If you’re a hiking or outdoors enthusiast, KEEN is probably already on your radar. The Portland-based brand has been churning out boots, shoes, and sandals since 2003, building its reputation on rugged, adventure-ready footwear. But 22 years later, KEEN is dipping deeper into the running world with the launch of a couple legitimate trail-focused options.
We’ve been testing both (stay tuned for a review of the KEEN Seek), but today we’re taking a look at the KEEN Roam.
Looks
This is a good-looking pair of shoes. It doesn’t fully read as a traditional trail shoe—honestly, it leans a little more toward the casual side in its styling—but in a good way.
Even though KEEN designed the Roam with extra room up front, it avoids the “clown shoe” vibe that some wide-toebox models fall into. The proportions look clean and pretty standard overall.
There are three color options, and while they’re all on the muted side, they’re surprisingly sharp. I’m a fan of the aesthetic here.
Construction
The Roam is KEEN’s entry into the increasingly popular “do-it-all” category — shoes designed to handle a little bit of everything. Think gravel paths, dirt trails, neighborhood roads, and whatever mixed terrain a day’s run might throw at you.
These aren’t the hyper-specialized, race-tuned trail monsters, but instead the versatile workhorses you want when you’re traveling, exploring new routes, or just not sure what conditions you’ll encounter. That’s exactly where the Roam shines.
Specs
- Stack height: 39mm (heel) / 33mm (forefoot)
- Drop: 6mm
- Weight: ~10.6oz (Mens 9)
- Lugs: 3mm
KEEN launched both the Roam and the Seek with almost identical specs on paper, but they fill two very different roles. The Roam is the more stable, more balanced, medium-cushioned option meant for variety.
The Seek, by contrast, leans max-cushioned thanks to a slightly enhanced midsole (QuantumFoamX vs. the Roam’s QuantumFoam) and is purpose-built for true trail performance. Traction follows suit: the Roam gets a milder, lower-profile setup for versatility, while the Seek cranks things up for technical terrain.
For runners who like a single shoe that can cover a lot of ground—literally—the Roam fits the bill as a reliable, go-anywhere companion.
Upper
At first glance, the looks are simple and approachable—but the construction is anything but. The upper uses a ripstop mesh that feels both breathable and durable, with a reassuring structure that suggests it can handle plenty of miles. Lockdown is notably good, which initially surprised me given the semi-wide toe box.
With shoes in this category, I sometimes feel like I’m swimming a bit—especially with my more standard foot shape—but that wasn’t the case here. The fit feels well-balanced and accommodating across a range of foot sizes without sacrificing security.
KEEN adds a handful of thoughtful details that reinforce the shoe’s trail-ready intent: gaiter attachment points, reflective elements, an anti-odor treatment, and even a small lace garage to keep things tidy. For a shoe that can easily pass as casual wear, it’s impressively dialed in from a technical standpoint.
Midsole
The midsole was one of the biggest surprises for me. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from a KEEN trail-running midsole, but if I’m honest, I assumed it might lean heavy or overly firm. KEEN’s QuantumFoam quickly proved that assumption wrong.
This is very much a middle-ground ride—not overly cushioned, but far from harsh. Step-in feel is comfortable and stable, and while my first impression hinted at firmness, wearing the shoe casually for a day before running changed that perception. There’s no plush softness that immediately draws you in, but there’s enough give to stay comfortable while maintaining a strong sense of control.
That feeling carried over on the run. During my testing jaunts, the shoe feels controlled and responsive, which pairs well with KEEN’s bold claim of a 925-mile durability rating for the midsole. Nearly 1,000 miles is a big statement, but if durability truly becomes a bigger focus as shoe prices continue to climb, KEEN may be hitting this trend at exactly the right time.
Outsole
This could easily have been folded into the midsole discussion, but it’s worth highlighting on its own. Traction is strong—no surprise from a brand rooted in hiking and outdoor footwear—but it’s clearly tuned for runners who spend most of their time on non-technical terrain.
For me, that means a mix of singletrack, packed dirt, gravel, and the occasional longer Central Oregon run pushing 10+ miles. The 3 mm lugs and KEEN.ALL-TERRAIN rubber handle this variety extremely well, never feeling out of place or awkward— even on short stretches of pavement.
If you’re regularly tackling steep, technical trails, KEEN has more aggressive options (see our review of the KEEN Seek). But for everyday trail running, and even travel where suitcase space is limited but route ideas are endless, this outsole setup feels especially well considered.
Final Thoughts
This shoe genuinely surprised me. What I expected going in and what it ultimately delivered were two very different things—and honestly, I came away impressed. It feels like a shoe built for the long haul, both in terms of mileage and everyday usefulness, quietly earning its place in a rotation rather than demanding attention.
We think it will surprise a lot of runners, and it’s well worth seeking out—made even more compelling by the fact that KEEN is a Portland-based company doing some very smart, understated work in the trail space.
