There's a number of fetures that I loved about these boots. First off, they're assembled using just a few pieces of Nubuck leather. In my opinion, simpler is better. There's fewer seams, reducing the number of places where stitching can fail. Also, there's one piece of leather that extends up the back of the boot, over the achilles tendon. It's critical that this part of the boot be a one-piece leather strip without any mesh, as it's a high stress area and must be durable. In addition, the entire toe, heel, and sides of the boot are lined with a rubber-impregnated leather scuff guard, protecting the leather beneath, and thus extending the longevity of the boot. Third, it has a leather-lined collar around the top which keeps out all debris from getting in, eliminating the need for using gaiters, at least in non-snowy conditions. Next, it has a Gore-Tex waterproof liner that actually DOES NOT LEAK. I've worn many supposedly waterproof boots with Gore-Tex or Event liners built into them, only to end up with wet feet. However, Danner is the only company that I'm aware of that actually performs submersion tests on all their Gore-Tex liners on their U.S. made models prior to installing them into the boots. In addition, their Gore-Tex liners are made with one seam, as opposed to most other boot companies which often have four or more seams. Because of it's simplicity and detailed manufacturing process it has a reduced chance of failure. Finally, the laces are secured in place using the standard eyelet holes at the top, followed by metal, D-shaped eyelets the rest of the way down in a lace-to-toe configuration.
Unfortunately, even with all its merrits, these boots did not work out for me for a few reasons and I was bummed to have to return them. Thankfully, Sierra Trading Post has a great customer satisfaction return policy, and I was able to return them for a full refund. Thanks STP. So first off, these boots just didn't seem to fit my feet, as I need a wide toe box. Even in the EE width, they were still too narrow for me, and thus ended up giving me blisters on the outsides of both my little toes when hiking long downhill sections. I tried stretching out these hot spots on an iron bar specially made for this, but it didn't seem to help much. The next issue I found with them was that even after three months of nearly daily use, I continued to develop a gnarly blister on my left heel when hiking uphill. It seems to me that this could be avoided if the boot was redesigned with a forward-leaning ankle section. It wouldn't be such a strain on the back of the boot when stepping into a deep achilles stretch, and thus would minimize the friction and strain on the back of the heel. Finally, one more thing that I'd chance on these boots would be to build it with flat, more naturally anatomical outsoles, as opposed to the current 1/2" high heels. Although it works well for braking while going downhill, the elevated heel ruins one's naturally good posture, and produces an unnatural strain on joints and muscles throughout the body.
All-in-all, I think this is a quality product that is also stylish, and I'd certainly recommend it to a friend if they had the right-shaped feet for it.
I love these boots! I was issued them prior to going to Afghanistan, which I switched them out with my traditional tan boots. I found these in a bag of gear and now I wont take them off unless I am in uniform. They have awesome ankle support and I love them to death!
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard to find knowledgeable people on danner uniform boots, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks for sharing this with others.
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