Keen Footwear Disc Golf Shoe!

[everydaydude]

Hello fellow golfers. Big news coming out of the great Pacific Northwest disc golf scene. Not sure how many of you saw how quickly the Beaver State Fling NT presented by Keen Footwear event in Oregon filled up but rumor has it that it was in record time... 36 hours! Keen Footwear, based in Portland, OR recently became the title sponsor for the Beaver State Fling as they are expressing a sincere interest in our wonderful sport.

I've been lucky enough to have been on the wear-testing squad for a Keen Disc Golf shoe! No kidding. The shoe, which will be a waterproof shoe, will be available for purchase sometime this summer. Look for Keen to do big things in the disc golf scene, their presence will be felt. And, to be honest, you can't find a company better equipped and like-minded to show their love and support to disc golf. We're lucky to have disc golfers within their company.

I’m trying to get as many people signed up at their new HybridLife Community website as possible listing their one of their activies as Disc Golf. When more people list Disc Golf in the section of their profile “How I Create, Play and Care” the font size grows larger. You can filter in a key word search Disc Golf and all those who list it will pop up. It’s my goal to have 1,000 on there by the end of the year. Just go to www.keenfootwear.com and post a profile to the HybridLife Community.

Support Keen's involvement in Disc Golf. I'll post a picture of the shoe when it's available to me, heck I don't even work for them but I'm stoked they're on our side and are taking into consideration the needs of disc golfers in designing a disc-golf-specific shoe!

Best,
Aaron Durand
25661

[fornia]

I'm in man... Looking forward to seeing the shoe!

[gippy]

I love Keens I got their Targa GorTex and real happy with them great grip excellent support and their gortex hasn't left me with wet feat yet great product cant wait to see this two of my favorite shoes getting into disc golf YEA Keen N Merriells ROC

[DiscJay]

I'm in, been waiting for something like this. Are they lightweight?

[Birdie]

I hope...I like playing in tennis/running shoes but sometimes end up wearing more of a hoking boot to get the durability I want.

[Big E]

^^^ was that a "hooking" or "hiking" boot you wear?

[everydaydude]

Yes, they're lightweight and waterproof. The first run of these will also be a low top, for those curious. Very comfy!

[Boneman]

I'm pretty stocked up on Bite D-high's and Torque's ... I love the Torque. It's good to see another shoe manufacturer stepping up and making a "disc golf shoe".

I hope Croc's [Bite] choke on their short sightedness.

Looking forward to seeing what Keen comes up with.

[JerryChesterson]

I hope the soles hold up better than the Keen's I have. I love the wrap around toe wihch fixes the problem I have withmost shoes falling apart but the one sI have the shoes themselves are 100% in tact, just the soles are worn out. I play mostly on concrete tee pads.

[Boneman]

I agree ... the soles on my Keens wore out, or they fell apart. They need to be one piece, preferably Vibram so they last. If the soles look anything like what I've had in the past, I'll have to pass.

[everydaydude]

Which brings up a pertinent question... say the average PDGA member golfs 1-3 times per week. How long do you think you should get out of a pair of disc golf shoes?

[Rodney Gilmore]

Woohoo! I'm above average. I get 4-5 days of golf a week. And can wear a left heel off a pair of Merrell Moabs in 6 months. That's a Vibram sole on those. Keens...well...I bet I could kill a pair of them very quickly.

[gippy]

What do you guys do to your shoes I play on concrete 90% of the time I wear merrells and have had the same pair for 2 years now soles are still good traction getting a bit low but still good. I dont always wear the same pair but I have had my Moabs for awhile and there Chamaleon Leathers for longer and they both holding up great. My Keens I just got this winter so we shall see how they hold up so far so good and I have been wearing em since the snow lifted. I dont get how you guys rip up these shoes?????

[crgadyk]

I have had a pair of Vasque Blur XCRs for a solid year now and they look like brand new. I played several times a week as well on concrete tees. A lot of people drag their feet and tear up the sides of the shoes or the toe. I would guess the person tearing up heels in 6 months would be spinning on their heal which would grind them down pretty quickly.

[Big E]

I had had a pair of Salomon's for 3+ yrs and they show some wear but I have bin in knee deep water with them more times than I can recall but the soles have held up really well! My Merrell's chameleon gore-tex wraps only lasted 2 weeks before I had to send them back because the injected molding cleat came out from playing maybe 5 times on concrete they where nice enough to send a new pair for free after some discussion those lasted about a year with ought any creek time I play with my Salomon’s year round on concrete and play at lunch 90% of the time it is only 9 holes but still that is throwing multiple discs each tee at least 4 times a week plus a mini. I think the big difference in the soles of the shoes in my experience if you play a lot of concrete and also play natural tee’s the sole has to be one piece with no lugs that stick out by them self’s my Salomon’s have great traction but the groves of the sole are one piece from one side to the other ^v^v^v kind of like that but I cant find any that are like that on the Salomon site anyone else have a pair of Salomon’s that they have really like and lasted for a long time on concrete?

[Big E]

I kind of like the speed comps by salomon.

[mikeP]

I'm pretty stocked up on Bite D-high's and Torque's ... I love the Torque. It's good to see another shoe manufacturer stepping up and making a "disc golf shoe".

I hope Croc's [Bite] choke on their short sightedness.

Looking forward to seeing what Keen comes up with.

Speaking of Bite, last time I asked Kenny about the shoes he was talking about getting a lawyer b/c he hasn't seen a dime from Crocs since they bought bite and they still owe him $$$. Don't buy Bites or Crocs!

[JerryChesterson]

What do you guys do to your shoes I play on concrete 90% of the time I wear merrells and have had the same pair for 2 years now soles are still good traction getting a bit low but still good. I dont always wear the same pair but I have had my Moabs for awhile and there Chamaleon Leathers for longer and they both holding up great. My Keens I just got this winter so we shall see how they hold up so far so good and I have been wearing em since the snow lifted. I dont get how you guys rip up these shoes?????

We throw hard. I do a lot of hiking and never where the shoes out hiking. As soon as I start throwing disc gofl with a pair of shoes they are toast in like 6 months, MAX. The best pair a I had was a pair of North Face but they don't make that model anymore and the ones they make now where out in 3 months. If a shoes has a weak spot, DG will expose it.

[Giles]

I had two pairs of the Targa. I play about 144 holes a week, most of them on concrete tees. I didn't have a problem with the soles on them. I drag my feet so 2 or 3 part soles fall apart within a week of playing (solomans). The stitching behind the toe on the Keens didn't last more than a month for me, rendering them less than waterproof. I now wear Newbalance. They held up the best but still don't stay in good shape for more than 4 months. It seems like the $40 Newbalance are more cost effective than $80 keens that fall apart. I liked the look and traction of the Keens and will try them again if/when they make a disc golf shoe, I just hope they do a stronger stitch that will hold up to the "twist" of driving off a concrete tee.

[JerryChesterson]

I am interested in being a tester for Keen here is Texas. Someone on this thread sounded they are hooked up with Keen so if they need a warm weather tester that plays a lot, let me know.

[atreau3]

Merrell Chameleon, Merrell Chameleon, Merrell Chameleon.

I've been wearing these since 2004. I'm on my 2nd Version ( I do not like the quality of the new Chameleons, but you still can find merrell chameleon wraps out there... http://www.shoebuy.com/merrell-chameleon...e-_-none-_-none )

I have in total 6 pairs that I circulate. Recently, I picked up two new pairs on the interweb for 79.99 each. Google Merrell Chameleon Wrap with Gore tex and you might get lucky. These shoes hold up so well that I couldn't "risk" not being able to get replacements if I needed them, and bought two new pairs, although I have others that are in excellent shape.

My home course has concrete tees and the vibram "octogrip" sole is holding up great and gore-tex still is waterproof (even on the ones that are 4 years old).

I've tried North Face, Hi-Tek, Columbia, Nike, and Saloman, all "waterproof." Merrells hold up the best, by far. Also, if you have a problem with them, they'll take them back and send a new pair.

Signed,

#1 Merrell Fan

Erick

[atreau3]

Woohoo! I'm above average. I get 4-5 days of golf a week. And can wear a left heel off a pair of Merrell Moabs in 6 months. That's a Vibram sole on those. Keens...well...I bet I could kill a pair of them very quickly.

The sole on the 2nd rendition of the Chameleon Wrap is much much much better than the Moab. The Moab is typically $25.00 cheaper, and there is a big difference in quality.

[everydaydude]

Haha, thanks Jerry. Pretty sure much of the wear-testing has been wrapped up and there's no shortage of avid golfers in the Portland area to take on those responsibilities.
If anyone is going to the Beaver State Fling, make sure to stop by the Keen tent. I'll post a picture as soon as I can.

[crgadyk]

I had a pair of North Face 103 XCRs that lasted about 12 holes before the bottom of the shoe started to come unglued. Just the twisting motion of throwing made them come apart.

Like I mentioned before, I have the Vasque Blur XCRs and they have well over 100 rounds on them and still look like new. I'm really hard on shoes normally but these have held up great.

I hope that the new Keen disc golf shoes work out... I would gladly support a shoe company that supports disc golf!

[shteev]

i can do the same thing here in Virginia. living in Lynchburg, right in the Blue Ridge Mountains so all of our courses are far from flat and great for wearing out shoes. willing to help as i would certainly be able to test them out or wear them out. great that disc golf specific shoes are being put on the market soon hopefully.

[Karma Police]

If they perform anything like their sandals do on the course they will be highly desirable.

[everydaydude]

The shoe will definitely borrow from some of the designs that have made Keen such a great footwear company. They've also taken into careful consideration the feedback we gave them during the wear-testing process. It's a good looking and better performing shoe, designed to address the disc golfer's needs.

[drdisc]

I wear out shoes on tee pads because I pivot. Just grinds down the rubber. I buy cheap shoes and put custom inserts inside. They are custom made for my particular foot problems.

[peterkunoff]

any updates?

[lux4prez]

I know this sounds like a plug, but since they are no longer, I guess it isn't.
I bought up a bunch of the Bite shoes and love them. I tried the Merrell's,
but they were too narrow. My favorites prior to the bites were the Fusion
GTX from Asolo. Those were great but took about two months to break in.
The Bites were comfortable right out of the box. Plus, they are water resistant.
If these Keens are water resistant, high top, and lighter weight, I want them as
long as they come in wider sizes. New Balance sucks for wider footed people.
If you need a tester in the Atlanta area for the Keens, I'm your man.