Danner Mountain 600: The Classic Leather Boot for the Modern Age

• Tester Background/Context: From Jonathan - "I learned to backpack when I was a kid wearing bulky Merrells, Vasques, and other leather boots. I jumped on the Altra train with everyone else when I had the chance. I spent six years working as an outdoor educator and guide, mainly living in Altras and La Sportiva TX4s. TX4s are great, but don’t have the support I need for prolonged backpacking trips. Altras simply don’t stand up to the abuse of the combined 250 lbs of hiker, gear, water, and food. Lately I’ve been thinking that the old-school leather boots might have had some good qualities so I went for a modern hybrid version."

• Shoe Tested: Danner Mountain 600 - a mid-top leather hiking boot designed for all-around performance in hiking and backpacking of all lengths and varieties. Danner calls them "Performance Heritage" where they are combining old-fashioned styling with modern lightweight  and comfort innovations.

• Length/Style of Test: A two-night backpacking trip to the Gables Lakes area starting from the Gables Lakes Trailhead (map) in Pine Creek Canyon at the end of the Pine Creek Road.  It involved 3,500 feet of gain over four miles with the boots straight out of the box.  A layover climbing day and then right down the same trail back to the trailhead.

• Performance Verdict: These are great standard backpacker boots. I would use them for trips that are mainly on trail or have very light off trail duties.

2. Construction & Material Features

From Danner themselves as it is accurate without need to re-invent the wheel. Going from bottom up:

• Outsole

  • Vibram Fuga Outsole: "By combining the SPE midsole with the Vibram Fuga outsole, we were able to achieve the perfect balance between flexibility and traction. The pliable SPE midsole and flex lines of the Fuga outsole allow your foot to expand to a wider surface, while the unique self-adaptive lug pattern grips at multiple angles. This combination provides ultimate stability when traversing across rocky trails or scree. The entire outsole is infused with Vibram’s Megagrip rubber technology for ultimate hold on wet and dry terrain."

  • Removable Ortholite Footbed: Three layers of varying density are combined for maximum cushioning and support. The entire footbed is made of open-cell polyurethane for better heat dissipation and air circulation.

• Midsole: "The Danner Mountain 600 features the Vibram SPE (Specialized Performance Elastomer) midsole, an all-new, technical compound engineered to deliver greater comfort and flexibility. Created with a unique co-polymer blend of synthetic natural rubber and EVA, this midsole improves resiliency, cushioning, and durability, while minimizing weight."

• Upper

  • "Drawing from years spent building durable leather hiking boots, we selected specific lighter weight leathers for the Mountain 600, knowing that their waterproof and superior abrasion-resistant qualities would hold up to the rugged Pacific Northwest. We designed the boot to have minimal seams and lined it with Danner Dry to ensure it could withstand the wettest conditions."

  • Danner Dry: 100% waterproof barrier allows moisture to escape without letting water in, keeping your feet dry and comfortable all day long.

• • Full-Grain Leather: Full-grain leathers are the strongest and most durable form of leather. To ensure its quality, Danner puts their leather through six different tests before making a selection. 

Jonathan's observations on these features in practice:

• Folks on Reddit complain about these boots being too hot. My feet did get sweaty in full sun on a summer day in the Sierra, but not so much that my merino wool socks couldn’t wick away the excess. Nobody thinks twice when they do long days in all-leather climbing approach shoes -- and these were similar to those in function. I popped the boots off for a literal minute on a long break and everything dried nearly instantly.

• I was happy to have a durable leather upper as I wound my way through trail overgrowth, loose rock, and other things that scuff, snag, and abrade. I think the lack of mesh and the myriad of little glued seams that come with synthetic shoes will be good for durability in the long run.
  

•  In terms of the outsole and midsole, there was a little bit squishy forgiveness but still very stable. 

3. Fit & Comfort

• Sizing: I bought a pair of EE Wide boots in order to replicate the wide toe box of trail running shoes and La Sportiva TX4s. True to my street shoe size (46). My toes barely touch the front on long descents. There is a little looseness in the mid-foot out of the box. A day of breaking them in and tightening the laces helped that. I would rather have the slop for a shoe I intend to use to pound out miles in non-technical terrain.

• Cushioning: So comfy in both directions on the trail without a single blister. I didn’t want to take them off when I got to camp but eventually did because it would be weird 

• Danner Fitting Recommendation: "Designed for versatility, the DPDX has a low profile for everyday wear. Whether on the trail or urban exploring, this last was built to offer enough room for comfort while maintaining a sleek profile. Ortholite footbed included. Please note the Mountain 600 fits slightly large and we recommend sizing down a half size for best fit."

4. Performance by Technique Type

• On Trail: The sturdiest, most boot-like iteration of the "trail-runner sneaker" feeling I have come across and used. They are good for pounding out miles with a medium-to-heavy food and gear carry.

• Off Trail & On Rocks: Vibram on the bottom was perfectly fine for a few scrambly sections where the trail was washed out. No insecurity whatsoever in terms of feeling like I was going to slide due to lack of traction.

• Snow: No issues with getting wet feet if the snow did not go above the top of the boot. The boot though was too soft to kick good steps in the harder snow that persists in the morning in late June.  Once that snow softens in the afternoon it’s no problem.

5. Durability & Repair

• Durability: There were no issues for the first 4 days of use out of the box which is very encouraging, however, it is an inherently a limited sample size and more data/use is needed before I can provide an informed perspective on the shoe's durability.

• Repairability: I have yet to test this as mine have not failed in any way yet, but the boots are advertised to be less disposable than most. Danner cannot repair holes in the leather, but will replace the midsole, the outsole, re-treat the leather, and mail it back to you for $100. They can’t replace the waterproof liner, but keeping the leather treated should be good enough for the occasional stream crossing. Laces pass through classic metal riveted eyelets that I can probably replace on my own in a pinch.

6. Final Verdict

These are great standard backpacker boots. I would use them for trips that are mainly on trail or have very light off trail duties. They are good for pounding out miles with a medium-to-heavy food carry. If your route will be more technical (scrambling, snow, or lugging extra climbing gear) I recommend a dreaded hard-soled boot. For the rest of us mortals, the Danner 600 will do just fine.

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If the Danner Mountain 600 has caught your attention, stop by the store to test them out or click here to see if we have your size in stock and get your own pair shipped today!

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