Danner’s Trail 2650 hiking boot is an excellent and comfortable light hiking option

I tend to learn things the hard way. My first backpacking trip consisted of hiking more than 30 miles in the Grand Canyon carrying a borrowed backpack stuffed with borrowed gear and a cheap pair of newly purchased Hi-Tec boots on my feet. They nearly hobbled me. Lesson: never skimp on footwear. On my next trip, I wore newly purchased Danner Lights. That was 30 years ago and though I’ve flirted with other boot brands, I’ve always come back to Danner.

Last spring I found myself needing to replace a pair of worn-out light hikers. They’d served me well but the soles were too hard and provided questionable grip on exposed rock. I replaced them with the Danner Trail 2650 GTX Mid. Danner claims the Vibram 460 outsole provides “incredible grip on both wet and dry surfaces.” On my first hike I ascended the Moab Rim, an almost 1,000-foot climb in one mile entirely on large slabs of sandstone. With zero break-in, I found the Trail 2650s comfortable out of the box with gobs of traction both up and downhill. My foot felt well supported and the midsole provided sufficient cushioning and protection from pointy rocks without giving up on trail feel, a nebulous term to describe a hiker’s ability to intuitively sense what is underfoot.

Since then, I’ve logged close to 200 miles on my 2650s, covering ground from Canyon Country to the Pacific Northwest, and places in between. I’ve yet to discover terrain in which they aren’t top performers. In Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, carelessly (or maybe just without grace) crossing creeks en route to high alpine lakes, the Gore-Tex lining kept my feet dry. Uphill, downhill or sidehill, the soles do provide the “incredible” grip Danner boasts of on their website. Blisters? None. Twisted ankles? Zero. Feet that feel refreshed after a long hike? Well, no, but I mean, do they ever? All those hikes have taken a toll on my Danners but they’ve still got more miles to give. Will they see 300 miles? Maybe…just maybe.

For all the great things I can say about the Danner Trail 2650s, I do have a couple complaints. Unless you really loosen the laces prior to putting on the boots, it’s a little tough to cram your foot in without folding over the rear part of the ankle collar beneath your heel. But, that soft ankle collar is the very reason the boot can be comfortably worn right out of the box. I don’t think this would be an issue with the low-top version since the angle at which your foot enters the shoe is reduced. Interestingly, all-day comfort on the trail did not translate to all-day comfort in the car. Even loosely tied, after a couple hours on the road I always develop a hot spot on the top of my foot, right below where the laces knot.

Available in two widths, multiple colors, with and without Gore-Tex and in both a mid- and low-top, the Danner Trail 2650s are an excellent option for hikers looking for a supportive, durable and comfortable light hiking boot.

Learn more by visiting the Danner website at www.danner.com

OutdoorX4 Magazine – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure