User Review: Danner Mountain Light II

I've had these boots for about a year and I have hiked a few hundred miles in them and I feel I can finally put in a review. First the good stuff. They have very heavy duty hardwear. They look very cool and elicit compliments all the time. They will last a long time. Quality construction is there. For me this is where it ends.

The problems really lie in the design of the boot. It took me a long time to break them in. And they still don't fit well. They have a narrow toe box and in the heel the area where the leather meets the lining gets bunched up and causes irritation. The tongue design is not very good. The leather bunches up on the top of the boot and presses down on the toes. Also because the tongue fold is so low they are not waterproof to the top of the boot. Water can leak in about 2/3rds of the way up the boot. Forget about wearing them in the snow without gaiters.

Also the sole seems a bit soft but offers little padding. The soles are already staring to wear a bit thin so they will have to be resoled soon. Finally they don't offer great ankle support because they are low (5 inches) when carrying even a medium sized pack over uneven terrain or scree.

I have other boots I like more and I don't hate these, they are still great for work and for short hikes but not good for any heavy stuff. My other boots (LL Bean Cresta Hikers are Much better in my opinion for heavier duty). I also thought that I might have weird shaped feet but I have never had a problem with any other footwear I have ever bought so ...