KEEN Targhee III Mid WP review: the comfort and wide-fit hiking boot

The KEEN Targhee III Mid WP is the boot I recommend when someone tells me every hiking boot they've tried pinches across the forefoot or leaves their toes hammered after a long descent. It's the comfort pick — a roomy, cushioned, waterproof boot built around KEEN's famously wide toe box. If you've got wider feet, or you've spent years trying to make narrow boots work, this is where I'd start.

At around £88–130 depending on colour and size, it sits in the same value bracket as the Merrell Moab 3, but it solves a different problem. The Moab 3 is the best all-round value boot. The Targhee III is the one for feet that need space. At 43, with feet that have spread a bit over two decades of walking, I understand the appeal more than I used to.

This review is based on testing across Dorset — the chalk and limestone of the Purbeck Hills, the coast path, and the Corfe to Swanage and Worth Matravers circular. I'll cover the fit that defines this boot, the waterproofing and grip, sizing (this is the section to read), where it falls short, and how it compares to the narrower, more precise Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX.

Who is this boot for?

The Targhee III is a comfort-first boot. It doesn't chase low weight or technical precision — it chases all-day comfort and a fit that works for feet other brands ignore.

It suits you if:

• You have wider feet, or you find Salomon and other narrow boots cramped across the forefoot
• You're 40+ and value cushioning and all-day comfort over a few grams of weight saved
• You get black toenails or front-of-foot pressure on long descents in narrower boots
• You want a waterproof boot that's comfortable from the first walk, with little break-in
• You walk UK mixed terrain — coast path, downland, forest trails, light moorland — at moderate mileage

It's less right for you if:

• You have narrow feet — you'll swim in the toe box and never get a secure lockdown
• You want a lightweight, agile boot for fast days or technical ground
• Summer breathability is your priority — the leather upper and KEEN.DRY membrane run warm
• You're doing serious scrambling or ridge work where a stiffer, more precise boot is safer

Specs

Weight

~493g per boot (men's, single)

Waterproofing

KEEN.DRY breathable membrane, PFAS-free DWR

Outsole

KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN rubber

Lug depth

~4mm multi-directional

Heel-to-toe drop

~13mm

Upper materials

Waterproof leather with performance mesh and protective overlays

Toe protection

Rubberised toe bumper

Shank

Dual shank — embedded midsole shank plus lightweight ESS medial shank

Midsole

Contoured PU and EVA

Insole

Removable OrthoLite PU with arch support

Tongue

Fully gusseted both sides

Available widths

Standard and Wide

UK price

~£88–130

The famous KEEN fit and toe box

This is the reason the Targhee exists and the reason people stay loyal to it for decades. KEEN's last is built around a wide, rounded toe box that gives your toes room to splay naturally. Most hiking boots taper to a point at the front — fine if your foot is shaped that way, miserable if it isn't.

On the Targhee III the forefoot is seriously roomy. On long descents — and the Purbeck coast path has plenty — your toes aren't jammed forward into the front of the boot. That's what prevents bruised and blackened toenails, and it's the single biggest comfort difference between this and a narrow boot like the Salomon.

The rubberised toe bumper wraps the front of the boot and is one of KEEN's signatures. On rocky, uneven Dorset limestone where foot placement isn't always clean, kicking a rock doesn't hurt. It also adds to the boot's durability at the most vulnerable point.

The flip side of all that space is lockdown. The midfoot and heel hold reasonably well thanks to the lacing and a decent heel cup, but this is not a precision fit. If your foot is narrow, the volume that makes the Targhee so comfortable for wide feet becomes a liability — your foot moves inside the boot and you'll fight blisters. Match the boot to your foot shape and it's superb. Ignore the fit and it won't work for you.

KEEN.DRY waterproofing

The Targhee III uses KEEN's own KEEN.DRY membrane rather than Gore-Tex, paired with a PFAS-free DWR treatment on the leather upper. This is the sensible call at the price, and in real UK conditions it does the job.

Across Dorset spring and autumn walking — rain, wet grass, boggy field margins, shallow stream crossings — feet stay dry. The fully gusseted tongue, sewn in on both sides, is part of why: it blocks water and grit from getting in around the lacing, which is where a lot of boots let you down. The mid-cut ankle is high enough to keep splashes and shallow crossings out; water coming in over the cuff is a function of boot height, not membrane failure.

Where KEEN.DRY shows its limits is breathability and dry-out time. The leather upper and the membrane both trap heat, so on a warm day doing 20km the inside of the boot gets stuffy and damp with sweat. This is a cool-and-wet boot, not a hot-weather one. And once a leather upper does saturate, it takes longer to dry than a mesh shoe — factor that in if you're regularly crossing deep streams or out in sustained rain over multiple days.

For UK walking from roughly September through May — which is most of our serious hiking weather — KEEN.DRY is more than adequate.

Grip and the KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN outsole

The Targhee III runs KEEN's own KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN rubber with multi-directional lugs around 4mm deep. It's not Vibram, and it doesn't pretend to be a technical mountain outsole, but for the terrain this boot is built for it grips well.

On wet Purbeck chalk and limestone the compound is tacky enough to feel secure, and the multi-directional lug pattern bites into soft, muddy ground without the lugs being so deep that they pack up and skate on hard surfaces. The heel area gives reasonable braking on descents on loose ground.

Where you notice the limits is on properly technical, steep, wet rock. The lugs are shallower than the Moab 3's 5mm Vibram and the compound isn't quite as sticky on slick rock. For coast path, downland and forest trails — which is what most UK hikers actually walk — there's plenty of grip here. For sustained steep, rocky descents you'd want something more aggressive.

Cushioning and all-day comfort

The other half of the Targhee's appeal is the cushioning. The contoured PU midsole is on the firmer, more supportive side rather than soft and squishy, and it's paired with a removable OrthoLite insole that has real arch support built in. The dual-shank setup — an embedded midsole shank plus a lightweight ESS medial shank — adds torsional stability so the boot doesn't twist underfoot on uneven ground.

What this adds up to is a boot you can wear all day without your feet feeling hammered. On a full circular like the Corfe to Swanage route, the Targhee III is comfortable from the first mile to the last. The PU midsole holds its support over long distances better than a softer EVA-only midsole, which tends to feel flat by the back end of a big day.

Break-in is short. The leather upper needs a couple of walks to soften and mould, but the generous last means there's no painful friction period — you're not earning these over a hundred miles. Most people can take them out for a 10–12km walk straight away.

One thing the OrthoLite insole gives you that cheaper boots don't: usable arch support out of the box. If you've got medium-to-high arches you may not need to replace the stock insole at all, which isn't true of the Moab 3.

Sizing advice — KEEN runs roomy

Read this section before you buy. KEEN's sizing is the one thing people get wrong most often — and it's worth knowing the Targhee III's Amazon rating sits lower than its reputation among hikers would suggest. Dig into the critical reviews and a large share are about fit rather than the boot failing: people order their usual size, find it roomy, and mark it down. Get the size right and most of those complaints fall away, which is exactly why this section matters more than any other.

Officially the Targhee III fits true to size, and KEEN themselves recommend ordering your standard size. In practice the boot is roomy — that wide toe box and generous volume mean a lot of hikers find a true-to-size pair feels slightly large, particularly through the forefoot. A good number of people size down half a size to get a more secure fit.

Here's how I'd approach it:

• Wide or high-volume feet: order your true size. The room is the point.
• Average-width feet: order your true size first, but be prepared to drop half a size if there's noticeable space.
• Narrow feet: size down half a size, wear a thicker sock — and honestly, consider whether the Salomon X Ultra 360 isn't a better match for your foot shape from the start.

Whatever you order, allow room for a thicker hiking sock and for your feet to swell over a long day. Try them on late in the afternoon if you can, with the socks you'll actually hike in. A boot this dependent on fit is one I'd buy from a retailer with easy returns so you can compare sizes at home.

Where it falls short

No boot is the right answer for everyone, and the Targhee III has clear limits.

It runs warm. The leather and KEEN.DRY membrane trap heat, so it's not the boot for summer or hot-weather hiking — your feet will sweat. It's heavier than the modern trail-runner-influenced boots, and on long, fast days you'll feel the weight. The grip, while good for its intended terrain, falls behind a Vibram outsole on technical wet rock. And the wide fit that makes it brilliant for some feet makes it unwearable for narrow feet — there's no getting a secure lockdown if your foot is slim.

It's also not a technical mountain boot. For serious scrambling, ridge walking or carrying a heavy multi-day load, a stiffer, more supportive boot is the safer choice.

None of that is a flaw so much as a matter of picking the right tool. Buy the Targhee III for what it is — a comfort-first, wide-fit boot for UK day hiking — and it's hard to beat.

KEEN Targhee III vs Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX

This is the comparison that matters most, because these two boots sit at opposite ends of the fit spectrum.

The Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX is the precise, technical, narrower boot. Gore-Tex waterproofing breathes better, the Contagrip outsole grips harder on technical ground, it's lighter and more agile, and it locks the foot down precisely. It's the boot I reach for on big days in the Brecon Beacons. But that precision comes from a narrower last — if your feet are wide, it'll cramp them, and no amount of lacing fixes that.

The Targhee III is the comfort, wide-fit boot. It's roomier, more cushioned underfoot for all-day walking, and forgiving in a way the Salomon isn't. It's also cheaper. What you give up is breathability, low weight, outright grip on technical rock, and the secure precision lockdown.

My view: it comes down to your foot first, terrain second. If you have wide feet or you've never got on with Salomon's fit, the Targhee III is the obvious call and you shouldn't agonise over it. If you have average-to-narrow feet and you do longer, more technical days in the hills, the X Ultra 360 is worth the extra money.

For the value middle ground — a true-to-size all-rounder with Vibram grip — the Merrell Moab 3 Mid WP sits between the two. It's less roomy than the KEEN but has a proper wide (2E) version of its own, and its Vibram outsole grips harder than the KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN rubber.

What to pair it with

Socks — a quality merino sock matters more than usual with the Targhee III, because the KEEN.DRY liner runs warm and merino manages moisture better than synthetic inside a waterproof boot. I wear Darn Tough hiking socks with everything, and a mid-weight crew or over-the-calf height is right for this mid-cut boot. If you're sizing down, a slightly thicker sock also helps fill out the volume.

Trousers — any quality hiking trouser pairs fine here. The mid-cut ankle is high enough to keep most debris out without gaiters. The best hiking trousers UK guide covers the options across budgets.

Pros

• The roomy KEEN toe box — the best wide fit in this price bracket
• Excellent all-day comfort from the contoured PU midsole
• Removable OrthoLite insole with real arch support out of the box
• KEEN.DRY waterproofing handles UK autumn-to-spring conditions well
• Fully gusseted tongue keeps water and grit out effectively
• Rubberised toe bumper protects on rocky ground and adds durability
• Short break-in — comfortable within the first couple of walks
• Strong value at ~£88–130

What to know before buying:

• Runs roomy — many hikers size down half a size; narrow feet should look elsewhere
• Runs warm — the leather upper and KEEN.DRY membrane build heat in summer
• KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN grip trails behind Vibram on technical wet rock
• Heavier than modern lightweight boots — you'll feel it on long, fast days
• Not a technical mountain boot for scrambling or heavy loads

Verdict

The KEEN Targhee III Mid WP is the comfort and wide-fit pick, and for the right foot it's one of the easiest boots to recommend on the market. If you've spent years fighting narrow boots — cramped forefoot, bruised toenails on descents, blisters across the outer foot — the Targhee's roomy toe box and cushioned PU midsole solve the problem directly.

It's not the boot for narrow feet, summer heat, or technical mountain days. For that, the narrower, more precise Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX is the better tool. But for 40+ hikers who want all-day comfort on UK day-hiking terrain, and especially for anyone with wider feet, this is the boot I'd point you to first.

Get the sizing right — order true to size if your feet are wide, consider half a size down if they're average — and the Targhee III will look after your feet for years.

Rating: 4.4 / 5