No, it's not just you: there are more hikers than ever out on the trail, enjoying the peace and tranquility that only time spent outside can offer. As far as outdoor recreation goes, hiking has one of the lowest barriers to entry around, but that barrier is deceptive: if you think you can just grab a pair of random shoes and water bottle and you're good to go, think again. Sore feet, knees and legs post-hike will let you know there's a little more to it.
Inspired in part by the pandemic-driven surge in hiking participation, and after researching who was hiking and what they were wearing, iconic hiking brand Keen and its product development team noticed a trend: new hikers often wear athletic sneakers not equipped for the trail. With that in mind, the brand has launched its fastest and lightest hiking shoe to date: the Zionic line, part of the Fast and Light Collection.
The Zionic Collection features two new silhouettes: a hiking shoe and a mid-height hiking boot. Both take cues from the world of trail running and athletic shoes through a few key features: all models in the line are made with a 100-percent recycled PET mesh, and feature a lightweight foam midsole that ups responsiveness. Each of the shoes in the line also boasts a full-length nylon plate, which minimizes energy loss in each stride.
Weight and agility were the driving forces behind the design, to address the needs of new hikers used to a running shoe. The men's Zionic Hiking Shoe weighs 12.35 ounces, while the Zionic Hiking Boot weighs in at 16.93 ounces. The look of the shoes is also a departure for the brand: the giant rubber toe cap on the popular Targhee III, for instance, is missing here, and the laces are closer to that of a running shoe than a hiking boot. (While it's not exactly ultra-light, the Zionic boot is slightly lighter, .18 ounces, than the Targhee as well.)
We chatted with Will Schuh, Keen's senior manager of product management and merchandising for performance footwear, about the new collection's innovation and inspiration, and what it means for the brand.
Keen has a long history on the trail. What was the inspiration behind creating the brand’s lightest shoe ever, after 20 years of performance?
While the Zionic is a new addition to our line, we’ve been pushing in this direction for quite some time, most recently with the launch of the NXIS in 2021. At Keen we have always viewed hikers as athletes — or what we call “Outside Athletes.” Like all athletes, hikers demand gear that allows them to perform to the best of their ability on the trail, and we’re always keeping that top-of-mind as we bring new products and innovations to market.
With Zionic in particular, our team made the push to make a lighter and faster hiker in large part as a response to the influx of younger Outside Athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research from OIA found that hiking has experienced an average annual growth rate of seven percent over the last five years, and it was already a top five "most popular outdoor activity," but the pandemic spurred a boost in participation. Mintel’s 2021 Outdoor Leisure Report also cites that 16 percent of hikers started the activity during the pandemic.
Our observation was that many of these new hikers were wearing athletic sneakers that were plainly not well-equipped for the trail. We made it our mission to serve this fan by developing a capable hiker that was athletic, agile and lightweight. Ultimately, the solution that came from that work was the Zionic.
Were there any specific material innovations that Keen hadn’t used before, that are implemented in the Zionic?
As we developed Zionic, we linked together a number of innovations from recent models to create a platform that we feel represents the pinnacle of innovation for Keen. The full-length nylon plate found in the Zionic was first found in the WK400, which was released earlier this year. And the lightweight, durable performance mesh was a key innovation in the NXIS in 2021. Zionic is the first model in our trailhead line to feature a 3D-printed TPU overlay on the mesh offering lightweight, fast, minimal-waste construction.
Like with everything we make at Keen, we have made critical decisions about the materials and methods that we use as shoemakers and good stewards of the planet to ensure that the Zionic is best-in-class when it comes to sustainability. The Zionic includes recycled materials and an eco anti-odor footbed that does not use pesticides, and very deliberately and consciously does not feature the use of any forever chemicals (PFAS) — a commitment we made several years ago, and hold firm to today.
How many models will there be in the collection, and how do they differ from one another?
The Fast & Light Collections include three key models: NXIS, Wanduro, and the flagship model, Zionic. Zionic is available in mid and low waterproof models for wet and muddy terrains, as well as a vented Speed model for arid climates — as is the NXIS, the predecessor to Zionic.
While both feature athletic DNA, the NXIS offers fans a more traditional Keen fit profile that is reminiscent of the fit found in classic hikers like Targhee. And in addition to the Zionic and NXIS, we’ve brought speed to our kids’ line as well with the introduction of the Wanduro. Available in Mid and Low waterproof variants, the Wanduro is built with the same fast and light design principles and features a flexible textile upper and all-terrain outsole that seamlessly goes from backcountry to blacktop.
Why is the launch of the Zionic line such a big moment for Keen as a brand? Is it the first step in a new direction?
Fan insights from the trail mean everything to our product team, and this collection is what our fans have been telling us they are looking for in recent years. That alone makes all the difference here. Our retail partners have seen hiking get younger and faster in the years since pandemic times as well, and we’re proud to have their support in the launch of this new model. As an avid hiker myself, it’s been overwhelmingly positive to see the full industry pointing in this direction and setting out to serve the next generation of hikers with something that pushes the limits of what has traditionally been found in the marketplace.
And while Zionic is an enormous step forward, it is truly just the beginning for our Fast & Light line. We’re already hard at work looking to expand this offering for future seasons in Spring/Summer 2024 and beyond. There’s a lot of great work still to come from this team.
