Keen Zionic Speed Review

Analysis and Test Results

The Keen Zionic Speed is well made and really lightweight – sitting as a minimalist hiking shoe that will do you well in fast and light conditions. 

It is a comfortable shoe pretty much straight out of the box and we’d recommend it mainly for well trodden paths that aren’t likely to throw you any curve balls. 

They have good traction too, which comes from the TPU outsole and gives good grip on a range of surfaces. However these shoes aren’t waterproof but that’s not really what they’re for! Despite this, we think they’re a good one to consider. 

Performance Comparison

Traction

The Zionic Speed has a pretty deep lug and sole, which we found did well when it came to slippery rocks and loose surfaces. Put them to the test in alpine environments and they can feel a little on the flimsy side – but if you’re sticking to better looked after trails, then they should be more than adequate. For example, a sandy park or National Park environment felt perfect for them.

What we did like about these hiking shoes is that they feel effortless to transition between the trail and town, looking great for both. On the whole, we feel a more traditional hiking shoe is generally better when it comes to tougher trails.

Breathability

This shoe uses a quick drying lining, so this is a great feature if you are hiking in hotter locations and waterproofing isn’t a big deal for you. This breathability that comes from the pretty extensive mesh used does make a difference as it massively helps on longer treks.

Ankle Support

Like all low-rise hiking shoes and trail runners, this shoe doesn’t really offer much by way of support around the ankle. If you require more support, this won’t be for you, and you would be best looking at hiking boots. That said, these offer a standard level of ankle support and for groomed trails or less demanding hikes, these feel adequate to give you what you need.

Arch Support

Keen make a point of talking about the lightweight feel of these shoes, and how this also delivers a supportive design. However, we found this to be really minimal and because these shoes are that little bit more flexible, they don’t offer much by way of arch support. If you have arch concerns then these might not be the right shoes for you, but if you don’t, then you should get on with them fine.

Fit

This hiking shoe has a slightly wider fit – making it suitable for hikers with wider feet. If you have narrower feet, you may not find this is the shoe for you, but if you have normal to wide, you will find this shoe to be pretty comfortable all round.

Materials

The Keen Zionic Speed hiking shoe uses a number of materials, with synthetic and breathable mesh used on the uppers to help with breathability, but also giving a good level of support to your feet whilst hiking. The outsole uses a durable yet flexible rubber which is sticky and grippy (though we’d stick to more well maintained trails in these). These shoes really are breathable and dry exceptionally quickly – we were extremely impressed here.

Appearance

As the Keen Zionic Speed is more of a trail runner, it has a pretty sleek look, which will appeal to some hikers, and others, not so much. It’s a fairly ‘low impact’ design. There’s nothing garish on these shoes, and there’s certainly nothing that you’d class as obtrusive or that will get in your way.

They are available in a good range of colors too, so you opt for something brighter or a bit lower profile depending on your personal taste. If you’re keen on traditional runners, we think you’ll like how this looks and feels.

Durability

It’s clear that Keen have prioritized a lightweight build with these shoes, but we did have some concerns about how they would handle when taken onto more full on trails. The answer is, we didn’t feel confident in them. They’re a great shoe for more well-trodden trails, and if you remember this, then they’ll do you well. We found that they were susceptible to a lot of bumps and knocks and they just didn’t feel geared up for the long haul.

Sustainability

Keen make a point on their website that these hiking shoes make use of recycled P.E.T. plastics. They don’t say exactly what percentage – as this could be any! We did reach out to Keen to ask them, but sadly didn’t hear back.  

Water Resistance

These hiking shoes don’t offer waterproofing at all – they are not marketed as such – in fact, this will work in your favor if you’re hiking in hotter places or temperate climates. Due to the lack of waterproofing or a waterproof membrane, they’re extremely breathable and quick to dry. If you do however want a waterproof hiking shoe, we’d recommend reading our roundup to the guide to the best waterproof hiking shoes.

Weight

These are certainly lightweight hiking shoes! The Zionic Speed weighs in at 544g/1lb 2oz – this is one of the lighter shoes in our reviews, standing closely to the Hoka Speedgoat 5 in a similar style of trail runner. However, we do feel that the trade off in weight means that you are obviously losing support, durability and waterproofing.

Insoles

The Keen Zionic Speed come with an average insole – this will be more than fine for most hikers, and we found them well cushioned. If you have any specific concerns, you can always look to add a specific insole that is suited to your needs as the insoles can be removed and replaced easily.

Break-in Period

The break-in period for the Keen Zionic Speed is short – they’re comfortable really quickly and you’ll find you want to wear them straight away. We would never recommend going straight out for a long hike in new hiking shoes, so always be sure to trial your new shoes with a few test hikes first. That said, within two shorter hikes, we found these ready to wear on longer trails.

Lacing System

The Keen Zionic Speed uses a standard, fairly traditional lacing system, but this does allow for good tightening and positioning to help you get the perfect fit. They’re really malleable, and you can get a fit that feels perfect to you really easily, which is an area we felt they really stood out.

Toe Protection

There is very little by way of toe protection in these hiking shoes – it is much more minimal than many of the other hiking shoes in our reviews. As we’ve said earlier on, these shoes really are best suited to well defined trails as they don’t offer a lot for rocky scrambles or less than perfect surfaces.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a hiking shoe or trail runner that is well priced and fairly minimal on the ground, you will likely love the Keen Zionic Speed and it should be high up on your list.

It has great traction for lower elevations and well looked after trails. However, you might be a little disappointed if you’re looking for something to take on more extreme trails and a traditional hiking shoe would be best for you. It’s also worth keeping in mind that it isn’t waterproof. 

That all said, if you are looking for a low rent shoe for quick hikes, then you won’t go wrong with this model.