Keen Growler

Activities:	Snow
Available Colors:	Black only
Fit Tip:	We find this style runs about a 1/2 size small.
Insulation:	PrimaLoft
Lining:	KEEN.DRY Waterproof membrane and breathable textile
Midsole:	EVA
Outsole:	Non-marking carbon
Rubber:	Dual-Climate outsole
Type:	Cold Weather Boots
Upper:	Leather / mesh / webbing
Weather:	Cold - insulated
Weight:	21.7 oz. or 615g
Weight per pair:	2 lb 12 oz

Rating:
Keen Growler Review 30 Day Review. Location: Seattle, WA. Weather: Windy, Rainy, Horizontal Rain. Temperature: 40-55 degrees. Occupation: Office Environment. Other Shoes I have: Kamik Ice Crushers (too heavy), Kamik Lucas (light rain boot, traction is questionable), Kamik Workday 3 (great rain/snow boot for shoveling snow, lightweight, nice black color vs. the awkward army green color like the Kamik Ice Crushers), Keen Winterport (height advantage, can feel a little loose with the drawstring system). Size: Order a 1/2 size up from your normal shoe size. This will allow room for thermal socks, too. I'm a size 10, and I felt there was a little more breathing room. If you're unsure of your size/feel, go to your local Keen Dealer (REI) and try on the Keen hiking boots with different socks. For me, a size 10 was slightly snug and after long walks, I can imagine my feet trying to stretch out. Nice Features: Shoelaces/lace up system are very easy on the hands and doesn't cause blisters. You'll find lacing up heavier snow boots a few times a day, especially with the thin laces, it will rub against your fingers. The lace loops are very durable. There is reflective material on the lace loops for visibility since the shoes comes only in black. Thermal Sole: The sole has thermal material that made my feet warm after 5 minutes of normal walking. I'm sure it will heat up nicely when the snow falls. Sidewall (Internal): Lined with Keen Dry technology, that is supposed to wick away moisture. I've worn thin calf-high athletic socks and my feet feel dry. Shoe Tongue: There is no gap or break in fabric with regard to the tongue. This feature doesn't allow any snow/rain to leak through. Traction: Very good. After walking in the rain and stepping onto dry concrete, there was no squeaking sound, which indicates good traction. In the snow, I'm certain the traction design will give you good traction. In addition, I bought Kahtoola MICROspikes ($60) REI (Size Medium fits well for a size 10-11 shoes) for icy conditions in shopping mall parking lots and side streets. No snow shoe can match compact ice. Weight: Fairly light compared to the other shoes I've listed above. The Keen Winterport is slightly heavier. Overall Performance: No break-in required. Keen is very good about making the inside very flexible. I was impressed. My feet have been kept dry for the past 30 days of wind and rain. I know these shoes will do very well in the snow. In comparison to the Keen Winterport, the Winterport has the height advantage, but with Growler, it feels like you have lightweight hiking boots on. Both shoes are comfortable to wear. The Growler can blend in with your everyday attire, especially if you have to wear dress pants. Of course, you'd change into your business shoes once you get to work. The weather conditions in Seattle (where it can rain and snow in the same day) demands for a shoe that can be flexible. The Growler fits the bill. If Zappos or Onlineshoes.com are out of stock, you can try the REI website. Cons: Shoe Height: This shoe sits 2 inches above my ankle. Actual Shoe height is 6.5 inches. I don't know how it will fare against snow levels higher than 6 inches. I guess the assumption is you will wear snowboarding pants in conjunction with these boots. Zappos Customer Service: Superb! Great shipping time, especially with UPS Ground. I received my boots in 4-5 business days and I was able to track it every step of the way. I love the free returns policy (up to 1 year) should you be unhappy with your shoes. But remember to try the shoes on carpeted areas first to reduce the wear on the boots.
Martin at Zappos.com on 11/20/2009
Great all-around boot (for women too)
Rating:
I'm a 44 year old female and I prefer men's winter boots due to their sturdiness and extra width, not to mention less hideous colors in general. I have Keen sandals that are the most comfortable things going, so I decided to buy these Growlers after reading many reviews. They are replacing my almost 10-year old Columbia's which have finally worn out. First weekend I wore them ice fishing with my husband, and my feet did get cold, but I think that was due to not getting my feet up off the ice (ie on a bucket or boat cushion) for several hours. These are not pack boots, and my Columbia's wouldn't have been any better. The next weekend they kept my feet warm with the help of extra socks and Toasti-toes for an all-day snow softball tournament. Game time temp was -10 degrees. On my feet all day in the snow, but moving around, my feet were pretty warm, but a bit tight. I've been snowshoeing too through 30 inches of snow and just a medium pair of wool socks, no problem. These are lightweight enough that you don't feel like you are wearing clunky boots. They are fine with medium weight socks and everyday wear, but if you need to gear up and wear several layers, might want to get a 1/2 size up. I'm a women's 8-1/2 and I got a men's 7. A 7-1/2 might have let me wear heavy socks or 2 pairs without feeling a bit cramped, but then again, you really don't want a lot of air in your boots the rest of the time you wear them, so think about what you will use them for most of the time. I am extremely happy with these and look forward to going ice fishing again tomorrow, with a boat cushion to help out! If not, then a heavier insulated boot might be a better choice for the ice.
satch95 at Mountain Gear on 01/31/2009
Rating:
Nice boots!!! I purchased a pair of Keen sandals last year and thought they were the best sandals ever so I thought I’d give the Keen boots a chance and I’m glad I did. I just loved the way they looked so I ordered them. Once I received them about 2 days later, I took them out of the box, slipped them on and wore them around the house for a couple hours… forgot that I had them on they were so comfortable. The next day I went to a college football game and wore them there, did a lot of walking and at the end of the day, my feet felt just fine, like I had these boots forever. They felt already worn in and molded to my feet. Usually when you buy new boots they can feel a little stiff and maybe make your feet feel a little sore and it takes awhile to work them in and feel comfortable, but not with the Keen Growlers, they were comfortable right out of the box. I was looking for a light weight boot that was comfortable and water proof that I could wear in the snow, camping, light hiking, and wear for normal wear around here in Washington State and I found that boot in the Keen Growlers. I’ve worn them about 5 other times since I purchased them about a month ago and I love them. No regrets, great boots, and Zappos had lightning fast shipping so I got them about 2 days after I ordered them. If you are looking for the same type of light weight boot as I was, then you will love these boots. I bought a pair of black ones, I just might buy another pair in brown.
Anonymous at Zappos.com on 10/31/2008
Rating:
Great for almost everyone - This is the third pair of growlers I have purchased: one for me, one for my son and one for my housemate. Although we all have different shape feet and different walking styles, each pair of Growlers fit comfortably right out of the box and proved to be very comfortable for walking in the snow and for all-around winter wear. The only complaint was from my son, who thought the Growler would be great to wear to work (he's a carpenter) if the uppers were leather rather than nylon. Nylon just won't stand up to heavy duty use. I've had my growlers for a few years and had no trouble removing the innersoles and substituting my custom orthotics. My feet are very narrow and the medium size felt comfortable. My male housemate has wide feet and he also found his Growlers to be very comfortable. These boots seem to fit everyone and we all love them. They are warm but not too heavy to be worn all day. Zappos is great. The boots arrived two days after I ordered and they had a wide range of sizes available.
Anonymous at Zappos.com on 02/05/2009
Rating:
Keen Growler - The first outing with these boots was a winter camping/hiking trip. They and I spent two days outside in 20 degree weather and 6" snow. While not waterproof - they did handle the snow quite well. The last morning, we woke up to -10 degrees, and putting the boots on in that temperature was not helpful. But my feet were already cold and the boots were frozen, what do you expect? Since the camping trip, I have worn these boots almost every day (desk job) - at times they get a little too warm indoors - but nothing out of control. FIT: I normally wear 11s. In these, I ordered a size 12 and feel they fit great with a normal sock or a thicker winter sock. NOTE: I answered no to orthotics only because I have no idea.
Anonymous at Zappos.com on 12/23/2008
A great cold-weather boot.
Rating:
I have been using my Growler boots for almost a month now and am very pleased with them. For reference, weather (in Wisconsin) during the past month has been snowy (record December snowfall) and cold, with temperatures often between -10 to 10 F. I have often worn these boots for 2-4 hours in the cold and snow, and my feet have stayed warm and dry. I have several pairs of Keen shoes and ordered these 1/2 size larger than my usual size 11; they fit well with a medium or heavy wool sock. Light and comfortable, these boots provide great arch support (a must for this reviewer) and have been worn during several hikes of 4-5 miles. I recommend them highly and plan to purchase a pair as a gift for my son.
Jim at Altrec on 01/02/2009
over the top boot name, but a good boot
Rating:
I liked this boot enough I bought a second pair. First pair from a different vendor last year, and still in excellent condition. I like the roomy toebox. It does keep my feet warm down to about 10 degrees F. Below that I need to wear Gator Tips neoprene toe warmers or Grabber Toe warmers. If it's very cold -10F I'll wear Grabber foot heaters. These are for easy walking or standing around. Fast hiking feet are warmer, so the foot heaters aren't necessary. The boot could use more of an arch for my type of foot, and I wish the heel was slightly narrower, but with thick sox it's okay. Traction is good, but on ice or hard packed snow from a passing snow plow makes for slick footing.
oneniteowl at Mountain Gear on 03/05/2009
Great boot with little exception
Rating:
Excellent boot. Best of snow boots I used to have. I live in Russia and I bought that boots that winter. Its breathes just perfectly. Very warm, I used to walk around only in t5hin cotton sock when it aws about -20C and I didnt get cold. eVENT membrane works perfectly. But! BIG BUT! Very bad behaviour on ice. The sole doesnt grip on ice. Its said that those boots have a dual climate rubber but its not true. One time I went on a walking trip with a heavy backpack and I slipped and slammed so hard on ice that almost broke my arm. Be careful - that boots ARENT FOR ICE! Salomon does the ice gripping job way better.
Cybernex at Mountain Gear on 04/15/2009
Amazing boots.
Rating:
Just got back from 2 days camping and hiking in upstate NY. There were 3 feet of snow on the ground, with temps ranging between 10* F and -15* F. These boots held up amazingly. They kept ALL the snow out, and my feet were NEVER cold, even after sitting around while cooking WITHOUT a campfire (prohibited where we were at). These boots took everything I threw at them and kept asking for more. Not only that, they're great for simply kicking around the city on cold snowy days. One suggestion if you're conisdering these boots - get them a half size larger than you normally wear. I found that they ran a tiny bit tight through the toes in my normal size.
Rolf at Moosejaw (Fall 2009) on 12/20/2009
Rating:
Excellent winter boots - I purchased these boots to replace some old Soloman Contra-grips. I needed something I could hike in, shovel the driveway in and go sledding with the kids in. One of my requirements was a hook at the front for gators. Based on other reviews I ordered a full size larger and they fit perfectly. They boots are very comfortable and very warm. I don't even notice the cold when I've been out in single digits. Only minor issue: The hook for gators seems to be farther from the toe than my previous boots and the hook on my gators won't hook on. It may be because I have ancient gators though. Otherwise, these boot are fantastic!
Aaron C at Zappos.com on 02/11/2007