I found myself recently in the unenviable situation, on the coldest, iciest day of the year, of having to slug my way through two miles of snow covered sidewalks because my Jeep’s tire developed a slow leak.

Rewind a couple of days, when I noticed that the tire pressure sensor on the rear passenger tire was about half as low as it should have been. It was our first really cold day of the season, so it’s expected that tire pressure would go down a little bit, but the one tire was dangerously low.

Since I needed an oil change anyways, I decided to let the guys at the shop fill the tires rather than stand out in the cold, lake-effect winds and snow to fill them myself.

After the oil change and tire fill up I drove around town taking care of some errands. It was quickly apparent that the passenger rear tire was losing air again. I parked and got out of the Jeep to inspect the tire and heard a quiet hissing sound.

Realizing I had a small leak in the tire, and a weekend full of running around to do, I called a mechanic to see if they could fit me in for a tire repair. They could, but I’d have to drop off the Jeep so they could squeeze the job in between other work. That would mean that I couldn’t sit in the mechanic’s warm front office for the work to be completed. The mechanic is a few miles from my house and I had no ride so I would have to walk home from the shop (and then back to the shop after the repair).

Luckily I had just purchased a new winter coat (the Patagonia Isthmus) and was wearing my pair of KEEN Revel III winter boots.

KEEN Revel III Insulated Boot Features

KEEN shoes are synonymous with quality in my house. I’ve been wearing them for years. They hold up well over time and have some great features that I’ve come to depend on.

Wide Toe Box

Most KEEN’s come with a wide toe box, so that your feet don’t have to cram themselves into a narrow shoe. I have wide-ish feet, so this is an important feature for me. There’s been a lot of talk online lately of how modern shoes ruin our feet by forcing our toes into unnatural positions, and there’s been a shift to more natural shapes for shoes. KEEN’s have had more natural, wider toe boxes for years, and it’s something I’ve come to really appreciate and depend on from them.

Traction

These boots are grippy. When I was walking through the freezing cold, over unshovelled, icy sidewalks, in snow and slush six inches deep, I never felt the boots slip at all. I wear them on muddy trails, and experience that same level of traction on rainy treks. I can hike confidently in any conditions in these boots.

Warmth

The KEEN Revel III’s are made with “KEEN.WARM” insulation, made of recycled P.E.T. fibers, as well as a “thermal heat shield footbed”. The insulation is lightweight and combined with the thermal heat shield footbed the boots are rated to keep your feet warm in temperatures down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit. My feet stayed warm through the whole two mile walk coming back from the mechanic on that cold day.

Waterproof

Made with “KEEN.DRY”, the Revel III’s waterproof inner membrane seals out water from the inside. You sacrifice some breathability (meaning your feet will sweat a little more) but you gain waterproofing that works as advertised. I’ve walked through low streams in these boots, and as long as the water doesn’t come above my ankles my feet stayed dry. And if you need to extra protection the boots are equipped with a gaiter loop so you can wear boot gaiters with them.

Durability

KEEN’s are known to be durable. I’ve had these boots for nearly seven years, and worn them as my main winter and muddy hiking boot for each of those years. They’ve held up exceptionally well for the amount of miles I’ve put on them over that time.

Conclusion

I’m a huge fan of KEEN. I have several boots, trail shoes, sandals and even slippers made by them. They are the most comfortable and durable shoes I own. The KEEN Revel III’s are warm, waterproof, do great on the trails, and they look great. I highly recommend these for a dependable cold weather, mid-height boot.