Danner Mountain 600 Evo Hiking Boot Review

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Danner Boots. The Danner Mountain 600 Evo is out now.

Even after thousands of miles of backpacking, I have the ankle stability of a newborn foal. Sick of wobbling down the trail in unsupportive trail runners, this January I finally decided to start wearing proper hiking boots.

As luck would have it, the opportunity to test the new Danner Mountain 600 Evo boot presented itself in early spring. What serendipity!

When my parcel from Danner arrived, I unwrapped it eagerly, praying the boots inside would a) fit, and b) be super cute like in the pictures, because it’s 2024 and function and fashion do not have to be mutually exclusive.

And, spoiler alert, they were both of those things and more. Comfortable, durable, and nice-looking, a perfect fit right out of the box. I have a lot of thoughts about these boots and why you (yes, even YOU, ultralight purist!) should try them on your next hike.

Danner Mountain 600 Evo Boot At a Glance

MSRP: $250
Weight (pair): 32 oz women’s | 38 oz men’s
Height: 4in
Materials:

• Full-grain leather upper
• Vibram SPE (rubberized EVA foam) midsole
• Vibram Fuga + Traction outsole
• TPU shank
• Goretex liner
• OrthoLite insole

Intended Use

These boots are sturdy, grippy, and waterproof. They’re perfect for the shoulder season hiker who needs protection from rugged terrain and sloppy snowmelt. This is an uninsulated model, thus extending its functionality into the warmer months.

Circumstance of Review

I received the boots in the beginning of February and immediately started wearing them for muddy, rock-and-root-strewn hikes near Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as around town while running pre- and post-hike errands.

Danner Mountain 600 Evo Features

Resoleable: Over time, your outsoles will invariably wear down until you’re left with a smooth, frictionless surface. Once the tread has worn out, that typically means it’s time to trash your shoes and shell out for another pair.

But the Mountain 600 Evo boots have a “Recraftable” design, meaning Danner can replace the outsoles for you, dramatically extending the boots’ lifespan. Needless to say, this is a win for the environment and a win for your wallet.

Full-grain leather upper: The leather uppers are not only rich and beautiful looking, but also durable and supple for a long-lasting and supportive fit. Danner uses only the highest-quality leather in their boots.

Gore-tex waterproof breathable liner: This waterproof/breathable liner will keep your feet warm and dry. It’s perfect for shoulder season hikes when you’re splashing through puddles and melty snow.Unlike lower cut shoes, the mid-boot design will protect you from breaching the tops of the footwear even in deeper snow/water.

Best of all, the liner uses 45 percent post-consumer recycled materials.

Vibram outsole: Vibram has long been the gold standard for durable, grippy outsoles. The Fuga outsole used on this boot uses Vibram’s proprietary (and self-explanatory) Megagrip compound.

Vibram SPE midsole: The SPE midsole is a special blend of EVA foam and rubber that maximizes the best qualities of both materials. It’s lighter than an all-rubber midsole and more durable than an all-EVA one, all while remaining supportive and responsive. It feels great underfoot.

Sizing

Danner uses several different lasts (the form around which a shoe is molded, determining its ultimate shape and fit) across its many footwear models. The Mountain 600 uses Danner’s DPDX last, which, per the brand, “was built to offer enough room for comfort while maintaining a sleek profile.” That is, it’s functional in the backcountry but also fashionable around town.

Danner recommends going down a half size in the Mountain 600 Evo (and any other boot with the DPDX last) for the perfect fit. Accordlingly, I ordered the boots in a women’s 7.5 instead of my usual 8. I had my doubts about this and was anxious that they would be too small. I’m used to wide-toebox trail runners and feared that even if they fit properly, they would feel narrow and cramped.

However, I’m happy to report that the sizing is perfect, and I wouldn’t change anything about the way the boots fit.

Moral of the story: trust Danner when it comes to their sizing recommendations. They know what they’re talking about. In my experience, going down a half size was definitely the right move.

What I Loved About The Danner Mountain 600 Evo Boots

The Ankle Support

It’s real. I am a habitual ankle-twister, yet I haven’t even come close to rolling one while wearing these boots. The thick, sturdy materials combined with the lacing system make me feel super secure.

Also, the outsoles make a wide enough platform to provide plenty of lateral stability, so it’s much harder to turn an ankle with an awkward step.

Excellent Grip

It actually took me a minute to get used to the grippiness of the Mountain 600 Evo boots. I stumbled once or twice when I took a step expecting my foot to slide a bit and instead the Vibram Fuga outsoles stopped me dead in my tracks.

Once I adjusted, this became a huge advantage. Within a few miles I had subconsciously adjusted my gait, trusting the shoes to hold me steady on slick, angled rocks and roots that I would normally scooch over more cautiously. They never betrayed that trust. Thank you, boots <3

Immediate Comfort (No Break-In Period)

Other than a five-minute jaunt around my house after unboxing to ensure that they fit, the first time I actually wore these boots was on an eight-mile very muddy hike.

Knowing that most boots require a break-in period to fully mold to your feet, I fully expected to pay the ultimate price for my haste. But I came home feeling great — no blisters, no weird foot pains, nothing but two happy and unmarred feet.

In the intervening weeks, the boots have only gotten more and more comfortable, and I remain blissfully blister-free. Although they are heavier than trail runners, I actually appreciate the extra heft, which gives my feet a delightful feeling of security without noticeably increasing my energy demand.

I loved that, unlike in trail runners, sharp rocks and roots weren’t jabbing my feet every 30 seconds. If I ever do the Appalachian Trail again, I’m definitely wearing these guys in Rocksylvania, that’s all I’m saying.

Lots of Lace

Look at this picture above. See how the laces go almost all the way down to the toe cap? That’s a pretty unusual feature in most footwear; usually, the laces stop midfoot. Up top, many boots only have one set of eyelets for securing the ankles. These boots have two. The extended lacing makes it possible to customize the fit in all areas of the foot, including the toe box.

If you’re like me and prefer a little more room for your piggies, keep the front laces a bit looser. If you have narrow feet and want a snug fit, tighten them down.

Worth noting: these boots come with a spare set of flat laces.

Recraftable

We hikers don’t have much, but we value the few possessions we do have. There’s something wonderful about caring for and repairing your precious things rather than just trashing them.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to switch back to boots is my environmental guilt. I hate consigning three or four pairs of worn-out trail runners to the landfill every year.

I expect these boots to last much longer than my previous UL footwear. And when they do finally wear out, I’ll be able to extend their life even further by sending them back to Danner for resoling and reconditioning rather than just trashing them and starting over.

I love the idea that these boots could still be with me years down the line — perhaps not so clean and shiny any more, but as supple as a second skin and full of stories and memories from all the places I’ll have hiked in them. (And I’d be lying if I said I’m not also stoked about the hundreds of dollars I might save on replacement trail runners by sticking with boots.)

So Fly

I like the way they look and that they preserve that classic brown leather + red laces look from the glory days of Cheryl Strayed. This classic colorway is available in both men’s and women’s boots. Women can also get a beautiful grey- green colorway (pictured above), while men have a darker brown/black option.

Overall Value

I’m quite happy with my Danner Mountain Evo 600 boots. I wasn’t sure how the whole back-to-boots experiment would actually go and was pleasantly surprised.

These boots were comfortable right out of the box and noticeably more supportive than the hiking footwear I’m used to. Their sturdy construction, quality materials, and recraftability mean they should last much longer than trail runners.

At $250, they’re a bargain and ought to pay for themselves within one hiking season, considering all the pairs of replacement footwear you won’t have to buy.

Shop the Danner Mountain 600 Evo

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Danner Boots. The Mountain 600 Evo boots were donated for purpose of review.

Featured image: Graphic design by Chris Helm.