What's Your Best KEEN Newport Story?

If you own a pair of Newport sandals, they’re likely the first thing you pack in your luggage, they’ve probably traveled to more places around the globe than you can count, and they might have even been part of a few important milestones in your life.

At least, that’s what we’ve been told by Newport fans everywhere. One fan even said he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in his Newport sandals!

To celebrate 20 years of the original go-anywhere sandal, we’re sharing our favourite fan stories. Since we launched the Newport sandal in 2003, it’s been part of over 30 million adventures and has become a globally recognised symbol for travel, outdoor fun, and footwear innovation.

So what’s your best Newport story? Tag #KEENnewport on Instagram or send your story to marketing@plg.com.au for a chance to be featured and share your inspirations.

In the meantime, here are some of our favourite Newport love letters that we’ve received over the years:

EMILY PAE, FINANCE ANALYST
NEW YORK, NY

Emily may not be able to wear her Newport sandals on Wall Street, but they are her shoe of choice for traveling the world.

“During a trip to Bohol, an island in the Philippines, our group took a day trip to Danao, up in the mountains,” Emily says. "We took turns bungee jumping off a long metal plank, which was suspended above a beautiful, lush canyon. I secured my Newports and jumped right off. Got a rush of adrenaline and experienced the most breathtaking views in those shoes.

“I just got back from a trip running around Italy. My family had a reunion there, and we all decided it’d be a fun activity to tackle hiking Cinque Terre together. It was an exhausting experience but the sparkling water and colourful cities below us were stunning and well worth it. We hiked high into the mountains, walked through charming local farms and vineyards, and rested on the cliffs above Vernazza and Monterosso. Newport sandals got us through it all and were convenient when we finally made it to the very rocky beach at the end, too.”

JIM MARTIN, KAYAKING INSTRUCTOR
KNOXVILLE, TN

“My outdoor passion is kayak touring. I teach classes, lead trips, and build my own boats. One of my favourite nearby places to paddle is Fontana Lake on the edge of the Smoky Mountains. I have camped out of my kayak there every summer for the past ten years,” Jim says.

“As a kayaking instructor, I stress safety with my students. One of the essential pieces of equipment is to wear shoes that you can swim in that will stay on your feet. Newport sandals protect your feet from rocks, sticks, shells, and anything else you may be wading in. The paddling shoes for me are my KEEN Newports. I wear them while paddling, in camp, and even for short hikes.”

BRANDY & IVY SHUMAN, FLY FISHING ENTHUSIASTS
DENVER, CO

“I personally learned about Newport sandals when I met my (now) husband back in 2009. He and his family had a long-standing tradition of going fly fishing together every summer in Montana. The first year I went up there with them, of course I needed to purchase all the right gear for the trip. My mother-in-law took me to our local REI and insisted that KEEN Newports were the only shoes for the job,” Brandy says.

“I wear them to Montana every summer for our annual fly-fishing trip and nature excursion through Yellowstone and the Tetons. They’ve walked some of the most iconic rivers in the world, and have hiked some of the most stunning landscapes you’ve ever seen! We wear our Newports for fly fishing and hiking every summer and they never crack under the pressure.”

BRIAN DIETZEN, ACTOR
GLENDALE, CA

“I found my first pair of Newport sandal while attending college at the University of Colorado at Boulder at the turn of the millennium. I loved the toe guards, and they were less expensive than most competing sandals, so I tried them out,” Brian says.

“I wore them on the beaches of Kauai for our honeymoon in 2003. I wore them while I played football in the park with my friends in 2005. I took my daughter to her first ever Cubs game while wearing KEENs in 2007. As I looked through my old pictures, it wasn’t a question of when I was wearing my Newports over the past 15 years, it was a question of when I wasn’t!"

Where have you traveled in your Newport sandals? We’d love to hear your Newport story. Tag us @keenaustralia and use the #KEENnewport on Instagram or send your story to marketing@plg.com.au for a chance to be featured and share your story.