Does anyone wear Danners?

[IDHUNTER]

After looking around on here for quite some time I never or rarely see anyone post anything about Danners. I know that some of their boots that are made over seas are pieces of junk but I think that their high end Portland, OR made products are really good or am I missing something? I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes Meindel, Lowa, Kenetrek, Hanwag, etc a better boot.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I wear made in the USA Danners everyday for work. The Fort Lewis, to be exact. Relative to my Lowas, they suck for mountain hunting. The lack the lateraly stability and ankle support. They lack the comfort. They don't have very good traction. The don't have the footbed support. In all honesty, I think I would wear my trail running shoes to hunt in before I would choose to wear the Danners.

 

[goodgrouper]

Most Danners are made in china now, the last pair I bought were destroyed in a couple months. I tried on a pair in the store last year and an eyelet pullet out of one just trying it on. The us made ones are way overpriced for what they are.

 

[WRO]

Danners boots don't have any redeeming qualities when compared to say Kenetracks, Mendels, Haganawgs, lowas, or krispis.

I own mendels and they are good (not great)

My wife has kenatraks and she loves them

My best friend has hunted in Lowas for the last 10 years and loves them.

I's hunt in flip flops before I'd wear a set of danners in the woods. (I've owned a few pairs)

 

[krueger]

I own danner pronghorns and kenetrek mountain extremes. I personally think the kenetreks are junk and i like the danner pronghorns much much better. The Danner pronghorns are lighter, more comfortable and more durable than the kenetreks. The kenetreks are made out of higher quality leather but other than that the Danner have them beat plus the Danner pronghorns are 1/3 of the price of the kenetreks.

 

[jljmonky]

I wore Danner Combat Mountain Hikers for the first day of my first elk hunt last year... day two I talked a hunting buddy who was packing out part of his kill into grabbing my merrels out of the truck. I could not lock my heal into place allowing my toe to slip into the toe box on down hills and bruising them pretty badly. I have owned other danners in the past and have never had an issue with reliability but with my foot they just don't work.

 

[castandblast]

I morn the loss of the Danner boot made in the 80's and 90's, for they have been supplanted with pure junk.

 

[kodiakfly]

I wear made in the USA Danners everyday for work. The Fort Lewis, to be exact. Relative to my Lowas, they suck for mountain hunting. The lack the lateraly stability and ankle support. They lack the comfort. They don't have very good traction. The don't have the footbed support. In all honesty, I think I would wear my trail running shoes to hunt in before I would choose to wear the Danners.

This is me exactly. I wear the Ft Lewis in uniform but wouldn't wear them hunting. I wear LaSportivas hunting. They have what I need for mountain boots...which makes sense....they're a mountaineering boot. Danners may be a "hunting" boot, but that does not equate a "mountain" boot.

 

[WRO]

I own danner pronghorns and kenetrek mountain extremes. I personally think the kenetreks are junk and i like the danner pronghorns much much better. The Danner pronghorns are lighter, more comfortable and more durable than the kenetreks. The kenetreks are made out of higher quality leather but other than that the Danner have them beat plus the Danner pronghorns are 1/3 of the price of the kenetreks.

Having owned both the only conclusion I come too is that you have really good drugs. .

 

[ChadS]

Having owned both the only conclusion I come too is that you have really good drugs. .

x2. Danners are cheap. Kenetreks are a way better boot assuming they fit your feet

 

[Gator]

Going against the grain here, but I have nothing but good things to say about the Danner Recon (all leather) and Ft. Lewis. (All leather is key). They are all I've worn for mountain hunting out west and for work/hunting in the Appalachians for the past 15 years. I own 4 pairs, one of which I had re-soled and 'reconditioned' by Danner, and 2 more are past due. Not sure about their other models of boots. I've never worn Kenetreks et al so maybe I don't know what I'm missing, but my Danners work very well for me.

 

[carlc]

Having owned both the only conclusion I come too is that you have really good drugs. .

^agreed!

I wore out three pairs of pronghorns in one summer spraying weeds on ranches in mt. The gore text would last about a month, and about two weeks later I could literally separate the outsold from the rest of the boots. Three different pairs. I have had one set of kenetreks for three years now and they are just starting to get wet after a day of rain. Awesome boots. That said, I did replace them with a pair of schnees, and I don't think I will ever look back!

 

[pyroducksx3]

I wouldn't call the danner a mountain boot. However I wear my Canadians deer and elk hunting when not backpacking/backpack hunting and I love them.

 

[danarnold]

I wore pronghorns for several years, got some mendls,not great, got a pair of crispi idaho's and was very impressed, after days of rain in Wy last year elk hunting the crispi's got wet, i laced up the dry pronghorns and about 10 steps later realized how bad they suck, I'm not sure why I havn't thrown them away yet.
just my 2cents

 

[topher89]

When I think Danners, I think mall ninja.

Way too many great choices out there to even think about them.

 

[Mikeha33]

Ive bought 2 pairs of the Danner High Ground boots in the last year. I don't own either one of them anymore. They were very comfortable, and I really liked them, but they both fell apart within 6 months of purchase. The first pair blew out on me at 12,000' last year. They literally came apart at the seams. They had approximately 70 miles on them, mostly flat ground, but once tested in the mountains, they are junk. I had them replaced for free, and thought maybe that was just a lemon. The second pair, the toe rubber separated completely and was just hanging on by the sole after less than 25 miles, and no real heavy weight or treacherous terrain exposure. They were made in Vietnam. I took them back, and got my money back. I think they are becoming too mainstream to care anymore about legitimate boot quality. If I knew they were made in the USA, and could handle several years of hunting abuse, I wouldn't even mind paying $30-50 more for a good pair, but for now, Danner is not even an option.

 

[Zbowman1]

Having owned both the only conclusion I come too is that you have really good drugs. .

x3 on this

 

[Dirtbag]

I have Danner quarrys for work and spent six seasons elk hunting in Danner Talus boots that finally worn out this year(went to Lowa Tibets).The Talus was the greatest pair of footwear Ive ever had.The Crater Rim is supposedly just like the Talus but I dont know for sure. If your sheep or goat hunting all the time Danners may not be the best but for most peoples Elk and Mule deer hunts they should be just fine and a heck of a lot cheaper than kenetrek, Lowa, hanwags and such.

 

[wyosteve]

I wasn't aware that Danners have changed. I have a pair of their 'Elk Hunter' boots from the 90's that have been outstanding. Still keep me dry and comfortable. In fact, I'm taking them on next week's sheep hunt again without any qualms. That being said, I also have 2 pair of Meindls and they have been great as well. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[yhudson]

I have had several pair of Danners and had good luck with them all. I think some guys need to really consider the model of the boot they are buying rather than just the name. Kind of like complaining about a Chevy S10 not being able to tow enough when you should have gotten a 3500 Duramax.

This year I'm going to bring my danners (http://www.danner.com/product/hike/danner-light-ii-6-brown.html) along with the Kenetrek Hardscrabble boots I purchased this year. Both boots are great boots but they serve a different purpose for me. The soles of the Kenetreks are so stiff running in them is very similar to running in ski boots (not as bad but close), but if I need to haul out elk quarters in steep terrain there isn't a better boot for me than my Hardscrabbles.