On Walkabout Gear Review: Danner Crater Rim GTX Hiking Boots

Basic Information

• Item: Danner Crater Rim GTX Hiking Boots
• Price: $299.95
• Weight: 3lbs and 10 ounces
• Material: Leather and breathable Gortex lining
• More Information:  Amazon.com

Review

There are probably few people that have more varying experiences wearing Danner’s Crater Rim GTX Hiking Boots than me, so I have decided to write a review about them.  Unlike most people who had to drop about $300 for a pair of these boots I was actually given them for free as part of the basic issue given to soldiers deploying to Afghanistan.  However, while deployed I rarely used the boots simply because in the deserts of southern Afghanistan I preferred boots that came up to my shin that I could blouse my pants in to keep sand out compared to the ankle length Crater Rims.  However, soldiers serving in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan wore these boots most of the time due to the terrain these boots were designed for.  Even though I did not use these boots much in Afghanistan, back in the US these passed two years I have used them heavily in the mountains of the American West.

From vast personal experience I can attest to the fact that these boots are especially useful for hiking on rugged terrain.  As to be expected by boots made by a legendary American boot manufacturer like Danner, the Crater Rims are tough.  I have used them exclusively for hiking in rugged canyons in the American Southwest as well as up many 14-thousand foot peaks in Colorado.  After all the hiking I have done in these boots they still look great without any damage to them:

When hiking 14ers in Colorado I often have to climb through snowfields and the Crater Rims’ Gortex liner keeps my feet dry and combined with the wool socks I wear warm as well.  This brings up something else I really like about the Crater Rims, the buckles for the shoelaces are very easy to loosen or tighten again based on how thick the pair of socks I am wearing is.  Another positive for me with these boots is that the ICEtrekkers microspikes I use when climbing mountains in the snow fits over the Crater Rims with no issues as well:

Due to its Gortex liner I also use these boots when I go snowshoeing because of what a good job it does keeping my feet dry in often extremely cold conditions in the mountains of Colorado:

Since the boots come up over the ankle gaters are needed to go through deep snow or otherwise water will get in through the top of the boot.  This was a major issue for me recently when my toes got quite cold when hiking up the 14,034 foot Redcloud Peak.  I have since bought gaters that I plan to use on my next hike in the snow.  During the summer months I generally do not wear these boots however on hikes unless it is on really rugged terrain.  The main reason is because these boots are warm and thus make my feet feel quite hot and sweaty when hiking in hot weather.  Also the boots do feel a bit heavier compared to the “Made in China” variety of boots out there.  For summer time hiking I have bought a pair of Danner® Ultra Light II GTX Hiking Boots.  After getting a few more months of use out of them I will eventually write review about this great pair of Danner boots as well.

So do I think you should buy a pair of Crater Rims?  The answer to this question is that it depends.  These boots are $300 and you get the quality you expect out of a $300 pair of boots.  However, if you are someone that does not regularly hike or only hikes very short distances on easy terrain than these boots are probably not worth the cost.  However, if you are a frequent hiker that travels great distances on often tough terrain like I do, these boots are worth every penny.  I am not the only one that thinks so either because Outside magazine named the Crater Rims as the Top hiking shoes of 2012.  After receiving such a prestigious award it is pretty obvious that the Crater Rims should be a top contender for anyone looking for a high end Made in America hiking boot that will last them many years even after the toughest of use.