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Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I walked 50 miles in these Keen summer hiking boots — and I'd choose these over Merrells any day of the week
The Keen Hightrail Mids are lightweight, sneaker-cross walking boots that blend the speed and comfort of sneakers with the ruggedness and grip levels of hiking boots. I've tested these boots for around 2 months and 50 miles of hiking and walking, and I'll tell you right now, these are some of the best hiking boots you can buy for summer or three-season hikes. Incredibly comfortable, with no break-in period, plus decent levels of support, grip and waterproofing, these have fast become my go-to boots for summer hikes. They aren't perfect, as they use a slimmer design than Keen's typically wide profile, meaning long-term Keen users with wider feet may find them too tight. That's really about it, though. Find out more in my full Keen Hightail Mid review. Specs Keen Hightrail Mids Price $155 / £135 Size availability (men's) U.S. 7-15 U.K. 6-14 Size availability (women's) U.S. 5-12 U.K. 2.5-9.5 Colors (men's) U.S. Gray/green; dark brown; sand; gray U.K. Gray/green; black; gray; sand; green Colors (women's) U.S. Light green; brown; sand; gray U.K. Black; brown; light brown; gray Material membrane; leather; rubber Waterproofing Yes (no Gore-Tex) The Keen Hightrail Mids cost $155 from Keen and cost the same for men's and women's. In the U.S., they're available in men's sizes 7-15 and in women's sizes 5-12. U.S. men's variants are gray/green, dark brown, sand, and full gray. In the U.S., you can also purchase the men's variant in a wide profile, but only in the sand colorway. Women's U.S. variants are light green, brown, sand, and gray. There is also a low variant for both men and women, which costs $145. In the U.K., the Hightrail Mids cost £135 from Keen for men's and women's. They're available in men's U.K. sizes 6-14 and women's U.K. sizes 2.5-9.5. Colorways differ slightly across the Atlantic, and the men's boots are available in gray/green, black, gray, sand, and green (which I tested). The women's shoes are available in black, brown, light brown and gray. Once again, there is a low variant for men's and women's, costing £125, although there is no men's wide variant available. The Keen Hightrail Mids are a blend of sneaker and hiking boots, like the Hoka Ancapa Mids. The Hightrails utilize Keen's 'Contoured Fit' as opposed to the brand's 'Original Fit', which means they have a narrower shape than Keen's traditionally wide profile. I've seen user reviews online that some long-term Keen users, who usually appreciate the brand's famous width, have been disappointed with how narrow the Hightrails are. If that includes you and you're in the U.S., you may want to opt for the wide variant, although that's only available in a single sand color (which I think looks great). You can always try them out and return them to Keen if they're too narrow. All that said, I have fairly wide feet and usually find Merrells or other boot brands too tight — then when I step up a size, they're too loose on the ankle. I had no problems with the U.K. Hightrails, which only come in one width. The Hightrails use a leather mud guard, just above the sole, which uses 'environmentally preferred premium leather from LWG-certified tannery for cleaner water,' according to Keen. The upper is constructed from a breathable waterproof mesh, so no Gore-Tex, but as I'll cover a little later on, I've had no issues with waterproofing. As with other Keen shoes, like the Keen Targhee IVs, the Hightrail Mids utilize an anti-odor treatment. I don't have particularly smelly feet anyway (if I do say so myself), but I haven't noticed any unpleasant odors, even after a 7.5-mile hike in 85F/29C heat The Keen Hightrail Mids are such a perfect fit for my feet that I got a little emotional after my first hike — I'd accepted the idea that all boots were inherently uncomfortable and never realized I could have it this good. I'd finally found a boot perfect for me (at least in the summer). I've walked over 50 miles in the Keen Hightrails now. That tally consists of around 30 miles of trail hiking over four longer hikes, with everything else being general use and longer walks around the city/parks. My first time in the shoes was an 8.5-mile hike up and down Mount Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa in Wales. I took band aids, thinking I'd get blisters, which ended up being a wasted effort. There was no real break-in, and the shoes are as comfortable now as they were when I first put them on. This is down to the lightweight, flexible outer construction materials, which don't put any pressure on the tops and sides of your feet, the wide toe chamber, which keeps your toes free from chaffing, and the sneaker-like levels of padding — honestly, it's like slipping on a set of Nike mids. It's also down to the sole padding, of course. This is of paramount importance to me as I have a form of immuno-arthritis which often enflames my anterior tibial tendons, causing acute plantar fasciitis in my heels. The Hightrails utilize a foam board, high-rebound foam in the sole and a foam insole for a bouncy, cushioned feel underfoot, and I suffered no aches and pains in my heels while walking in them. As I mentioned earlier, I hiked in pretty hot 85°F/29°C conditions and found the Hightrails extremely pleasant to wear thanks to the lightweight mesh design. These are very comfortable boots for summer expeditions. The Keen Hightrail Mids provide a decent level of support for such a lightweight boot. The leather mud guard and sculpted rubber sole both provide decent levels of lateral support around your foot, while two cross-brace straps that tighten with laces help provide decent lateral ankle support. That said, these are still lightweight, sneaker-cross boots, so the support won't match that of solid outershell winter boots like the Keen Revel IVs or Targhee IVs. The level of lateral support you need will also be decided by your gait. My ankles tend to roll slightly inwards, again stretching my anterior tibial tendons, so I prefer a boot with a higher sole on the inner foot. The Hightrails don't have quite as much height on the inner sole as I'd like, so I noticed some stretching on my tendons at first. I simply tightened the lacing, pulling in the ankle cross-brace straps, and this solved the issue for me. As a sneaker/trail boot hybrid, the Keen Hightrail Mids are intended to provide a balance of speed, comfort and trail performance. And they strike that balance perfectly. Despite the high levels of comfort, these are excellent summer boots for the trail. My first hike in the Keen Hightrail Mids was up Mount Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa in Wales. We ascended via the hardest path, Watkin, which is very steep and involves a lot of scrambling. The weather was also very changeable, and about halfway up, we were engulfed by mist and rain. I never put a foot wrong in the Hightrails, which use Keen's proprietary ALL-TERRAIN grippy rubber and multi-directional lugs for grip. I had ample grip in both wet and dry conditions, and didn't slip once on wet rock or in mud. By our descent, weather conditions were terrible, with driving rain and hail, so we took an easier route down: Llanberris. While not so steep, Llanberris is heavy on the rocks and shale, so slipping is a strong possibility. Once again, even in the wet, the Hightrail soles proved perfectly grippy. My next two hikes were through dense woodland in Monmouthshire, U.K., with plenty of steep slopes on both ascent and descent. The Hightrails had no issues gripping over rocks, mud and tree roots. My fourth hike was through/over a combination of woodland, fields and roads along the Welsh coastal path. This involved a scramble up a very steep, loose, muddy slope to reach the top of a cliff overlooking the Severn Estuary. Once again, grip was never an issue. Despite using a proprietary waterproof membrane ( instead of Gore-Tex, you can rest assured that the Hightrail Mids have you covered against the weather. I'd have no issues using these boots for 3 seasons here in the U.K., where we get a lot of rain. As I mentioned earlier, my first hike in these boots was up a mountain, and the weather took a nasty turn. The Hightrails held up just fine, and I experienced no leaks from the boots themselves. Unfortunately, my emergency rain poncho didn't cover down to my ankles, so my boots ended up getting filled with water running down my legs, but that isn't the Hightrails' fault. I then tested the Hightrails in rainy conditions under general use, and did my fair share of jumping in puddles and streams on my remaining hikes. No leaks whatsoever. The Hightrails are easy to clean with mild soap and warm water, while the leather can be wiped clean with a soft brush to remove dried dirt. After cleaning or general wet-weather use, they'll dry out in a few hours. If you are unlucky enough to get the Hightrails saturated, however, as I did on my first hike, you're looking at 24 hours or more to get them dry. Keen recommends air drying the Hightrails only, so I wasn't able to put them next to the fire as my hiking buddies did with their boots. As I mentioned in my introduction, the Keen Hightrail Mids have quickly become my favorite boots for summer hikes, and I'll happily use them during our rainier spring and autumn months here in the U.K., too. The chief advantage of these boots is the comfort they offer. There's no break-in, and they feel just like sneakers, with the support and grip you'd expect from a proper set of lightweight trail boots. Sure, they use a narrower profile than Keen's notoriously wide one, but I'm a wide-footed person myself, and I've had no issues. I only think this will be a problem for those with the very widest of feet. Add to that adequate waterproofing, pleasing styling and reasonable price, and I really can't justify not buying these boots.
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First Post
5 days ago
- Health
- First Post
World's most premature baby turns 1, gets Guinness World Record. Who is Nash Keen?
Nash Keen, who turned 1 in July, has already set a Guinness World Record. Keen was born at 21 weeks last year as the world's most premature baby. Let's take a closer look at how the infant overcame the odds to celebrate his first birthday read more Nash Keen with his parents Mollie and Randall Keen at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. AP Nash Keen is a miracle baby. Literally. Keen just celebrated his first birthday in July. Among the presents he received was the Guinness World Record for the being the world's most premature baby. His mother Mollie Keen said, 'Nash is so full of personality. He's a happy baby.' Here's what you need to know about Keen How was he born? Born in Iowa City last July, Keen was delivered at only 21 weeks of gestation. That's a whopping 133 days earlier than the expected due date. Weighing only 283 grams, Keen was the size of a bar of soap. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He spent six months in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital before finally being allowed to go home in January with his parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, to Ankeny, Iowa. Mollie said that her son slept through most nights since coming home. 'Being in the NICU as long as he was, you'd think that he would be, you know, more fragile and stuff. And he's not. He's a very determined, curious little boy, and he's just all smiles all the time,' she said on Wednesday. A difficult delivery Saving their baby, whom they affectionately dubbed 'Nash Potato', was extremely important for the parents. Mollie and Randall had already lost their first child to miscarriage. By then, Mollie had been diagnosed with a medical condition that made it difficult to carry a pregnancy to full term. Mollie feared she and her husband might lose Nash too upon discovering at her 20-week prenatal checkup that her cervix was already two centimetres dilated. Typically, doctors do not attempt life-saving interventions for infants born before 22 weeks of gestation. This is because most born at such an early stage cannot survive. However, Mollie learned that the neonatal team at Stead Family Children's Hospital was performing life-saving measures for babies born at 21 weeks of gestation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although she went into labour days prior to this benchmark, medical intervention allowed her to postpone the birth until precisely 21 weeks. Nash Keen is photographed at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City at two months. AP The next month was fraught with medical scares as an entire team of doctors worked to keep Nash alive. 'One of the things I noticed about the medical team is that they were very calm,' she said. 'You never really saw them, like, get anxious or anything. And so we kind of just learned to, like, watch them. And if, you know, if the doctors and the nurses weren't freaking out, there was no reason for us to freak out.' While Dr Malinda Schaefer, Nash's obstetrician, hailed his birth — which occurred just hours past the 21-week mark — as a breakthrough in maternal foetal medicine, she did not sugarcoat the dire prospects of his survival or the strong likelihood of serious medical complications to the Keens prior to his delivery. 'Ultimately, it is not me that lives with the outcomes of parents' decisions, so it is really important to me to have honest and open conversations with parents, so they feel fully informed to make the best decision for them and their family,' Schaefer said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How is Nash's health? While Nash has experienced some complications and developmental delays common to those born extremely prematurely, his progress has been as good as medical science could hope for, his doctors say. At just over a year old, Nash remains on oxygen to help him breathe and is fed solely through a feeding tube, although he's preparing to try pureed foods. He also has a minor heart defect, which his doctors believe will resolve itself as he gets older. He's not yet crawling, but he is rolling over. 'He's learning how to stand on his two feet, which is awesome,' Mollie said. 'He's got a lot of strength in those legs.' With inputs from agencies
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Brits could be slapped with £100 fine for 'foul language' in these four towns
A council in the southeast has ruled to implement an order that could see fines handed out for 'foul' language in four popular seaside towns - in a bid to help residents feel safe Brits could face fines for up to £100 for using abusive language in four seaside towns in an attempt to crack down on anti-social behaviour. This week, plans have been approved for Thanet District Council in Kent to enforce a new public space protection order (PSPO) in Birchington, Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs. Under the new rules, it will be an offence to refuse to stop using certain language if asked to do so by an officer. The language that is set to be restricted by the order is described as "foul or abusive language [used] in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress to a person within hearing or sight, judged by the standards of a 'reasonable person'." The council originally tried to introduce the order in July of last year, but the plans never went ahead after it faced the threat of a legal challenge from The Free Speech Union, a campaign group. A spokesperson said: "The Proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday 24 July 2025. The PSPO was put forward with the aim of reducing antisocial behaviour in Thanet's main towns, and is similar to previous PSPOs in place between 2018 and 2024. "They mirror the same restrictions in place across many other districts and boroughs, including in other parts of Kent in line with powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.' They said that there was 'strong support' for the proposals in response to the public consultation. The order will also restrict gathering in anti-social groups, misusing public places, excreting bodily fluids, consuming alcohol, consuming legal psychoactive substances, and causing humiliation or degradation. In Birchington, Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs, there will be signs put up explaining the rules of the order. If someone is found to be breaking the rules, they will be spoken to by enforcement officers - but if the behaviour continues, they could be slapped with a fine of up to £100. At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, councillors said that claims from the media that the order would be a blanket ban on swearing were 'a mountain of nonsense'. Heather Keen, the Labour councillor, said these claims were "disingenuous, inaccurate and designed to grab attention". She confirmed that the order did not apply to 'casual swearing', the BBC reported. Commenting on the order's approval, Keen said: "We've listened and these measures are designed to reassure residents and set clear expectations around acceptable public behaviour in Thanet.' She explained that the order will provide authorities with 'the tools to intervene earlier which we hope will successfully prevent situations from escalating'. Keen added: "The overwhelming support from local people, businesses and the police during the consultation process is evidence that these measures are welcomed. Every year our residents tell us feeling safe is a top priority.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Thanet District Council passes abusive language crackdown order
Thanet District Council (TDC) has passed a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the of the order, which also covers tourist hotspots such as Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs, makes it a fineable offence not to refrain from using foul and abusive language if requested by police or a council a cabinet meeting in Margate on Thursday, councillors blasted recent media reports that the authority was trying to enforce a blanket swearing ban, calling them "a mountain of nonsense".Labour councillor Heather Keen called the reports "disingenuous, inaccurate and designed to grab attention". "Let me be clear, Thanet is not banning swearing or preventing free speech," she said."The reference to foul and abusive language only applies if it is causing harassment, alarm or distress to another person - not if it is casual swearing."It was also stressed during the meeting that such a PSPO is not new, one having existed in the area since is it unique, with similar orders existing in places like Canterbury and Dartford, along with other parts of the country, the meeting in August 2024 TDC's attempts to renew and reword their PSPO was met with threat of a legal challenge from campaign group The Free Speech Union, which cited concerns about potential human rights then put the proposed amendments up for public consultation, and Keen described the measures of the new order as having received "overwhelming support" from local people and businesses. "Every year our residents tell us feeling safe is a top priority and we've listened to that," she said.A TDC spokesperson added: "The PSPO will become into force following the required legal notice period and signs will be displayed at key locations to explain the rules."Enforcement officers will engage with anyone found to be committing antisocial behaviour in the first instance, with fines issued only if the behaviour continues."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robert Earl Keen Taps Tyler Childers, Miranda Lambert for Massive Texas Flood Benefit
Robert Earl Keen has revealed a heavy-hitting lineup for his Aug. 28 benefit for central Texas flood relief. Tyler Childers will join Keen and his band to cap a day-long bill of artists including Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Jack Ingram, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Cody Jinks, Ryan Bingham, and Randy Rogers for the show at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Texas, dubbed 'REK and Friends: Applause for the Cause.' Keen told Rolling Stone last week when he announced the benefit that he prioritized 'ensuring the musical intent was solid.' Keen's home of Kerrville was in the center of the hardest hit areas of the floods that began on July 4 and have so claimed more than 130 lives. In discussing the impact on Kerrville and the surrounding Hill Country, as well as the daunting recovery and relief efforts that lie ahead, he said, 'Do as much as you can, for as long as you can.' More from Rolling Stone Documents Show FEMA Calls Went Unanswered. Kristi Noem Claims It's Fake News George Strait Announces Texas Flood Benefit Concert Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton Deliver a Lovestruck Disco Duet on 'A Song to Sing' Tickets will go on sale Friday at noon/CT at General admission starts at $99, and attendees have the option to purchase tickets for local first responders to attend; all proceeds will benefit the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. The event will also offer both live and recorded streaming options for fans unable to make it to the 5,600-capacity venue. An ongoing series of benefit shows, house concerts and donations from concert tickets and merchandise sales started soon after the flooding. Keen's festival is the third to bring major country artists into the fold. George Strait is hosting Strait to the Heart on July 27 in Boerne, Texas. The King of Country will be joined by William Beckmann, Ray Benson, Wade Bowen, Jamey Johnson, and Riley Green for the exclusive, intimate dinner-and-concert event. Meanwhile, Pat Green — who lost family members in the flood — will host a flood relief livestream on Wednesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Lambert and Ragweed will join Green, along with Dierks Bentley, Flatland Cavalry, Kaitlin, Butts, Ty Myers and others. Here's the full confirmed lineup for 'Robert Earl Keen and Friends: Applause for the Cause' — presented by Buc-ee's: Keen with special guest Tyler Childers; Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram (performing together); Cross Canadian Ragweed; Aaron Watson; Catie Offerman; Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry; Cody Jinks; Hayes Carll; Jamestown Revival; Jamey Johnson; Jason Boland; Josh Abbott ; KAZIMI; Kelsey Waldon; Kolton Moore; Pug Johnson; Radney Foster; Randy Rogers; Ray Wylie Hubbard; Ryan Bingham; Sarah Jarosz; Terry Allen; Vincent Neil Emerson; William Clark Green; Josh Weathers; Kyle Park; Rob Baird; The Texas Trio. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
