How KEEN Turned 20 Years of Trail Experience Into the New Targhee Apex

Author

Tanner Bowden

The famously comfy-burly hiking boot gets a modern revamp with lighter materials and a sleeker profile—without losing its soul

Published: 02-11-2026

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Twenty years ago, KEEN introduced the Targhee, a sturdy hiking shoe that turned hiker's heads with bold webbing details and a big, functional toe bumper. Designed as a fully enclosed offshoot of the company's now-iconic Newport—the first outdoor sandal to include full toe protection and true hiking capability, the Targhee earned a rep among hikers as a burly, comfy boot capable of going just about anywhere. In the decades since, KEEN has updated the Targhee just four times. To celebrate the model’s 20th anniversary, the Portland-based footwear brand has released the next evolution: a lighter, sleeker take called the Targhee Apex.

At first glance, the Apex appears to diverge from the overbuilt path that made the original Targhee such an enduring choice for cruising rough ground. It's streamlined and sneaker-like, with no leather, no webbing in sight, and a shrunk-down toe guard with just enough room for KEEN's signature exclamation point icon. KEEN made these changes to bring the Targhee into the modern world of fast and light hiking, and at its core, the Apex retains the Targhee’s hike-ready DNA—something that extends through every iteration in the model’s two-decade run.

Targhee IV, released in 2024 | Courtesy KEEN

"Over the years, we’ve been determined to find ways to make our most-loved boot lighter, faster, comfier, longer-lasting, bolder, and more durable," said Shaun Bohnsack, VP of performance footwear at KEEN, in a press release announcing the new Apex.

It's the least visible feature that might be the most familiar carryover, and that's the Apex's fit. A big reason the original Targhee became beloved was the comfort that came from its wider toebox and minimal break-in. That design, which KEEN dubs Original Fit, has remained core across updates, including the Apex (which comes in regular and wide). The new hiker also includes the company's ALL-TERRAIN traction for grip, eco-friendly odor control, and KEEN.DRY tech in waterproof models. So the standards that KEEN has set for itself in on-trail performance and responsibility in manufacturing remain.

Fast and light Targhee Apex, released 2026 | Courtesy KEEN

New additions that the Apex brings to the Targhee family are brought along by two decades of technology improvements, and also direct feedback from KEEN's following of hikers worldwide. With trail running shoes now first choice footwear for thru-hikers and many casual adventurers alike, making a lighter, nimbler, more responsive feeling Targhee was the main intent of the Apex (it's worth noting that KEEN first brought trail running-inspired stability features to the Targhee II way back in 2006).

Available in low and mid heights, the Apex features lightweight, stable, and high-rebound KEEN.ReGENX foam for a more responsive feel underfoot. Instead of leather and rubber, a textile upper that uses overlays for added protection shaves weight.

This streamlined format acknowledges a newer, more dynamic approach to the outdoors, where trailheads are reached via public transit from major metro areas and an adventure abroad might include time in town as well as trip up to a nearby mountain hut. "Our fans want the trusted durability and comfort of the KEEN Targhee but are looking for a faster, lighter version that keeps up with their dynamic, on-the-go lifestyle," said Bohnsack. Durability is still the most sought-after feature in a hiking boot, but these days it has to come in a package that looks good, and moves a little quicker, too.

Fans of the older Targhee, fear not: the Apex isn't a replacement, it’s an evolution. And the Targhee IV boot isn't going anywhere soon.

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Recently, we took KEEN's new trail running shoes from NYC to the trails Upstate, and made a (short!) film about it.