My Old Stand Bys - Salomon Adventure Racing Shoes - Danner Quarry Boots - Danner Recon Boots
This is my backyard test track. It is close to home and gives me a nice variety of ups and downs in the talus. My usual loop is a little over 6 miles but I can do 20 if I want to keep going. The rugged beauty of the central Arizona Sonoran desert and very few people. Nice, eh?
I have received a nice response to my posts on boots and one of the most asked questions is, what do I use myself. I am a boot whore, I admit it. As my wife often reminds me I have more than 50% of the available space in our walk in closet and much of my allotment is devoted to footwear. Boots to be more precise. Yes, I have more boots than I can wear. I like to refer to it as my pedal reference library. She is not amused. However, I do have my favorites that I wear more often than the others because they consistently perform better than the others.
The Danner Quarry GTX in both the 6 and 8 inch versions have been great for me. Technically they are classed as a work boot by Danner but I don't really know if that is where they belong. They have been extremely comfortable from the time they came out of the box to now. I have hunted New Mexico Antelope, hiked the Superstition mountains, and walked the snowy and muddy meadows of northern Arizona for days in these versatile boots. No blisters, no leaks, no problems. These boots have been very good to me.
These Danner Quarry GTX 6 inch boots have about 100 miles on them. They have performed beautifully for me which is why I recommend them to my readers. The Gore-Tex booty and a little silicone spray touch up keeps my feet dry.
While these have proven to be a great all around boot my recent evaluations of heavy duty boots has revealed an important difference between the different types of boots I use most. The Quarrys are very comfortable and can be worn for days on end without any problems. The double leather rand provides very good protection in mixed conditions including rocks and cactus but even though they have a little Thinsulate insulation they are not made for the alpine environment. The Kenetreks, Lowas, Meindls, La Sportivas and others that I am currently evaluating are made for difficult terrain and light mountaineering. Meaning that they have stiffer soles for side hilling and hauling heavy loads over long distances, however, they are not particularly comfortable on the flats when compared to the Danners.
The Quarrys are not as precise on the down hills and will roll over a little when side hilling. They are not sloppy, they just don't offer you the control and rigidity of a mountain boot. Better? No, not necessarily but they are different and something that you need to consider when choosing the right boot for what you want to do. That is the real difference here, the trade offs, between long term comfort and walkability and control and support. The Quarrys can be walked in and worn comfortably forever it seems. The mountain boots are not as comfortable but they are purpose built, extremely sturdy and very controllable in extreme terrain.
These are the Danner Quarry GTX Brown 8 inch models. Same boot as above but with a little more support from the taller collar. These also have a heavier Vibram Olympia outsole. These boots come in at about 5 lbs a pair which is heavier than the light mountaineering boots that I have been testing by about a pound. Although, they don't feel like it. I like these so much I bought an extra pair.
For trail running and day hiking I like an adventure racing shoe made by Salomon. I think it is called the Raid Race, I don't know for sure because, of course, they are no longer made. These are great shoes. Fit is very good, support is very good, stability is outstanding, and the locking laces are fantastic. My favorite feature though is the padded neoprene collar. You sort of slip into these like a dive booty and then lace them up. Why Salomon did not continue this design in subsequent models is beyond me because these are the best wearing trail shoes I have ever used. Loosen the laces for going up or crank 'em down for the descent, no matter, the integrated collar stays snug to your ankle and has the added benefit of acting like a low gaiter. They are also light weight while providing good cushioning, ample rock protection on the bottoms and excellent traction.
Notice that there is no tongue on these Salomon trail shoes. The tongue and collar are all one integrated piece of padded neoprene that moves comfortably with the ankle. It is a fantastic design and I am amazed that no other manufacturers use it.
These probably have 200 miles or more on them and they are really starting to show it. The lace cleats are pulling out and the tread is worn down but I am still using them because I can't find anything better in this class. I am very loyal to products that perform.
To that point, the boot that I have used the most and consider to be the gold standard of backcountry footwear is the Danner Special Forces boot which is now called the Recon. They are black, all leather, 8 inch military duty boots with 200 grams of Thinsulate and a Gore-Tex booty. I originally purchased the Ft. Lewis "Go Devils" boot from Brigade Quartermaster or U.S Calvary but that is a 10 inch boot and is just too tall for me. The Special Forces model is the same boot but 2 inches shorter.
The Vibram Kletterlift sole on these was perfect for what I needed. They were good on the trail and on the rock but not too heavy or clunky. It is a very efficient but effective tread. I especially like the tapered heel for helicopter skid work. Danners higher end, American made boots can be recrafted. I had these done for about $125 and then retired them. They deserved a rest. Phenomenal boot.
I don't know how they accomplished it but these boots archive a delicate balance between stability, rigidity, and wearability and comfort. I have more than 300 search and rescue missions and thousands of hours of training in these boots. Hot, cold, snow, rain, on the flats or in the mountains I wore these boots exclusively for 6 or 7 years. They kept my feet dry, warm, comfortable and blister free. Always. In my opinion, and isn't that why you are here, these are the best all around boots on the planet.
So there you have it. Those are the boots I wear the most but things can change. I have been eyeballing the Danner Rain Forest lately and some of these new heavy duty and heavy hiker boots are very nice. I think I am going to need some more closet space.
Thanks.
Wade Nelson
Editor
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