Meet the tester
Danner Mountain 600 Insulated: first impressions
The first thing to note is that the Mountain 600 boots from Midwest-based brand Danner come in various iterations, all of which offer really decent on-trail performance, but only one of the myriad models is insulated. These are the ones I’ve been testing and reviewing here, as we assess the best men’s winter boots on the market.
• List price: $220 (US) / £220 (UK)
• Weight (per boot): 567g / 20oz
• Materials: Leather upper with Danner Dry waterproof lining; OrthoLite footbed; EVA midsole; Vibram Nisqually Arctic Grip outsole
• Insulation: 200G PrimaLoft
• Colors: Dark Brown & Brick / Pinecone & Brick Red
• Compatibility: Cold-weather trail walking and hill hiking up to low alpine level
Also, while they’re very capable walking boots, these insulated Mountain 600s are primarily intended for hiking on wet and snowy countryside trails and (despite the name) reasonably modest mountains, non-technical hills and sub-alpine peaks in freezing cold conditions.
The nylon shanks don’t supply enough rigidity for proper edging, or for these boots to be combined with crampons for serious mountaineering. If you’re looking for a more technical cold-conditions boot, check out our guide to the best winter hiking and mountaineering boots.
Danner Mountain 600 Insulated: on the trails
I’ve been testing the insulated version of the Danner Mountain 600 boot in late fall and winter, on a variety of trails and a real mixture of conditions on the hills that run along the seam between Austria and Germany, and also on paths, woodland and moorland in the southwest of England.
Comfortable straight out of the box, with no breaking-in required at all, these insulated hiking hoofs have a chassis made with beautifully soft full-grain leather, backed by a waterproof membrane and lined with 200G PrimaLoft insulation, and they offer excellent warmth and good weatherproof protection during the harshest winter months.
I’ve worn these boots through ankle-deep water on several occasions, and I’ve been really impressed by the performance of the Danner Dry waterproof lining – no juice got in, and the integrated tongue works well at maintaining this defense against damp socks right up to the top of the laces. If you do end up splashing around in puddles, streams or snowdrifts that exceed the 11.5cm / 4.5in height of these boots, then make sure you have a good pair of waterproof pants on, because once the lining gets wet, it stays soggy for ages (although the PrimaLoft insulation still maintains some thermal properties, even when wet).
The excellent warmth-giving and waterproof protection offered by these boots does come at the expense of breathability. They feature a removable OrthoLite footbed, made from open-cell polyurethane, which aids air circulation and helps dissipate some heat, but the insulated version of the Mountain 600s do run warm. Of course, that is exactly what they are supposed to do, but you need to ensure that you wear them in the right (sufficiently chilly) conditions, and accept the fact that – unless you live close to the top or the bottom of the globe – they’ll probably be in storage for about nine months of the year. (For Danner boots that are wearable year-round, check out the Mountain Light Cascades).
But there is more to the insulated Mountain 600s than mere warmth. The mid-height over-ankle design, heel cup and fast-hook lace system combine to supply excellent all-foot support. Danner have also worked with Vibram to arm this boot with a rubberized EVA midsole, which cushions footfall on all sorts of terrain, and purports to last longer than traditional EVA. I haven’t had the boots long enough to tell you whether this is true, but I can attest to the good performance of the midsoles in maintaining comfort over long walking days on tough terrain, including frozen mud and hard-packed ice.
Beneath this midsole, sits the impressive Vibram Nisqually Arctic Grip outsole, which is made from a high-traction compound and has a split heel and large lugs intelligently arranged to provide serious grip in wet and icy conditions. This cloven-heel outsole really bestows confidence and control during slippery ascents and descents on terrain ranging from mud to snow and ice.
The reinforced heel cup on these boots also works well, and the laces – with two pairs of speed hooks at the top of the integrated tongue – enable you to get a really tight and secure fit. One quibble I do have, however, is that the pinkie protection is pretty minimal, with a small toecap that doesn’t supply much cover if you need to kick some steps into snow, for example.
