IV Mid is a durable, genuinely waterproof, wide-friendly boot that performs with confidence on moderate trails in cool and wet conditions. The KEEN.FUSION construction held up without a flaw, the KEEN.DRY membrane kept my feet dry through everything I asked of it, and the toe protection is among the best in the category.
The limits are worth knowing before you buy. Wet rock and slick roots traction is good rather than great, the warm upper rules out summer use, and the stock insole may need replacing for proper arch support. None of these undercut what the boot does well, but they do define who it suits.
At $170, these KEEN boots offer strong value for a weekend or shoulder-season backpacker with a medium-to-wide foot and moderate-load plans, as long as you give it 15 miles24 km to break in.
Where To Get It?
| WHERE TO BUY? | MEN | WOMEN |
| Amazon | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
| Backcountry | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
| REI | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
FAQs
The Targhee IV runs true to size in length, but the forefoot is roomier than most hiking boots in this category. Most hikers should stay with their normal size, especially if wider toe boxes usually suit them well. Narrow feet may find the fit slightly loose unless paired with thicker socks or a more supportive aftermarket insole.
The Targhee IV Mid Waterproof is manufactured in KEEN partner factories in Asia, most commonly Thailand or Cambodia depending on the production run. Design and development come from KEEN in the United States.
Prices in this article are approximate and updated annually. Check the retailer for current rates.
