CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESActive Junky stepped into the reimagined world of footwear in recent weeks, courtesy of Keen’s Uneek model. Barreling up Colorado trails and wading Chilean streams, five overarching, intertwined thoughts emerged from rattling gravel descents and driftwood-laced depths.
The most well intentioned traditional footwear is built on rigid structural forms called “lasts.” No matter how close they conform to nominal foot sizes, rigid shoes gap or grab in the toe, midfoot or heel while flexible sandal straps bind or bellow. Lacing systems notch closer to a personalized fit with a combination of eyelets and hooks. Uneek, by our estimate, gets sizing within 10% of perfect in less than 30sec; the result is customized toe-to-ankle fit at an off-the-shelf price. Testers ranging from a women’s 7.5 to men’s 12 and B to E widths each felt pampered as they cinched and released Uneek’s smooth-flowing elastic lacing.
Far from occupying shelves as a lightweight, day-tripping tourist style, the 10.9oz./311g Uneek steps into intense travel, hiking, paddling and exploring duties. A metanomical footbed and PU midsole stand guard over lateral stability; balanced energy transfer between foot and surface avoids the sloppiness of competitive, open-construction models. The result is a capable, all-day design to buoyantly sidestep aching arches and hammered heels. Standing on hard concrete in LAX, Santiago, Lima and Temuco airports failed to dissuade extended wearing even as waterfall rock hopping confidence grew with each leap and bound. In addition, washing with cold water and mild soap kept Uneek supple and odor-free across multiple activities and days.
When adjusted to maintain control, the majority of sandals impart excessive pressure leading to abrasive hot spots. The next day, adhesive bandages or socks are required to make wearing bearable. Keen strolled right past this conundrum with wide, microfiber-lined heel straps that flex rather than rub the Achilles tendon. What’s more, Active Junky failed to unduly stretch or tighten the soft fabric despite frequent wet/dry, hot/cold cycles. As with the rest of the build, the heel structure remained stable to defy constrictive or ever-loosening fit. Testers couldn’t shake high comfort ratings as they pushed Uneek on approach hikes where blisters commonly form as straps dig in.
Austere brown and black memorialize Old School boardrooms yet these two colors dominate most footwear. Keen’s desire for greater individual expression means over a dozen (and counting) solid and two-tone looks made even more striking thanks to dual polyester cord uppers in tandem with variable sole colors. From staid to edgy, Keen’s stylists generated options to mimic local flora and fauna; if you happen to live in the Amazon rainforest or along the Mediterranean coast. Cultural tours to drift boat trout fishing and sit-down dinners, the look remained relevant in Chile and Colorado. Far from appearing contrived, the complex lacing pattern appears informed by handmade huarache sandals and casual beach slides.
Far from expressing random artistry or technical guesswork, Uneek walks in footsteps of its own creation; superior traction, customized fit, enhanced mobility, all-day comfort and individual style are merely the beginning. Add this quintet of reworks together and, as Active Junky discovered, what appears to be an endless series of elastic loops represents a radical change in the ways we stride into an amazing world.
