Keen WK400 Review

If you’ve heard of the Keen shoe company in any capacity, you’re probably familiar with their proudly ugly Newport H2 sandals. A hiking shoe and water sandal hybrid that paid close attention to the anatomy of the wearer’s foot, there wasn't anything like the Newport sandal when it first debuted in 2003. The shoes were dubbed as revolutionary by outdoor enthusiasts who wanted a water shoe that offered extra foot protection and comfort.

It seems like Keen likes to start revolutions, because 20 years after the Newport H2 Sandal was first released, they are shaking things up again on the footwear front. This time they’ve invented a walking shoe that “rolls” with each step and Keen claims it will make your walks more efficient and more fun.

I'm an avid daily walker. My neighborhood walks are in the steep foothill neighborhoods of North East Los Angeles. It's a grueling walk, but it's the only one at my immediate disposal. When I was asked to try the Keen WK400s, I was excited by the prospect of trying a shoe that could make my walks less wheeze-inducing and more enjoyable.

What is the Keen WK400?b

The Keen WK400 is a walking shoe that utilizes a newly patented “constant curve” construction. The construction is designed to give the wearer forward momentum when walking to make walks more efficient and to help improve body alignment with each step. According to Keen’s claims, this also helps to make walking more fun for the wearer.

When I first took the WK400 out of the box it didn’t appear all that different from a high-performance running shoe. We don’t tend to see a lot of curvature in toes and heels with walking shoes, but that type of design is fairly prevalent in more technical running shoes. It seemed like a good idea, but nothing groundbreaking.

Then I took a closer look and realized that the claims that this shoe is “revolutionary” could actually be true. The “constantly curved geometry” of the shoe’s outsole means it has no flat points, essentially forming an arc from heel to toe. These shoes were wildly intriguing, but how would they feel? My answer in a word? Amazing.

What I like about Keen WK400 walking shoes

They make your walks more efficient

My daily walk is a challenge and those major inclines always mean that my posture tends to take a hit if I’m not constantly thinking about it. Not only did the Keen WK400s make my walk genuinely more fun, it definitely felt more efficient.

Because the shoes helped to propel me forward, I didn’t have to think as much about engaging my core as I was ascending hills with a steep uphill grade. The shoes helped me to maintain my posture and made the hardest parts of my walk less work. Less work and more efficient? Sold.

They are astonishingly comfortable

These are truly the most comfortable pair of walking shoes I’ve ever tried. During testing, I took these shoes on a trip to Disneyland, where my family and I clocked 23 miles in one day (we packed in a lot). My feet were comfortable and cushioned the whole time. My glutes hurt the next day, but my feet felt fantastic.

They may help with plantar fasciitis

Just prior to testing the WK400s I was in the early stages of plantar fasciitis after testing out a pair of too-flat shoes for a month. During the height of my pain, I started wearing the WK400s, and, dare I say, I think these shoes mostly fixed my plantar fasciitis.

I am, of course, doing exercises to help my feet as well, but I’ve also taken to wearing these shoes around the house; the continual shock absorption seems to be accelerating the healing process in my feet overall.

They look cool

I tested the yellow and black WK400s and since I’ve started wearing them, the compliments keep rolling in.

The first compliment came from a 40-something friend who wears athleisure every day and in all circumstances. That compliment was expected.

I did not expect the same level of enthusiasm from 20-somethings in Los Angeles’s Santee Alley, which is often populated by FIDM students. I’ll take the compliments wherever I can get them, but these shoes get extra points for catching the eye of design students.

What I don’t like about the Keen WK400?

There’s a bit of off-gassing

Right out of the box, the shoes smelled like a box of Band-Aids. Because I mostly walk outdoors it wasn’t a huge issue, but if you’re more of a treadmill walker it might bother you for the first few days.

After wearing these shoes constantly for a month, they still do have a bit of that Band-Aid scent lingering. It’s better than smelling like a sweaty foot, but the smell is still there—albeit slightly.

Editor's Note: Since publishing this article, Keen has notified Reviewed that the off-gassing smell has been addressed in recent iterations of the sneaker, though this hasn't been confirmed by our testers.

The exaggerated heel takes getting used to

During the first two days every time I put on these shoes, I felt like I was slipping. I wasn't slipping, but the curved sole takes a little bit of getting used to.

This is an entirely new style of shoe. Unless you've been wearing rockered running shoes, this won't be like anything you’ve ever worn before. Expect to feel a bit off until you get used to them. That said, I felt nice and grounded from my first neighborhood walk forward. Also, I have a chronic tendency to sprain my ankle: I feel more stable in these shoes than most others I’ve worn.

Are the Keen WK400s worth it?

Yes. Yes. And yes. Bar none: These are the best walking shoes I’ve ever worn. They are comfortable, they are stabilizing, they’ll get you compliments from fashion students, and—true to their claim—they will make walking more fun.

I initially felt like their claims were a bit lofty and I approached this review with skepticism. After a month of testing the Keen WK400s I’m a total convert and an absolute believer.

Whether you’re trying to remedy your aching feet, you’re looking to clock more steps, or you want to improve your treadmill hustle, these walking shoes will definitely make your walks more comfortable, more productive, and—yes—they'll even be more fun.