KEEN Hyperport H2 review

Don't miss out on the Hyperport H2 if you're after the following:

• an outdoor sandal with solid toe protection but unlimited toe splay
• a lighter textile alternative to leather KEEN sandals
• a sandal with shoe-like support

We were surprised to find that this KEEN sandal has only a moderate cushion-to-stack ratio, whereas the lower HOKA Hopara 2 offers 20% more shock absorption than the Hyperport H2. That makes it a better option for someone with foot pain, joint concerns, or outdoorsy folks who simply love maximum underfoot comfort.

And if you're dealing with smooth and wet surfaces more often than not, you may want to consider the Teva Hurricane XLT3 Closed-Toe as it offers a significantly tackier outsole grip.

Despite its new injected-foam midsole, we didn't see any improvement in the Hyperport H2's shock absorption. Our tests showed the same moderate reading of 102 SA as in the Newport H2.

But to be fair, it is a decent impact protection for an outdoor sandal, offering solid comfort for long hours on the trail or beach.

And if you want to experience maximum cushioning in a closed-toe sandal, try the HOKA Hopara 2 (123 SA).

On a positive note, the Hyperport H2's midsole foam is actually quite responsive! With a high energy return of 57.5%, it added a nice pep to our step, making the ride lively and dynamic.

This KEEN sandal hits a sweet spot between thin-soled and chunky sandals with a middle-range heel stack of 28.0 mm. Our caliper measurements showed a minor 1-mm deviation from the officially stated 27 mm.

Its forefoot stack, however, sits on the lower end of the spectrum at 17.3 mm. It encourages proprioception and helps with more precise foot placement on rocky coasts and riverbeds.

That way, the heel-to-toe drop of this KEEN sandal comes in at 10.7 mm, which is slightly higher than the stated 9 mm.

However, this difference is hardly noticeable on foot as both offsets keep the heel slightly elevated, making it feel more like a shoe rather than a flat sandal.

KEEN describes the Hyperport H2's midsole foam as 'super soft,' but having measured both cushioning layers of this sandal, we found only firm blends!

Just like in the Newport H2, the bottom layer is notably firmer with a high durometer reading of 50.1 AC.

The topsole, on the other hand, is slightly softer but still firm at 43.1 AC.

So, the overall ride of this KEEN sandal feels firm, which is important for stability on uneven terrain, but the high energy return adds a sprightly and agile feel to it.

The KEEN Hyperport H2 is built with the brand's familiar Original Fit, allowing plenty of space for the toes to splay and wiggle.

We also found the textile upper fabric and stretchy polyester more adaptable than the leather uppers of other closed-toe KEEN sandals.

And the bungee toggle makes it super fast and easy to regulate the sandal's fit, as well as to get it on and off.

Built with waterside in mind, KEEN even named the Hyperport H2's outsole Aquagrip, highlighting its traction on wet surfaces.

However, our SATRA TM144 test showed that the sandal's grip on wet concrete is acceptable but not outstanding, with a friction coefficient of 0.47.

For reference, the closed-toe Hurricane XLT3 from Teva showed a truly gecko-like bite with a significantly tackier score of 0.73.

The KEEN Hyperport H2 belongs to light and hard-packed terrain only, with a very shallow lug depth of 2.6 mm.

Its outsole tread pattern is very smooth and zonal siping channels water away from the sandal and the ground. That makes it suitable for deck wear and water sports like paddleboarding.

We were utterly surprised to learn that the Hyperport H2 is the stiffest of all closed-toe sandals we've tested. It requires just as much force to bend by 30 degrees (15.0N) as an average trail running shoe!

This may or may not be good news, depending on what experience you're looking for, because that stiffness comes from this 'shandal's more supportive shoe-like construction. But true enough, it lacks the pliability of most hiking sandals that provide a more natural, trail-connected experience.

If you weren't a fan of the KEEN Newport H2's burly construction (13.4 oz/381g), you will be elated to learn that the Hyperport H2 dropped a whole 2 oz and weighs a moderate 11.4 oz (323g)! About as much as the KEEN Uneek.

The Hyperport H2 is one of the most stable outdoor sandals we've tested. As its midsole walls extend up the straps, they form a supportive cage around the midfoot.

Meanwhile, the sandal's contoured topsole creates a targeted arch support to prevent the foot from collapsing inwards.

Even though the sandal's firmness makes it feel like there is a shank or some sort of rock plate inside the Hyperport H2, that's not the case.

Its sturdy midsole alone is responsible for the sandal's high torsional rigidity of 4 out of 5.

Curiously, this KEEN sandal's platform proved to be far from the widest in our lab. It is actually 5 mm narrower than average in the widest part of its forefoot, measuring 113.6 mm on our caliper.

But it's still quite wide at the heel, measuring 93.9 mm. Still, we are glad that KEEN found a way to trim down some of the bulk, making the Hyperport lighter without compromising stability.

It wouldn't be a true KEEN sandal without the brand's signature KEEN.PROTECT toe bumper! This indestructible piece of rubber covers a very broad area of the Hyperport's front, guarding our toes from painful toe stabs and adding life to the sandal itself.

The sandal's outsole rubber also proved its worth in our Dremel test, leaving a very shallow damage of 0.9 mm. That's a fantastic result for a sandal!

Featuring a more hard-wearing rubber blend, this KEEN sandal can afford a slightly thinner 1.9 mm outsole. It's not critically thin, but it saves some weight.

The Hyperport H2 offers no visibility in low-light conditions as it lacks any reflective elements.

The KEEN Hyperport H2 offers a touch of padding on top of the instep to protect it from lace bites. It didn't get any thicker compared to the Newport and is also thinner than the average at 3.4 mm.

A fabric finger loop at the back makes it easier to put on the sandal.

At $120, we believe that the Hyperport H2 is reasonably priced compared to its competition. Trading leather for textile, it also got a bit cheaper than the Newport H2.