Keen has launched a new edition of its popular Targhee hiking boot, with a guarantee that its layers won't separate and delaminate while you're on the trail.
If you've ever had that happen, you'll know what a nuisance it is – the midsole suddenly parts company from the outsole, and you've got to hold it all together with duct tape until you can get back to base, and to a store to buy a new pair, all while dirt, grit and water are soaking into your hiking socks. It's miserable.
The Keen Targhee IV is made using a new mechanical process that's designed to make that particular headache a thing of the past, creating a bond that's stronger than glue. The boot's outsole, midsole, and upper are joined using a combination of heat and pressure, and Keen is so confident that they won't pull apart, it's offering a Delamination-Free Guarantee.
The Targhee IV is the first shoe to be covered by this warranty, but more will follow. Any shoe covered is eligible for replacement or store credit of the original purchase price if the midsole separates from the upper, or the midsole from the outsole. Confused? Our guide to parts of a hiking boot will clear things up.
The boot's midsole is made using Keen's air-injected Luftcell material, and is bonded to an outsole made of the company's proprietary Keen.Rugged material, which it claims is twice as durable as rubber.
The upper is made from leather tanned by Leather Working Group certified tanneries, with a waterproof membrane inside and PFAS-free water repellent coating on the outside.
The Targhee IV comes in mid and low cuts, priced at £150 and £140 respectively, with men's and women's specific editions available. It will go on sale at retailers in the UK in the spring.
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