A short review of Keen KNX sneakers
Wide toe box sneakers with heel elevation
(Note: these shoes were paid for out of pocket and neither of us are receiving any form of compensation for this review.)
Keen has long been known for making shoes that provide much more toe room than most other conventional brands. A few years ago Keen released a barefoot-inspired collection called KNX that aims for the flexibility of a barefoot shoe while having a minimal amount of heel elevation (4mm).
My friend George has had his eye on the KNX line for some time and recently ordered a pair of KNX T-Toe sneakers. I thought some of you might like to know more about them so here’s a little overview and George’s initial impression of them.
Construction & materials
The KNX T-Toe sneakers have a leather upper but are unlined except around the collar, as you can see in the photos below. I’m going to hazard a guess that Keen omitted the lining to increase the shoe’s flexibility (and probably also to reduce costs). The sneakers come with elastic laces so it’s easy to slip them on and off.
The insole/footbed features built-in arch support that can’t be removed because it’s sewn directly to the upper. Keen states that the shoes are made without the use of glue but there seems to be some kind of adhesive poking through the insole stitches on the pair George received (which you can see if you zoom in), so I’m not sure what that’s about.
Sizing/fit
The toe box is moderately wide, though somewhat rounded at the big toe, which might be an issue for some people depending on their foot shape.
George’s feet are about 275mm long and 104mm wide and he ordered these in size 11. They were probably a bit too big for him because his foot slid forward and caused some gaping at the back of his heel. The sneakers also seemed to have too much volume for his feet, though this is hard to say for sure because the fit isn’t easy to adjust due to the elastic laces. I suppose the laces could be shortened, but that might make it harder to get the shoes on and off. Even still, these sneakers are probably best suited for people with relatively high volume feet.
The sole
The sole feels fairly squishy, which might be a plus for those who want more shock absorption. There’s a good amount of flexibility at the ball of the foot, where it’s needed the most. George found the toe spring on these to be pretty noticeable while wearing them. This is something George has experienced problems with in the past, so that was a red flag for him.
Aesthetics
This particular model is fairly retro in style and perhaps a little grandpa-ish. George ordered the Birch/Plaza Taupe colorway. I have to say, I found Keen’s choice of colors on this model a bit odd; they seemed to clash in my eyes. The heel counter, eye stay, and mudguard are suede with a slight pinkish hue, while the rest of the upper is off-white and looks kind of like the leather you often find on orthopedic footwear. The photo showing the sole flexibility is probably the most accurate representation of the colors.
Because there’s no lining or reinforcements on the sides of the shoes, the leather had a tendency to pucker out at the arch when worn, which wasn’t a great look.
Conclusion
In the end, the KNX T-Toe sneakers weren’t what George was hoping for so he decided to return them. These might be the perfect sneakers for some, but weren’t quite right for George.
