{"id":160793,"date":"2014-06-23T13:04:18","date_gmt":"2014-06-23T20:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=160793"},"modified":"2020-07-13T14:08:50","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T21:08:50","slug":"keen-the-newport-sandal-is-our-first-best-idea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/keen-the-newport-sandal-is-our-first-best-idea","title":{"rendered":"The Newport Sandal is Our First Best Idea"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: This article is part of the Consciously Created content series<\/a>, sponsored by KEEN. This article was first published on the\u00a0KEEN Blog<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

If you\u2019re anything like us, you have an outdoor bucket list about three miles long. There are so many fun things to try: like\u00a0organizing a beach clean-up<\/a>,\u00a0floating an Oregon Coast Range river<\/a>, or\u00a0taking your toddler on her very first hike<\/a>\u00a0(or\u00a0making a high-fashion splash<\/a>\u00a0on Instagram). So you\u2019ll need to buy beach shoes, water shoes, and a good pair of hiking boots. Or maybe . . . you just need to get one pair of shoes that can do all those things. Now that\u2019s an idea worth starting a company over (spoiler alert: we did.).<\/p>\n

Not afraid to try something new<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The classic boat shoe is leather, lace-up, and not very breathable. But why be confined to the classics? Our founders wished for a comfy, water-friendly sailing sandal that could have you enjoying the breeze while still keeping your feet safe from the many hazards aboard a boat. The toe-guarding open shoe they created was dubbed the \u201cNewport\u201d (after a Rhode Island town famous for its annual sailing regatta).\u00a0The Newport sandal debuted at a tradeshow in 2003<\/a>, where industry types took one look and thought, \u201cHey, that\u2019s a cool idea.\u201d The rest is happy-feet history.<\/p>\n

FUN FACT:<\/strong>\u00a0The Newport sandal is\u00a0KEEN\u2019s first design ever<\/a>, and to this day, it\u2019s still our #1 bestseller (the Newport H2 shoe, to be exact).<\/em><\/p>\n

How to recognize a Newport Sandal in the wild<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"KEEN<\/p>\n

First: look for the toe bumper. Toe protection has always been a top priority for KEEN \u2014 the very first KEEN shoe was also the first one to have the KEEN.PROTECT toe bumper. The toe bumper is now a signature feature on several KEEN shoes, dedicated to preventing stubbed toes and unnecessary \u201couch!\u201des everywhere.<\/p>\n

The cord adjuster is key, because it lets you tighten them up to suit your foot. That way, you get the benefit of KEEN\u2019s roomy toe box fit, while still keeping the shoe secure and snug on your foot.<\/p>\n

The super grippy rubber outsole features razor siping for traction. What is razor siping? Picture the surface of a car or bike tire \u2014 it has thin slits that help squeeze out water, preventing slipping on wet surfaces. Those slits are called \u201csiping,\u201d and Newport sandals have them too!<\/p>\n

Where KEEN Fans Wear Them<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"KEEN<\/p>\n

\"Kids<\/p>\n

Anywhere and everywhere (seriously).\u00a0Riverbeds<\/a>, marinas, campsites, backyards, outdoor music festivals (shout out to one of our local faves,\u00a0Pickathon<\/a>!). We\u2019ve heard from entomologists who wear Newport H2 sandals to collect aquatic specimens in riverbeds and outdoorspeople who hike 1,200+ miles through the Appalachian Trail in their Newport sandals.<\/p>\n

Versatility is really the name of the game. Multi-functionality as a water shoe\/beach sandal\/hiking shoe\/casual shoe is really what keeps some people wearing them nearly 24\/7 (check out\u00a0KEEN fan Brian\u2019s devotion to his favorite pair<\/a>). Choose a Newport H2 shoe (the water-friendly one), and it can be your all-purpose summer shoe: swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, camping, mowing the lawn, walking the dogs, hosing down the dogs after they rolled in whatever it is they rolled in (please, don\u2019t make us say it).<\/p>\n

FUN FACT:<\/strong>\u00a0In a hurry?\u00a0The KEEN Garage in Portland, Oregon<\/a>, has a sidewalk vending machine where you can buy a pair of Newport Retro sandals en route to your next adventure. How convenient!<\/em><\/p>\n

The Newport Family<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"KEEN<\/p>\n

The Newport Sandal<\/a><\/strong>
\nThe OG tough-as-nails open-air design is a great camping and hiking shoe for men and women.<\/p>\n

The Newport H2 Sandal<\/a><\/strong>
\nThat \u201cH2\u201d stands for \u201cH2O,\u201d so be sure to get \u2018em wet! The\u00a0perfect water sandal<\/a>\u00a0for swimming, boating, wading, and splashing.<\/p>\n

Newport Sandals for Kids and Little Kids<\/a><\/strong>
\nHere\u2019s a pro tip: Newport kids\u2019 sandals have a hook-and-loop strap across the ankle that allows the sandal to open wide without having to adjust the bungee cord. (Because have you ever tried to get a tiny kid\u2019s foot into a tiny kid\u2019s shoe? Not easy!)<\/p>\n

FINAL FUN FACT:\u00a0<\/strong>One KEEN fan was so attached to her trusty Newport sandals that she\u00a0wore a custom-made, all-white pair to her wedding<\/a>. Now that\u2019s true shoe love. Many congratulations to the happy couple (oh, and also to whomever she married).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: This article is part of the Consciously Created content series, sponsored by KEEN. This article was first published on the\u00a0KEEN Blog.\u00a0 If you\u2019re anything like us, you have an outdoor bucket list about three miles long. There are so many fun things to try: like\u00a0organizing a beach clean-up,\u00a0floating an Oregon Coast Range river, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":160800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[2023],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-160793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-keen"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/keen-the-newport-sandal-is-our-first-best-idea","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The Newport Sandal is Our First Best Idea","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/keen-the-newport-sandal-is-our-first-best-idea","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/keen-the-newport-sandal-is-our-first-best-idea"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/06\/Content_Team_050718_12364-copy-e1592943461705.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/06\/Content_Team_050718_12364-copy-e1592943461705.jpg?fit=5759%2C2923"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Davis"}],"creator":["Chelsea Davis"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["keen"],"dateCreated":"2014-06-23T20:04:18Z","datePublished":"2014-06-23T20:04:18Z","dateModified":"2020-07-13T21:08:50Z"},"rendered":"