In today’s era of max-cushioned shoes, many trail runners crave the connection: To the trails, to the games, to the wild places they run through. curious wanderer, The new trail running shoe, from a brand committed to environmental sustainability, provides runners with a sense of connection to both the track and the earth during their adventures.
With a low stack height and agile build, the Wander is a companion for runners who want to not only run on the trail, but feel it. The shoes provide an alternative in a market where connection and ground feel are often sacrificed for increased stack height.
Don’t let the low-profile build fool you; Wander is quite comfortable. It’s crafted from an eco-friendly foam that biodegrades at the end of its life and has an incredibly durable rubber outsole that can handle all your favorite trails from moderate singletrack to rugged backcountry routes.
From the biodegradable midsole to the anti-odor coating made from environmentally safe natural probiotics, KEEN’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the design and production of this shoe.
curious wanderlust specifications
- weight: 9.77 ounces for US men 9/7.69 ounces for US women 7
- Pile Height: 26/22 mm (heel/toe, for men), 24/20 mm (heel/toe, for women)
- drop: 4mm
- Upper Material: Engineered mesh with TPU yarn
- Midsole: KEEN.ReGENX Foam with EcoEnd
- Outsole: keen.all-terrain rubber
- Lugs: 3mm
- price: $140
curious wanderlust unique features
naturally upper fitting
wandering curious The upper is made from breathable engineered mesh to keep your feet cool and dry for long periods of time. It also features mesh construction and TPU yarn overlays for improved durability, so you can take these shoes on both smooth and technical trails without compromising comfort or performance. The upper strikes a balance between comfort and protection, two important components for long days on the trail.
Keen shoes are known for their generous toe boxes, and the Wander is no different. Unlike shoes with narrow toe boxes, which constrict your feet, the Wander provides ample room for natural toe display. With a solid midfoot lockdown, feet stay comfortable without feeling like they’re floating inside the shoe. The wide forefoot provides considerable stability, increasing confidence on technical sections of trail.
In addition to the generous fit, the 4mm drop encourages a more natural walking pattern than typical high-drop shoes. The low stack height and drop, fit and wide platform work together to make this shoe an extremely agile, fun and reliable companion for all types of mountain adventures.
eco-friendly midsole
Trail runners know that the midsole may be the most important component of a shoe, providing cushioning, energy return, and comfort for long walks in the woods. Even with its relatively low stack height, the Wander offers a lot for everyone.
The KEEN.ReGENX midsole is made of a compression-resistant foam that is both light and soft. Low-stack shoes often sacrifice comfort for connection, but KEEN.ReGENX foam provides adequate protection even on rough trails, keeping the shoe close to the ground.
The midsole complements the generous upper and lower-drop geometry. It offers Goldilocks levels of cushioning throughout the foot: not so much that it feels cut off from the trail, but not so little that it feels like you’re temporarily tripping over sharp terrain features.
The foam is also enhanced by EcoEnd to naturally biodegrade at the end of its life, so it won’t stay in the landfill forever. Biodegradability is a nod to KEEN’s environmentally conscious mission.
The Wander features a three-quarter length rock plate for added protection and stability, so runners can take this shoe to a variety of terrain from smooth singletrack to rocky and root trails. All these features help you feel in complete control of your activities on the trail.
a permanent outsole
KEEN is serious about reducing its environmental impact by using eco-friendly materials and creating long-lasting products. The Wander outsole exemplifies this mission.
Made from abrasion-resistant rubber with 3mm lugs, the outsole was rated by Healux, an independent footwear-testing laboratory, that it can last up to 900 miles before wearing out smoothly. This is almost double the industry average.
This durability doesn’t come at the expense of performance either. The lugs are deep enough to provide ample grip on a variety of surfaces, so no trail is out of bounds, yet they’re unobtrusive enough to perform well on hard-packed surfaces. The outsole fits with the overall profile of this shoe, allowing you to run naturally and feel the ground beneath your feet.
When you’re ready to feel connected to the trails you run, the Keen Wander will provide the agility, cushioning and protection you need to feel part of the landscape you’re running on.
This article is sponsored Curious.