Boots are a tough item to review. Feet are unique, how and where boots will get used varies from one person to the next, and body type will play a big role in fit and function. So with all that in mind, here is an honest review after a solid fall hunting season of the Danner Crater Rim.
Boot Use:
I wore these around the house and on flat walks around the neighborhood to get them broken in for a couple of weeks. They have been worn in the flats of antelope country, in rugged and rocky Arizona elk habitat and stress tested in the deserts of Arizona and Mexico in search of Coues Whitetail Deer.
They have been worn while climbing, with a heavy pack, with a pack frame hauling out elk and deer, on flat sandy soils and on stalks across all kinds of rock. As you can see in the picture below, this review is not based on just a couple of days’ use!
Manufacturer Info:
Danner’s website states that these boots clock in at 58 ounces. If you are like me and need that in pounds, its just over 3 and a half of those.
These are 6”, non-insulated boots, with a waterproof Gore-Tex liner and a Vibram sole. The upper is made of Nubuck leather.
Retail price on these boots is $330 and they are made in the USA at Danner’s factory in Portland, Oregon.
Good, Bad, Other:
These are probably the most comfortable boots that I have worn in 30+ years of tromping around the woods and deserts. Break-in time was amazingly short for such a stout boot. I spend a lot of time in really sharp, rocky terrain and the sole is thick enough and tough enough to handle it all so far.
The only issue that I had with them was quickly handled by Danner’s customer support. During the break-in period and on the first few scouting trips with them, the boots had a noticeable and annoying squeak. After not being able to diagnose where it was coming from, a quick chat with customer support told me exactly where to apply a little bit of boot dressing and they haven’t made a peep since.
If you are in the market for a rugged boot to carry you over rocky terrain and with some weight on your back, give these a look.