Keen Revel IV Polar Review

The Revel IV is comfortable with good stability, but it falls short in some key metrics when compared to other winter hikers.

Performance Comparison

The Keen Revel IV Polar is comfortable, but not that warm or protective.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Warmth

The Revel IV Polar uses synthetic insulation to add warmth to the boot. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of it, and our feet didn't stay warm in these boots when the temperature dipped below freezing. Even during our cold-water submersion tests in a local creek, our feet got cold quickly. We don't recommend these boots if your winter involves spending a lot of time outside in the snow or in freezing temperatures.

The Revel IV Polar's warmth comes from a thin layer of 200g synthetic insulation.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Weather Protection

The Revel IV Polar is waterproof and didn't let any water in through the seams during our submersion tests. However, the boot and tongue connect only 5.5 inches off the ground, allowing water to begin to seep in as soon as the depth of a puddle or creek reaches that height. This is lower than other winter hiking boots on the market. If you expect to spend time wading through swamps or stomping through puddles, we wouldn't recommend this boot for keeping your feet dry.

The Revel IV Polar is waterproof up to a submersion depth of 5.5 inches, at which point water starts to seep in through the tongue.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Comfort and Fit

These boots are comfy! The footbed fit our testers' narrow-to-average feet well, but they also have some room to accommodate wide feet. The lace pattern allows for a wide range of foot widths. The sole has foam in the heel, reducing the stress of repeated impact, and the insulation provides a cozy cocoon for the feet. These are comfortable boots to wear for mile after mile, similar to other hiking boots for winter use.

The Revel IV Polar has a good fit with a lace pattern that accommodates all types of foot widths.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Traction

The tread pattern on the Revel IV Polar is just ok. The lugs aren't deep, but they are angular and provide a decent amount of negative space. The toe and heel pads have a lot of rubber without much negative space, producing good traction on dry and rocky terrain but not much bite on snow or loose gravel. We wish the traction on these boots was better for use across a wide range of surface conditions.

The traction is decent, but the lugs could be deeper and the toe and heel could have more space to prevent slips.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Durability

In general, this boot has decent durability. The seams are mostly double stitched, and the lace eyelets are entirely metal. However, the boot has a lot of exposed foam around the entire foot, just above the rubber sole. In our experience with footwear that has exposed foam, this material will chip and scratch off easily with normal use when scraped on rocks and branches. Foam is a very weak material but provides good cushioning for comfort, and we are disappointed to see this material on the outside of the boot. Other winter hiking boots have rubber around the entire boot up to the leather upper.

The exposed layer of foam above the rubber sole is a concerning feature.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi

Value

The Revel IV is expensive compared to other high-performance winter boots on the market, and it doesn't perform as well as some budget-minded competitors. As such, these boots aren't a great value. If they fit your feet perfectly, that might be worth the money, but otherwise, they aren't worth the price.

Conclusion

The Keen Revel IV Polar is a pricey winter hiking boot with a comfortable fit but not much performance in warmth, weather protection, or traction. We think there are better winter hiking boots on the market for a lower price.

The Keen Revel IV Polar is a comfortable winter hiking boot, but there are better options out there.

Photo: Jeff Dobronyi