Im not even a shoe or boot person. Would not buy most items on this channel. But i do like how you know your shit and praise or expose expensive footware. And alot better than some youtuber who just rewords the marketing shit to get paid.
I have to inject some history here. I am the adopted son of William Charles Danner. Bill Danner lived to be 97 and yesterday May 2, 2023 would have been his 104th birthday. I worked in my dad's factory from the time I was 13. (1960) . We always gave boots numbers not names. This boot was called the 6490. the first two digits were for the year it was developed. In those days we made mostly heavy duty logging boots and work boots. But my dad wanted to climb Mt Hood as a challenge so he developed this boot. The shoemaker who developed the pattern was Horace Nunley. He was from England. At that time most all the Danner boots were made in what is called Nailed construction. However, we had an Italian shoemaker whose name was Christopher Massimo Salvatore Fiandaca. He was a master and had made shoes since he was 6 years old. At his suggestion we made this boot in a " lining lasted stitchdown " construction. We were the first boot company in the northwest to do this construction. The boot had a real 12 iron leather insole, was fully leather lined with glove leather, had a real steel shank and a leather "dutchman" with a vibram outsole. So my dad climbed Mt Hood in them as did my Mother. The boot did not sell well for ten years,: by the way the price was $ 35.00 . However, in 1974 Backpacker magazine , in their fourth issue , comapred 36 kinds of hicking boots available in the US. They rated the 6490 as the number one value in the country. From that article the boot took off. I was running the back half of the factory and we had to triple our production in that year. the boot they make today with its fabric lining of Gortex , which is just glorified plumbers tape, and a paper insole, Texon, is a far cry from the boot we made in the 70's. that is the short version of this boot.
Very interesting, thank you for the history. Basically then, the 6490 boot was a European style mountain boot made in your factory? My exposure to this style of boot came from the mountaineering side, not back packing. So, in the early 70's I picked from and wore ultra high quality boots, usually the French Galibier "Super Guide". The 6490 I did not even considered as I was Euro-centric. My casual hiking boot choice was German Pivetta. About the time I was done with mountaineering, and would have been interested in a real 6490, the world had changed and all these old style boots were gone. Well, except for the Italian company Alico, which still kind of pulls it off.
Vibram lug soles go back into the early 50's. Lots of boot makers in Europe used them in the 50's. I guess you'd have to be careful about the definition of "massed produced", since many of the European boots could be purchased from store stock. @@kylegarcia9998
The biggest problem with this channel is that my options for new boots are now restricted to the boots that they cut in half. I have developed serious trust issues with the footwear industry. Kidding aside, I really appreciate the work you guys are doing. Very educational, useful and interesting.
Had us in the first half not gonna lie All jokes aside I love things made in the USA and looking to save up for nicks boots lol $700 down the drain here we go
Totally agree! So many shitty shoes with big price tags out there. I've purchased 4 boots/shoes based on what I've learned here. So far, I have not been lead astray. :)
@@robertsandgren9389 that’s why I just buy shit that good and delivers not the other way around where it’s good but doesn’t deliver. And if something is good and deliver and the company believes in it prepare for the fucking price tag. My wallet is think about beating the shit out of me cause I’m saving up for those Nicks boots. I want something where I can wear for a very long time and not having to replace it every 6 months to a year. Guess what people in the military say is buy once cry once and I believe in that statement. I may be one side branded but who gives a shit really, I like nicks cause of what they do, the amount of work they put in that boot is already a shut up and take my money. Just gotta save $700 for it though lol I can’t even tell you how many pairs of shoes or boots I have went through that cost literally $100-$200 for a pair of shoes, they literally tear up and having to replace it or get a new one is a pain in the ass and more money is begin put down, I have a mind set where if I buy one thing I want it to last forever if I have to buy another boot within the next 10-15 years I’m sold,I’m steering away from all of these boots that are cheaply made and that falls apart easily I’m done and sick of it
I hope the manufactures are taking notice. People are cutting their stuff in half and reviewing it professionally and unbiased. Consumers have never been so lucky!
@@bendercs the leather feels thin? Didn’t he say it’s 2.5mm thick? That’s not really “thin”… I have the Danner RAT boot (5 pairs 😂) and they’re amazing, appears to have the same stitch down construction and hybrid foam/vibram sole. I’d be willing to try the Danner hikers but at more than 4x the price of the RAT I’ll probably settle for the EB for an æsthetic boot 🤷🏼♂️
Such a value added service this man is providing by reviewing and thus, exposing these companies for their shoddy quality. Please keep doing your thing! Would love to see reviews of some actual Italian made brands, like Saint Laurent, Gucci, Golden Goose, Balenciaga, etc.
I own these boots and I got them back when they were $325. I think you're right about them. I don't regret buying them at the price point that I paid back in the day but I wouldn't spend any more than that on them. To me $325 was worth it because I used Danners in the military and I'm loyal to them, they are American made, and they look really really good to me. I don't think I'd pay $430 though. They have been fantastic boots but I agree that they aren't worth $430
I’ve been wearing Mountain Light 2 for over a decade. I still love them. The only issue far with two pairs of them: mid-sole foam in breaking down and I might have to send it for re-sole.
Not going to comment on the price Danner wants for these boots. BUT, when a factory makes a Gore-Tex boot they have to follow what Gore-Tex lays out for what materials the factory can use. That white fiber board is not your regular cardboard. It is made by a company called Stanbee, it is made in the USA and is used on all hot weather US military boots. Now read this. That white fiber board will outlast any leather insole....as has been proved by the millions and millions of pairs of boots purchased by the DOD over several years. It is impervious to sweat, salt, saltwater, and works from the extreme cold to the hot deserts of Iraq. While it may not mold to your foot like a thick leather insole, it will withstand millions of flexes as well. Also, if a leather insole is used with a Gore-Tex membrane it will soon separate from the membrane and make the boot useless. In waterproof boots with a membrane, man made materials are used, which also include the counter stiffeners and box toes. Now on the heritage side, the original hiker of this style was not waterproof and did use a leather insole, counter etc. Waterproofing, specially with a Gore-tex membrane changes what materials Gore-Tex allows. Also, when water enters between the upper and the membrane, but, not inside the membrane the boot is considered waterproof. It is required that water enter freely between the upper and the membrane to pass the stringent MVPR (Water Vapor Permeability Test). The only time a boot is rendered to have failed the waterproof test is when the membrane actually leaks. Here is a link to Stanbee www.stanbee.com/newpage3c2d988e
I bought a pair of these about 5 years ago - I believe the price at the time was in the mid-$300's. They are a good boot. They are made in the USA, and they are actually decent as a tribute. I disagree about them being a "hoax", since I don't believe anybody would actually choose these over a modern hiking boot for actual hiking. But they are stylish, surprisingly comfortable, and worth it if you can find them at a discount.
Danner is what can happen when people put "buy american" or "buy local" above doing their research. It leads to companies getting lazy and cutting corners because they know they can abuse brand loyalty.
I buy Danner boots for hiking but I opt for their 8" waterproof insulated ones designed for hunters. They last a good while, are exceedingly comfortable, and great for hiking.
I have similar Danners. Bought them for 216 usd on sale 3 years ago. Never regreted the purchase. The most comfortable shoe. Wearing them in winter and summer. The lining indeed has slightly started to wear out but not too much yet. For this reason my next shoes will be all leather Danner Mountain Trail.
Just to chime in with what hikers are looking for. As a thru hiker of a few trails, pretty much all of us opt for comfort and lightweight over durability even if it costs in the (5 month) long term. Try doing the 5 million steps while on the straight up incline involved with the Appalachian trail with weights strapped to your feet. We all rock trail runners, which cost us about $750\5 pairs a 2,000+ mile trail. Even if it makes no financial sense, I would never go back. With that said I wouldn’t even rock these as office wear, kind of sad. I’m perhaps they were afraid folks would be turned off by the bloody break in period of a real boot? I’m stoked for the cottage industry in all industries! Still making and employing US workers and giving us the products we want!
In 1990 I got a pair of Danner Goretex mountain lights for ~$180, color was somewhat darker then this and with goretex liners. getting out the inflation calculator $180 1990 would be 415.69 in 2023 dollars. I still have these boots so durability wise I think they are fine. the fabric lining I think wears better than you would expect because they really need to be worn with a heavy wool sock. My main criticism of these boots which I seeming can see already in the video but which becomes I think more obvious with time is that the shoe tongue doesn't remain centered and tend to pull towards the outside especially after a long day. a tongue loop would go a long way towards improving the situation , certainly in the last 30 years. after about decade of wear I did cut through the tongue order to pass the laces through before the first set of eyelets which helped a lot.
Can you look into some of Danner's higher end models? Seems to be a huge difference between what you have looked at to date and things like the Rain Forest and Elk Hunter for example
Missed opportunity to put Linkin Park's Breaking the Habit in the sponsor section, at least the instrumental part of the song for a couple of seconds due to copyright
I feel danner is above quality (for buget focused people) but there is a price for the name that is changing my opinion on danner boots. Having rocky boots that have the same look and feel and duarability in the first reaponder world currently i will buy the rockies before another pair of danners.
Thank you for this. I was actually thinking about purchasing this boot for this winter, but wasn't so sure about the longevity of the midsole. But now I see that the build of the boot isn't where I thought it'd be. I'm disappointed, but glad to have watched this now rather than finding out after the purchase.
I restored a pair of the old ones for a friend. No comparison between the constructions. The old ones had veg tan insoles, nailed heels in ADDITION to the stitchdown, and leather lining.
The biggest downside I see is the liner on the inside, because as you said that will definitely not last. These boots look like a pair of boots for people stomping around in a shopping mall trying to pretend to be hikers because such people will always be willing to pay more than something is worth just to try to impress with money. I believe that because of the overall global situation we're in, more and more brands will try new ways of cutting costs, and this is just a sad result of it. Hopefully things will turn for the better when Brandon leaves office... Personally I will always pay for actual quality in the things that I am using for its intended purposes because it is cost effective, and it creates good habits where you want to take care of those things as well. You just got to pay more attention in these times to find the true quality out there.
I dont work anymore being disabled/ retired- even so- I see no reason to pay so much more for the Danner over my Eddie Bauer K6' at less than $140.00. Maybe the Danner leather is thicker and full gusseted tongue. The K6 tongue is gusseted- but leather in center with stretchy side material stitched to upper. The rest is pretty much same same- Vibram- and not worth more than 2x the cost. My K6' At least once a year I saddle soap clean- a light touch of mink oil mostly over the stitching- wipe off let dry/ soak in 4-6 hours- wipe off again- a little dark brown polish- buff- spray treat with Kiwi Protect All Waterproofer let dry 12 or more hours- buff a little. Maybe some better laces. My K6' are good to go and still look sweet. Maybe you have a better treatment option than what I use- please let me know- maybe something with bees wax in it. I dont know or maybe what I use is fine in your opinion? I live in Wisconsin lots of snow and salt and even rain- tho I normally wear other boots if actually in or deep snow- like my Georgia Boot Men's G8040- treatment the same way and maybe a little black polish. They still look sweet- like new- both pair are like 4 years old now. Wear my K6' 2-4x every week. The Georgias not so much- are mostly as said for deeper snow and or like to keep them looking nice. My K6- are more everyday kick around in- but still look new- very little ware outer heal end of sole etc. Dont laugh :) but if Icey out- I still wear my over 30 years old Nike Air is it RCG or ACG biker toe hikers. Heavier leather than either listed above and the sole has nice rubber and lil white specs of something that help the grip on ice and from over 30 years ago. I clean and treament the same as above. The front half the sole is stitched to upper and back half glued- about 4 years ago the back half was flopping around I cleaned them up a little let dry well and added some Gorilla Glue weight down a little to keep in place and shape etc- glue said good for leather etc- its held strong- they are like new other than a lil ware at the outer edge of the heal sole. Seems my gait wears the sole a little in that area but not crazy bad. I dont drag my feet. All nikes can squeak- these do a little and keeps me from wearing more- but was a time I would wear them every day of the week. and to look at them will last another 20 years. A really nice and comfy shoe to. 6"-ish mids Black Biker Toe- thick padded leather Gusseted Tongue- yellowish/goldish Nike Swoop- silver eyelets- thick round black-white speckle strings- nice thick original arc support insoles- water proof/ resistant/ membrane maybe? no vent holes like sneakers. From back in the day when stuff was just better- and a time when I guess these was more a cross boot sneaker hike type shoe maybe? I do not have original box anymore and tags on tongue is a lil worn so I cant see the number etc. I always check Nike Converse Rebok Adidas etc to see if can find anything like them today and not yet really. Converse did last year sell a nice think said The OG Explorer Stitch down Boot but not my size and wanted the all black- had all brown also- and other wack colors- sold out now. Then today most stuff looks queer eye for the bi gay guy type trendy in today out next month stuff- odd mixed colors maybe crazy flamboyant or Kiss platform type chit etc- instead of more traditional looking and can wear 20 years from now- even the original over 30-year-old strings still look near new if I wash them . I would prefer stitched 360 vs glued stuff. I do like this old pair of Nikes tho- and is the only nikes I ever liked- always thought of them as cheap and wear out fast- not these tho- noisy- but I can live with them. Today you see a lot of silly stuff on say a boot or dress type shoe- like light tan sole on a black shoe- or brown sole at all on black is odd- you can have black sole on brown shoes and looks great- or might be say a black or even brown shoe with a white or thick red or other color mid sole and just looks silly- any light color sole or mid etc will get dirty/ stain and look like chit in short order- or if ever get polish on it- off color stitching can be ok but again- if ever have to polish- well. Can maybe say yah- lil girl-ish trendy today- but soon will just sit in the closet for the rest of history- when if from the start is more traditional- you can wear them forever unless actually wear out. multi color stuff was always sort of ok for sneaker type shoes- even then some was wack-a-doo. Then you have some that are color blind or have no sense of style or class or coordination- or what nice dressed or GQ is. Now lets be real- some Pimp stuff can look awesome sexy- some overly gawdy. There is good reason why some shoes boots etc have been around sold for multi 100s of years- materials style function comfort durability color-schemes- period. :)
I noticed down below that someone mentioned a foot condition called metatarsalgia. I have this condition and its basically inflammation of the balls of your feet, it usually shows up on the third or fourth joint down from your big toe. I’m an older guy that played a lot of sports which can help to cause this condition. I’m retired now and hike a lot in the mountains and I’ve been looking for a good hiking boots with a lot of cushion in the sole because this helps a lot with the metatarsalgia. In the past I wear Hoka or New Balance tennis shoes but there’re not very good for hiking and waterproof for crossing streams etc. I also need wide shoes and that limits me even more. Recently I was in Portland, Oregon and noticed that there was a Danner Outlet store so I visited. I tried on most of there boots including these Mountain boots in the review, which weren’t very comfy on the bottom of my feet. But I did discover the Mountain 600 Leaf which I would say is the most cushioned boot I’ve tried to date. I can’t attest to the quality inside the boot but on the outside it appears to be made very well, yesterday I stepped into a river and the boot was totally submerged and my sock was totally dry. The cushioning isn’t quite perfect so I’m still looking for a more cushioned boot. If anyone has a suggestion for me I’d appreciate some suggestions on better cushioned hiking boots.
I've worn Danners for almsot 20 years, I buy them at the Portland store on Airport Way, and I have sworn by them. But I can no longer support their products. Their prices cannot justify their quality decline, and the decline in their services. It costs far too much for their boots. I bought my Danny x Nigel Cobourn Jungle Boots in 2019 for $300, a limited release product. And now even their basic Acadia boot is now over $400. The repair service now costs as much as a new pair of their boots a handful of years ago. They are not paying their employees a wage that matches their marked up inflated prices either.
After seeing Danner try to pass of several boots as good boots when in fact they aren't, I will probably never trust that company. Thanks for exposing their BS. $430 turd boots. You can get 2 pairs of Thursdays for that much money and still have enough left over to go get some tacos.
I think that only fair thing to do for brands like this is to make a boot like this in 2 versions: the OG's and the Tributes... Consumer will clearly see which one is which and the price tag should go alongside. If someone would love to have an tough, hiking-ready boot, then he should go with OG. On the other hand if someone mostly love the style and really don't need any extra toughness, should probably buy a "Tribute", cheaper version...
I'm gonna need an analysis on RM Williams. Australia's premier ranch/ military parade boot. One piece leather Chelsea style boot is what they're known for. The Craftsman. Not a hiking boot or work boot reaaaallllyyy but I'd love to see your insights into it!
Oh wow too funny, this video could not have come at more perfect time! I was looking at a pair of these just the other day after my last pair of hiking boots totally disintegrated on the trail on me last week. We were half way through a 40 mile trek when the soles peeled off the right foot and then the heel came off on the left foot. So I ended up having to switch over to my sneakers for the rest of the hike, which was not fun as you could imagine. But what's funny is while we were hiking I kept asking for different brand suggestions bc, normally I just buy cheap sub $200 boots but I decided I'd just pay a little more and get a decent pair that I can just get resoled instead of getting a new pair. And my one friend and his girl suggested these Danner hiking boots, they were hyping them up big time saying oh you'll love them, they're a little pricey but they're totally worth it bc and I quote _"they are bomber as hell and they'll last you years! We've had ours forever"_ yada yada yada. So to now that I see this I just started laughing and sent them the link to this video. 🤣😆🤣 There is no way in hell that I'm going to get these after seeing this! Why spend over $400 on a pair of boots that are barely worth $250?! 🤷♂ So thank you brother you saved me a huge disappointment! Liked and Subbed just bc of this. 👍👍
I got mine for $25 (no not a typo) as a factory defect (had a scuff on the side). I am trying to wear them out so i can use the upper and then have the bottoms resoled with leather and some more padded construction
Hey I just bought a pair of Eddie Bauer K-6 for 210$ CAD (approx $160 US). Clearly its meant as a much cheaper alternative to Danner Mountain Light. I would really like to see you review a couple hiking boots of this style, goodyear welted stuff compared with the more modern approach, etc.
430 for an American made boot seems very reasonable . The material is more than likely also made in America . Support American made products . If you get 2 seasons out of it it's a fantastic deal
Danner made in Portland used to be trustworthy. Farming out to Vietnam, nope, save your money. And I love Danners. Find decent old used ones and have them refurbished. If you don’t want to send them to Portland to refurb, look up Shasta Boot Company in Redding, California, send them there. Fantastic work. You won’t be disappointed. And no, I don’t work there. Just know how important quality boots are needed.
Everything about this boot is top quality. The only downside is lack of an option to add an insole of your choice inside the boot. Danner provides this white plastic heel insert thing but that's pretty much it. For individuals like me that require require the option to add custom insoles for specific foot types this becomes a problem.
I bought a pair of work boots from Danners and it was a complete disappointment. The soles wore out in 4 months and over-priced for the quality of the boots.
l Have been hill/mountain walking and backpacking for around 45 years and just looking at these boots l wouldn't consider buying them and that was before they were cut in half, poor lining, the welt is too wide and only one line of stitching, no internal heel counter, the height of the boot is too low at the ankle and what is it with those sole lugs in the instep area? These are for pounding the sidewalks!
So, for $440 you can get the 90th Anniversary Mountain trail that has Horween and is leather-lined...why would you spend just a few dollars less for the Light? Definitely seems like the Light is miss-priced.
Nice, I got my all black ones from Todd Snyder store for 315 w NYC + NY state tax w the sale they have rn. So I feel like I got them for a nice price since they are trying to sell their stock of boots to clear up storage space.
The whole cut leather and “the cost” of handmade us labor is where you see the price tag. I guarantee the American workers aren’t seeing a fair portion of that cost tho
I like the Arcadias. I wore a pair or the combat boots in Arcadias. The first thing to wear out was the liner at the back of the heel. They wore great and broke in beautifully. They also held water even after the lining wore out. All in all, i would buy them again..............but they went up from $300 to $435. They werent that nice
I really like Danner. My mountain boot in the Army was either a Matterhorn or a Danner...but, that was when I was Army in the early to mid-1990s. When working in defense and as an orienteering and endurance rucking aficionado, I have learned to go to boots like the Salomon GTX4D. Not a boot I appreciate for craftsmanship, beauty, or the smell of leather....but, just the best damn rugged and comfortable boot you can wear out of the box. Also, you can do far better at $200 price point than $400 apparently....
Tribute yes, but they should make the original boot again cuz there's lots of that style around that recently have become hard to find. Mostly 'hikers' have taken the boot heritage.
These were better before the price hike, which only occured in the past few years. I THINK they were $350 or something. I got a pair at a surplus store for $280
i wear the mountain light 2 good boots tough to wear in but they are long lasting never had an issue with mine bought 3 pairs at this point will buy more when needed gotta support the usa
Glad you did this because Ive been thinking about these for a while. I bought a pair of Jim Green Razorbacks and can't even wear them because the toe box is unnaturally shallow and smashes your toes. I did get a pair of K6 and I like them pretty well so far.
Please cover more hiking and backpacking boots, I feel like when it comes to choosing the right one to buy its difficult to tell if what you get is going to work well or be a dud.
Trail runners, backpacking boots are old news. Stability comes from the sole, and lighter shoes are better for distance. “1 lb on your feet is 5 lbs on your back”
A hiking series would be interesting. Also, please review Limmer boots, they have a custom boot shop in New Hampshire with a 3 year waitlist, but their German-made stock boots are made to similar specifications and are absolute beasts. They also make “stock” boots in New Hampshire in their small shop. Probably the best hikers in the world.
My dad gave me a paire of Danners in the late 90s for hunting. Loved those boots and for years I bought exclusively Danners. Being 3 hours from Portland in Washington, I liked the PNW vibes and that first pair. I wore them as a teen working in construction then through the police academy. It was while I worked the road that I started to notice the quality of the brand going down. After 20 over years of Danners, I noticed they just weren't what they used to be and moved on. Sadly, this video just affirms my own observations.
I too was a Die hard Danner boot fan and noticed the huge decline in quality. They keep raising the price and lowering the quality. It’s not only Danner. Chippewa did the same thing. Can’t even buy the model or color I liked from them. When you spend $400 dollars and the boots last 18ish months it’s a little frustrating. I just can’t spend $700 on a pair of PNW boots that are 4-6 months out and unreturnable.
What do you think about Bates? I've been told it's the same story with them. From what I've been told, they were a popular brand with police officers. Same old story we see everywhere else, put out a good strong product at a reasonable price, then change the product to be cheap and coast on your reputation. You hate to see it.
You should do a video on boots made with metatarsal protection, they're required in my field and I've always wondered what's different about them from regular work boots.
Pretty sure the Mt Trail replicates Danner hiking shoe heritage based on 60s version which is leather lined and $10 cheaper (unless 90th Anniv Ed $10 more) than the Mt. Light tribute to the 70s version.
I'm glad you did this on the Danner Mountain Light - I was actually in the market for this shoe, but now having known its construction I will pass. Maybe I will look into the Nick's hiker boot.
For what it's worth, I've had my Mountain Lights for 18 years, on my second sole, and when I clean them up and oil them they look damn near new and are every bit as comfortable, supportive, and water/dirt proof as they ever were. I was unaware Nick's made a hiking boot, and I'm sure they're a great deal better, but that doesn't make these not awesome. Also, you can get them almost half off on Black Friday from Danner. Edit: This isn't the original Mountain Light, these may very well not be as good. They do still sell the original, though.
@@Highland_Paddy For long distance serious hiking or backpacking? And define 'decent', because there are absolutely combat boots that won't mutilate you for that kind of stuff, but they definitely cost hundreds of dollars. You can casually day hike in Chuck Taylors if you want to, but that's not really what these (well, the originals, these appear to be different) are for.
@@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney Um, well I don't know your lifestyle or if you're just a shill for a company that you somehow haven't gotten their boots already but name one of the most expensive custom brands, but yeah, most people only hike a couple weeks in summer and only need a pair of Nevados or something that will last them two or three years. AND I can find decent combat boots on clearance at surplus store or Sportman's Guide for $50-$200 that could handle seven to twelve miles a day for a few months and then get a glued re-sole just fine. That's about half a year of shoe that I have used just like that. And without being full leather, which I think I would find too hot and not breathable in warm weather but won't have the heritage nostalgia gimmick. Yes, Converse makes military boots that aren't flat soled basketball shoes now, too. So does Reebok. The more current ones I liked were Bates but in Boy Scouts I just used jungle boots with the commando sole because they were only twenty dollars at the time and they lasted for about three years until I didn't fit them anymore and some of the side stitching was coming undone.
@@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney Frankly, as much as I'm ambivalent about some of their other offerings, if somebody just absolutely wanted leather ones for the look or something, I'd say the Thursday Captain ones I got for $200 would be perfectly adequate for much trail use. I've already taken them on two day hikes with no issues but they don't have an extreme outsole and they have a lot more seams than these Danner ones and I live in a dry climate, but I don't know what Nick's has in one-piece leather lace-to-toe models.
The reason why this boot is $430 is to pay for labor in Portland, OR. It's ironic because Rose Anvil sells overpriced strips of leather as camera harnesses and doesn't realize the same could be said about him.
This is not, the greatest boot in the world, no no... this is just a tribute.
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I just want to add that the Mountain Light Cascade, and the Mountain Light are different boots. There is also a Mountain Light II, which is what I own, and I think they're fantastic. I'm a UPS driver in the Northeast, and they're one of the few boots (out of many) that have held up for more than one year (3 years now on these Danners). I've been using them alongside a couple of pairs of Asolos. One of the Asolos is falling apart after 4 years, which is honestly impressive.
I own these boots and have used them for everyday wear (especially in the wet) and for backpacking in rocky terrain. They've been durable and comfortable *with the extreme caveat that I literally had to develop a special way of lacing them, because the huge amount of leather folded up in the tongue created absurd pinch points and hot spots.* Once I figured that out, they've been great in all conditions. But yeah, for absolutely sure, I did buy them for the heritage/history nod and all that, and more of a fashion boot than anything. An uglier set of boots with real tech is a way better choice, if you're not trying to be style conscious.
@@memorizeitwithmusic612 For sure. For clarity, I'll define the "last" eyelets being the ones immediately before the speed hooks. One of the pressure points I had was the build up of material at the fold of the tongue, so between the last and second to last eyelets, you can actually pull that folded corner out, and let one of side of the lace cross underneath the corner. Between the eyelets and the speed hook, I do a half of a square knot (as in the first twist you do when tying your shoelaces, before you make the bow) but I'll actually give it one extra twist, so there's more friction when you tighten the boot. To be clear, the result is not a knot, it's your both sides of the lace being twisted together laterally across the top of the foot. I repeat that between the speed hooks, as well. Tying the boots that way let's me put different amounts of tightness in the top of the boot vs the bottom of the boot. You could probably do something similar along the rest of the boot if needs be, or box the laces in parts. I'm cramming Spanish as hard as possible, which is making me presently unable to remember the words I'd need to adequately describe this whole thing. If my description sucks I'll give it another go.
One of the best pair of boots I've ever had were Prospectors which were made in Canada and look like they might've been based on the original Danner Mountain Light. I purchased them in Canada from a work wear outlet in Calgary in 1997. They cost $300 CAD back then. They looked exactly like these except they were fully leather lined, had 3 screws across the underside of the toe of the Vibram sole, and a layer of Thinsulate between the leather lining and the outer. My prospectors looked great, took an absolute beating, and were very comfortable. I had them resoled. I got about 15 years wear out of them including 12 months travelling through Europe. I still have them. I have searched high and low to buy another pair but can't find them. The quality of my Prospectors appears to be a level up from the Danner Mountain Light.
I have two pairs of prospectors and they are very good boots. I have a two pairs because I found them new old stock in a thrift store for dirt cheap, they were RCMP winter boots issued.
My 2017 Scarpa Kinesis light didnt even last 2000km of trekking (no climbing, no crampons used). The glue between the upper leather and the first layer of the sole failed. First on one, then on both boots. 300€ well spent -__-
At 10:15 I’d like to add that it has Gortex lining and that is a huge difference maker for me. Is it overpriced? Yes yes it is but at least it’s made in America and I’m helping keep someone in a job.
I would really enjoy the team deconstructing a real classic mountaineering boot like the ALICO “Guide Mountain Boot”, or the custom made in New Hampshire/Germany LIMMER “the Standard” Alpine boot…. We don’t need tributes or inspiration!
Just out of curiosity, will Wes ever review a pair of Truman boots? I'd kind of like to know what the issues are that he is waiting to be resolved over there. The products look good on their website, but it's hard to tell. Help us, Wes!
@@randynovick7972 Yeah, I drive through Eugene, Oregon three or four times a year and I've considered checking to see if they have an on-site store and maybe picking up a pair of boots, but I've been wary of making a decision pending an explanation as to why Wes is holding off making a video. I mean, have plenty of boots, so it's no emergency, but now my curiosity is starting to kick in. What's the story, Wes?
Danner's Quarry boots used to be my favorite boot. No break in at all, very comfortable on cement all day, and they were about $200. Over the past 5 years they have kept raising the price, and now they want $320. These are barely $200 shoes, let alone $300. I wear Georgia loggers now, which I get for $160, and they are very comparable for half the price.
I knew this type comment was in the comment section. And rightfully so. Danner boots have made some fine quality boots at a decent price, particularly years ago. If I'm not mistaken, the mountain light comes in 2 different models. The gortex lined 100% waterproof. And the leather lined. Definitely a unique hearty looking boot that does seem to be quality for a man as long as fit and finish are spot on.
Oh damn, I bought these boots April 2021 from REI for $350 and now they are up there for $440. After a month of break in, these have become my daily driver shoes that i also take hiking and hunting. They are still going strong with only a few blemishes on the outside from rocks or debris. No issues with the inside liner so far. I'm a Bigger dude at 260+ LBS and they've been holding up. Probably will get a pair of Nicks or something when these are on their last legs, but lasting 2 years so far, at $175/year and still going strong is a win in my book since i usually had to replace whatever i bought every year.
I had a pair of the old Mountain Light boots from the mid 80's. I laid out a HUGE amount of money for me at the time. I loved them and wore them for many years and many miles. I also bought several pairs of Danners when I was in the Marine Corps and found them to be good boots that were much better than the issued boots. I'm saddened to see what's become of the Danner brand.
Mountain Trail is cheaper and leather lined. Looks more or less exactly like the 6490. It seems to have the same synthetic midsole as mountain light, but a softer rubber outsole. I like them a lot.
