Keen Utility Men’s Logandale Work Boot Review

I’ve been wearing Keen boots for going on five years now and they’ve slowly become my favorite manufacturer.

Today, I’ll be reviewing the Men’s Logandale. First released in August of last year, I decided to give them a try because despite being waterproof, they appear to be designed to offer maximum airflow and therefore minimal sweat.

Keen Utility Men’s Logandale Top Features

Comfort

First off, there’s no break in period and they fit as expected. You can literally take them out of the box, put them on your feet and go work a twelve hour shift without complaint.

For a steel toe, waterproof boot, they’re lighter than you’d expect. And being a Keen boot, that steel toe is cut asymmetrically allowing plenty of room in the toe box.

At the back of the boot, there’s plenty of cushioning around the ankle area and once you get the lacing tied up correctly, support levels are good.

The uppers are made from synthetics and I think this is one of the features aimed at increasing breathability. They also have Keen Dry which is designed to keep water out while letting vapor escape. And finally there’s a moisture wicking lining.

The result? Surprisingly effective. They’ll never be confused for a non waterproof boot but the Men’s Logandale does come as close as I’ve experienced. The temperatures haven’t been very high here but even indoors I noticed distinctly less sweat.

Below your feet, there’s the same features found in most Keen work boots, namely a TPU shank, an EVA footbed and a PU midsole, and a rubber outsole.

The EVA footbed feels identical and offers the same level of arch support. But the actual sole is noticeably harder than any other Keen boot that I’ve tried.

That increased hardness doesn’t make a big difference. The anti fatigue technology still works. They still kept my feet happy past the ten hour mark on concrete. But when compared to other Keen boots, the hard sole is a definite downgrade.

Safety Features

Despite the asymmetrical cut, the steel toe meets ASTM standards. They are also ASTM rated for electrical hazard protection. In tests, the sole provided good traction on both oil and water. Keen are actually one of very few manufacturers that provide a rating for slip resistance. The Men’s Logandale apparently meets Mark II non slip.

Insulation and Waterproofing

While I don’t think that Keen Dry technology is intended for long term submersion in water, the boots did their job in heavy rain and while standing in various puddles for 30 seconds at a time.

Insulation levels are about average i.e. a good year round boot provided you’ll willing to change socks with the seasons.

Style

The Men’s Logandale is one of Keens more stylish work boots. The all synthetic uppers and various patterns seem to have been chosen for functionality rather than style but surprisingly it works. They have a sleek, almost sporty appearance. The only downside is that all those yellow marks mean that they’re never going to double up as casual wear.

Verdict

In conclusion, I have mixed feelings about the Men’s Logandale.

On the one hand, it has most of the comfort that you’d expect from a Keen boot. It’s low in weight, stylish and if you need a waterproof boot, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find one with more breathability.

On the other hand, the overly hard sole means that the boot doesn’t quite live up to Keen’s normally high standards. Combine that with potential durability issues caused by that same feature and it’s the first Keen boot that I’ve tried that doesn’t get an automatic recommendation