Danner Mountain 600 Evo. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
Price: £260
Weight: 1,178g/pair
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Sizes: men’s 6-13; women’s 3-9 in medium or wide versions
Uppers: full-grain leather
Waterproofing: Gore-Tex
Colour: brown
Sole stiffness: 6/10
I’ve had these Danner boots on a long-term test for almost a year and they’ve seen action in a variety of terrains, ranging from boggy moorland to Yorkshire Dales fells to Lake District mountains.
The Mountain 600 EVO model is an evolution of the American brand’s range, with a beefed up spec that includes a thermoplastic polyurethane shank. This gives the boot a better stability over rough terrain. This increased weight distribution is behind Danner’s designation of the 600 EVO as a backpacking boot.
It’s still a lightweight boot, with my size 9½ pair tipping the scales at less than 1,200g. The sole is still pretty flexible which, in my view, puts it out of the category of a true mountain boot. It’s a step up from Danner boots such as the Mountain 600 Leaf, which has the feel of an extended trail shoe.
The Danner boot has traditional styling. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The look of the EVO is traditional, with a one-piece full-grain leather upper. The leather is supple and soon shaped itself into a comfortable fit. My previous experience of Danner boots has largely been one of comfort out of the box, and these were no exception. I felt no need to break them in, with the last fitting my foot shape, with a broad forefoot. There was just a slight pressure on the outer side of my forefoot, but this didn’t really result in any discomfort. The volume is a little higher than some other lightweight Danner boots, but there was no discomfort at the flex point just behind the toes.
The laces go well forward towards the toe box and pass through five pairs of metal d-rings to secure the front part of the foot. Above them, at the ankle level, are two pairs of metal hooks. I found it fairly simple to achieve a good balance between the appropriate tension at the front of the foot, essential to stop the feet slipping forward and hitting the inside of the toe box, and the right amount of hold on the ankle, avoiding heel lift and its accompanying risk of blisters.
The boots come with two pairs of laces. I swapped the round-section ones for flat laces as I found these locked in place better, with less chance of loosening. The tacking that attaches the central retaining cord to the surface of the tongue, under which the laces pass, is fragile and on one boot became detached, though this didn’t have a detrimental effect on performance.
The toe box is stiffened. There’s a small extension of the rubber outsole upwards at the front of the boot. I didn’t encounter any problems with the lack of an overlay at the toe, but I didn’t venture into particularly technical, rocky ground in the boots. Despite their name, they’re designed firmly with the trail in mind.
The heel counter helped keep my foot in place and the 600 EVO’s did feel stable when I was carrying a heavy pack.
The Vibram sole proved durable. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The midsole is a Vibram SPE model, containing rubberised EVA, which Danner says is more durable than standard EVA. The Ortholite insole had a medium amount of foam cushioning. The outsole is Vibram’s Fuga Traction model, which has the Megagrip rubber compound, and the brand’s Traction Lug design to increase the sole’s surface area.
Cushioning was medium – less than some of Danner’s other lightweight boots – but it did enable a good sense of feel for the underfoot terrain, which worked well when walking with a backpacking load. Performance of the outsole was assured, with very good braking and traction on rock, including wet rock, wet grass and gravel surfaces. Wear on the outsole was minimal, despite its good grip from the rubber, and after almost a year’s use there was still a good amount of ‘tread’ on the outsole.
The uppers were comfortable, with just enough padding at the ankle collar. The leather, while supple, did offer good protection and stood up to scrapes well.
Testing started in typical British meteorological conditions, with lots of wet days and a few snowy days in January and , with the boots keeping my feet dry and pretty warm (the boots are not insulated but have a Gore-Tex waterproof lining).
There was plenty more wet and stormy weather before the long summer dry spell took hold, with the chance to evaluate the boots in warmer conditions. As with all boots with waterproof membrane, they did feel fairly warm, but not to the point of discomfort.
With more than 600km completed on the hoof in the Danner boots, the return of autumn and the season’s first named storm and more typical weather, the leather was no longer shedding the rain and was wetting out. And on days of consistent rain, my feet got wet for the first time. As far as I could work out, the water was getting in at the tongue, near the flex point.
The Mountain 600 Evo has Gore-Tex lining. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The leather is the first line of defence against rain, and the Gore-Tex membrane is susceptible to damage from grit and dirt. I reproofed the Mountain 600 Evo boots’ leather to help keep out the autumn and winter weather though there was still some damp evident at the tongue, which is not leather.
The sustainability of the boots is good. The lining uses 45 per cent post-consumer recycled material. The Ortholite footbed uses recycled rubber and bio-oil and the ankle collar and its liner are made from 100 per cent recycled content. But perhaps the biggest aspect of the boots’ sustainability is that Danner offers a ‘recrafting’ service. Previously, this would have meant sending them back to the company’s Oregon base, but it now offers two options, in London and Leeds, for the service. This entails resoling the footwear and restoring the uppers’ leather. The cost of the service can be found by contacting the providers direct. Unfortunately for UK customers, this doesn’t include replacing the Gore-Tex liner, which currently can only be done in the USA.
Danner says it is taking steps to eliminate PFAS compounds – so-called ‘forever chemicals’ – from its products. Other than that, the company published very little on its corporate sustainability.
The Mountain 600 EVOs come with a 365-day warranty.
Danner Mountain 600 Evo. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The Mountain 600 EVO is a good-looking boot. The leather quality is very good and, for me, its biggest plus point is its comfort. There’s only a medium amount of underfoot cushioning but overall comfort was very good, from the first time of pulling them on. They felt at home on a variety of trails, from Lake District mountain paths to Yorkshire Dales footpaths. The stability makes them a good choice for multi-day trekking. There was no rubbing or heel lift and the supple leather gave enough protection on all my days out, but I wouldn’t recommend them for more technical scrambling routes. They’re light enough to keep down the strain on legs and feet on long-distance days. They would have gained a higher performance rating if the waterproofing had held out longer.
Best uses: hillwalking, trail walking, trekking, multi-day backpacking, country walking, urban walking.
Performance 32/40
Comfort 25/30
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Sustainability 7/10
Total score: 79/100
