Boots

[IMAUDIGGER]

I wear boots 365 days a year.
From in the snow to pounding the pavement to hiking in the mountains.
In the past I've worn the following logger style boots:
Redwing boots (last 11 months)
Wesco boots (last 1.5 years)(rebuildable)
Whites (last 2 years) (rebuildable)
Danner Quarry (last 1 year) (recraftable - meaning you can put new soles on them)
Danner Rainforest (last 1.5 year) (recraftable)

Currently I have the Danner Rainforest boots and they have failed at 1 year due to insulation balling up under the boot liner. It's damaging my feet.

Sounds like Danner is going to take care of me by giving me store credit.
The only other boot they make that looks sturdy is the Flash Point. They weigh 100oz. Per pair!

Thinking of switching to a lighter boot and plan on having soles put on them in 1-1.5 years ($130).
Has anybody ever worn the Danner Mountain Light boots?


This one piece upper leather boot design has been around since 1979!
It has very good reviews on their website.
I'm wondering how they hold up to daily use?

 

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[Kray Gelder]

My 2 cents worth...I was a diehard, heavy leather, vibram soled boot kind of guy for 30 years. Unless you're scrambling over scree slopes battling broken rock and boulders, I found it's not necessary. Find yourself some good tough nylon shelled, gortex lined, ankle high, insulated or not, boots with lug soles with give in the rubber, unlike the rock-hard vibram. Your feet will thank you. I have not tried the lightweight Danner, but owned a heavy duty pair years ago. Really tough, really heavy. Good luck.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I probably need more than one pair of boots.

I do find myself digging in my heels on steep ground...scrambling down that steep slope where you gotta keep your feet moving. Jumping from granite boulder to boulder, but only on weekends.

The remainder of the week I'm either in the field or behind a desk...kicking up clods of dirt detecting after work.

I'm curious how the Mountain Light boots actually hold up to more than annual hunting trips.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Here's the Danner Rainforest after 365 days.

 

[Madmox]

For my money, nothing are better than Wescos. I’ve had one pair for the last 10 years. Been resoled twice. Had the uppers patched from an incident with an angry girlfriend. And I still wear the hell out of them. I got a pair of the thick felt insoles for them. Most comfortable supportive sturdy boots I’ve ever owned. And I absolutely abused mine for years as an industrial electrician. I had a pair of Danner Rainforests that work bought me that had an eyelet pull out in less than a month and the leather was nowhere near as heavy as the leather Wesco uses. Sure the wescos are heavy but the support is worth it. I have a pair of Hoffman’s for work that I’ve had for a few years. They are gore-Tex lined and seem to be holding up well. The sole is much more stable than the Wescos because the heel is much lower and wider. Let me ask tomorrow what the lineman at work are wearing, as I recall, they are all wearing the same boot almost to the man and it was not a brand I was really familiar with, and they are all swearing but them. Hell, even the gas crews are wearing them.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Probably Nick's Boots.

At this point I am going to have Danner store credit (I hope) so it really doesn't matter what brand is best.
I'm looking at Danners.
----------
For discussion sake, Wesco boots were a good value, then the price shot up.
That's when I quit wearing them.
About same price as Whites now, which last longer in my opinion.

 

[Toecutter]

Gotta love the Wescos they are awesome, I dont work outdoors anymore and only wear boots out exploring or detecting, I have bin happy with the Bates side zip boots.... i would recommend looking into some of the Government issue boots...

 

[Madmox]

So just to add a little more discussion, the boot of choice around here with the field crews are Meindl Boots. Everyone of of them swears by them.