Danner Mountain Light II- The last boot you will need

Joezilla

Joezilla

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Check out this latest review for backpacker magazine. I was extremely impressed with the durability of these boots and wish I would have bought the bullet and invested in them a long time ago. Completely worth it. And they are recraftable.

http://www.backpacker.com/gear-review-danner-mountain-light-ii/gear/16111


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Danner makes some good boots. I have a pair, not these, and they are comfortable and durable.
 
Nice write up and review Joe.
Thanks for the link,.
I am getting my first pair of Danners soon,
(Desert Acadia hot weather)
Cant wait to see how these compare with other bands Ive had
in the past.
 
nice. my only question is if they are called "light" why are they 3lbs? lol job well done btw Joe
 
Danner have a reputation for been some of the best boots available.

I believe Chris Ryan wore Danner boots when he walked 300km out of Iraq. They all had a laugh because his "go faster" boots fell to bits on him!
 
I picked up a pair of these last year when Danner had the 50% off factory sale. They are very nice, and definitely "lite" compared the the Super Rainforest work boots I picked up at the same time. Also have a pair of the USMC Rats

The only problem I had with the Mtn Lites was the top of one of the boots cut into the back of my leg until I got them broken in - break in time is definitely longer than some of the other boots out there, so give yourself some time to break these in before you start out on a long trek

USA made and great boots!
 
Ive had 3 pairs of these boots, for some reason the last pair just didnt fit my feet well. Its strange as the others fit fine, but the new ones just wouldnt "break in" at all, and just kept hurting my feet. I wound up selling them on Ebay for more than I paid when they were new, strange.
 
So how long have you had them Joe?

What is most miles in a day that you have walked in them??

When I was looking for a stiffer pair of hiking boots I had it narrowed down to either those, or Zamberlan 310 Skill GT's.

I really wanted to get the Danners because they have the sewed on sole that you can replace but I opted for the Zamberlans.

The reasons is because I have this pair of boots that looks exactly like the Danners. They are called Cabela's Big Sky Hikers. I had to relegate them to short hikes and hunting because if I put 3 miles or more on them I get terrible blisters. I thought maybe it was just the break in so I wore them for a year and then used them on a 13 mile weekend trip and was crippled from the blisters. I read somwhere allegedly that Danner made Cabelas boots so that scared me off.

Also I read a number of reviews stating they loved their old Danner Mountain Lights but the newer ones had a difft fit.

Then I read people saying the Danners ran narrow and I have a wide foot so I was afraid that they would be like the Cabelas which actually feel great on my feet but not after a distance. I wish REI carried them so I could try them out.

So how do they seem walking long distances with a pack?

I'd still like to get a pair if they seem to work out for you.
 
THe newer ones I had were still built like tanks, extremely well made, but I just couldnt get used to them. My older pairs seemed to fit good right out of the box. Not sure what changed, as nothing was different as far as my eyes could tell.

They are still great boots, just not for my feet.
 
With EE width, about the only thing I can find that fits are Merrills, but I'd like to try the Danners if they come in wide sizes.
 
My wife has gone through may 6 or 8 pair of Mt. Lights in the last 30 years. She likes them but it seems like it takes forever for her to break them in. I tried a pair and they weren't for me.
I'm on my second pair of Super Rain Forests. Good boot, I would still be wearing the first pair if our retriever pup hadn't tore the Gore Tex liners out of them. And they are made in the USA. Lots of Danner's stuff isn't. If it is under around $250 check the country of origin.
 
I have the Danner Light II's (not the Mountain Lights) and a pair of their Acadias. Best boot's I've ever owned. The Acadia's are 12 years old and still going strong as my everyday work boots and the Light II's are still being broken in as my hike boots. They are very hard to get here in Australia and can cost upwards of $400 a pair. Worth it though.

Chris.
 
sodak said:
With EE width, about the only thing I can find that fits are Merrills, but I'd like to try the Danners if they come in wide sizes.
Click to expand...

They do - check their website for sizes offered. Also, check their website the first week or so in Dec. if you are planning on buying a pair. Last year they offered 50% off on every boot - maybe they will do it again this year.
 
RedbeAR15 said:
They do - check their website for sizes offered. Also, check their website the first week or so in Dec. if you are planning on buying a pair. Last year they offered 50% off on every boot - maybe they will do it again this year.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll do that!
 
"They’re not perfect, however. They tip the scales at well over 3 pounds, so if light and fast is your thing, these boots likely are not for you."

nice looking boot, but I've long since gone to trail runners- I had a very nice pair of heavier Asolos (close to 4 lbs!), replaced those with lighter Asolos (~ 3.0 lbs) and finally replaced those w/ Montrail trail runners ~ 1.5 lbs :)
 
Hey. mtwarden, what kind of weight limit do you find with trail runners before you start noticing foot impact/fatigue?

I find if my pack is over 20 to 25lbs I prefer the extra weight of boots for the support, mostly the soles.

I have been using a pair of italian leather Armond's the past 4 years and they are very close to the mountain lites. Look like good boots
 
I was very reluctant to try trail running shoes as I've always used boots- was worried about ankle support, grip and foot protection. What I found out (and many folks have espoused) that my fears were unfounded. As I went w/ lighter boots I had no issues whatsoever. The last pair of boots I used were Merrell Moabs- a very lightweight boot. After several successful trips w/ those (including a seven day trip in NM) I decided to give trail shoes a go, that was a couple of years ago and I haven't looked back :) Depending on when/where/length of the trip, my pack weight will be between 15-35 lbs, haven't had any issues whatsoever w/ those weights- even on long mileage days. There are lots of folks who have completed multiple thru hikes w/ trail runners (albeit several pairs :D), that's a pretty good testament on trail runners- here's one from a forum member http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/718805-Pacific-Crest-Trail-thru-hike-this-summer

If anyone is a size 9 I've got several good pair of boots that I'd be willing to let go a reasonable price :D
 
I wear the Arcadia's, and the longest hike I've done (recently) is 26 miles in a day, and that was in a desert enviroment will a fair amount of elevation change. Our packs run 40-70lbs. Wearing trail runners will not work. I like Danners, and have worn them for years. I have wide feet and never had a problem with getting their traditional boots to fit and break in easily. I have given away some of the "tennis shoe" construction boots they make, as they do not fit me well.
 
Well, after killing a few pairs of the light-weight type hiking boots over the past couple years, I've given up on them. The GTX liners seem to die on me after about 6 or so months and the boot itself begins to disintegrate between 1 to 1.5 yrs. I decided to go back to a type of boot that might be heavy but would lasat, my Corcoran 10" Jumps were almost unbreakable. The only problem with them was waterproofness and warmth.

After lots of shopping around I looked down at my feet this morning to discover a pair of Mtn Light II's. Thanks for the review, Joe. So far I'm very pleased with the comfort/fit (I do have narrow feet.) The construction on these things, they looked good in pictures, but in person they just look and feel dead solid. Great materials and craftsmanship. I'm hoping for 5-15yrs out of these.


God bless,
Adam
 
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