I’ve been a Keen fan since I moved west of the Mississippi several years ago. I’ve had a pair of much-loved reddish leather Keen Mary Janes (they didn’t wear out. I lost them in a move.) My Keen leather boots with wooly sherpa lining are indispensable in the bleak midwinter.
The kind folks at Keen recently sent me a pair of their Mercer Ballerina flats in Greenbrier, from their CNX line (photos from zappos.com). The shoes are available in a variety of fun colors, such as Mimosa (below) and an icy Norse Blue. For those committed to the shoe strap, the Mercer Mary Janes are blooming in many of these same shades.
The CNX line is known for lighter materials (shoes that weigh in at less than 10 ounces, to be precise). The Mercer Ballerina is suede and mesh. At first I wondered if the mesh cutouts in the suede upper and sides would tip this too far into sports shoe territory. I’m not such a huge fan of the water sandal/shoe hybrid creatures. I could see their appeal on a summer camping trip. But for my day job, the Ballerina fits the bill. I like what the mesh adds in breathability. In fact, the mesh slice is a tasteful, unexpected detail.
And of course for W&L travelers, these lightweight shoes make packing easier. I need shoes that can support my WanderToes through afternoons of museums, plazas, churches, markets, and also not embarrass me at a nicer restaurant or, you know, at the discotec. The rubbery ledge at the front of the shoe makes the look a bit more casual. But Keen’s “patented toe protection” has to show up somewhere.
If you don’t wear these Keens with socks or those goofy sock liners, they’ll take a little bit of breaking in around the edges. But now that the weather’s warming up, why would you? A little bit of breaking in is well worth the effort.
For more looks at the CNX line, follow the Keen #BraveNewToes tumblr account of road trip through the Western U.S.