DannerMen's Mountain Light II Boot, Brown Full-grain Leather, 8 Narrow

Great boot. looks good and feels good too.

Danner make good boots

When I was looking for a new hiking boot, I loved the look of these (and I loved the look of them in James Bond) but I'd never worn - or even seen - Danner's around so I wasn't sure what they were all about. I researched and read enough to know that they're supposed to be extremely well made, breaking them in is a point of pride and a way of separating the true Danner fans from the weak masses (who needs those pesky Achilles anyway) and they are supposed to be real hikers capable of taking you anywhere and back (with dry feet). Ultimately, on most of my expectations I was sorely disappointed.On the quality issue, the heel came off within a year of occasional use (I mean... I was still only half way through the self flagellation of breaking these bad boys in). To Danner's credit, we're in the process of a warranty claim and they seem to be pretty willing to help, but the heel seems to be glued on and I really wasn't expecting the shoe to fall apart like this. Hopefully this is just a lemon, but it makes me think about the 1 year warranty and how lucky I was that my heel came off within this 1 year period. Danner almost squeaked by.The second point was the breaking in of the show. Yup. This is painful but somehow feels worth it. Like raw Japanese Denim, you just have to kind of trust that the process will be worth it (and that the heel doesn't fall off during the break-in process).My third expectation was that these were actually 'good' hiking shoes. Looking back, I feel kind of embarrassed that I thought that, I mean, I really wanted them to be good hikers and I literally willed myself to believe that they could be. Be darned that they are so heavy, so uncomfortable, clunky, and fashionable. You are not going anywhere fast but at least you're looking good doing it. Make no mistake, these are city hikers. Fashion hikers. They will power your single speed bike. They will keep you dry from MEC (REI) to your Subaru in the rain. But they are not meant for anything longer than a walk through a trail in the woods. If that's the book that you're looking for than these are great (so long as the heel stays on) but I was looking for a real hiker and was so excited that my hiking book actually look cool - like Mallory's leather boot going up Mt. Cook or Warren Harding's climbing Yosemite in the 50s. I wanted a killer leather boot. Then I actually started wearing them around and they're terrible for anything other than walking.Maybe I didn't give them enough of a chance (my heel fell off... not my fault) but the boot is also not waterproof. There's a Gore-tex sock inside the book that is supposed to seal it, but 100% my foot was as wet as it was outside. The sole also has a habit of absorbing water like a sponge and keeping it directly against your foot making your foot not only wet, but often cold. When you walk, you can watch the water squeeze out of the sole. Which means the boot also gets much heavier in any wet weather.Now, I may have just had a lemon, I'm going to still wear these around once my heel gets fixed because they look great, but if you're looking for a real hiking boot, this is not your huckleberry. Best to keep looking. Unless, of course, you just want to look good doing it.

I've had these for over 18 month and hiked in the Alps and N America in them in various terrains and weathers. They seem indestructible.PRO: The first thing to say, unlike a few other reviews on here, is I find that Danner (and they have a reputation for this) make a top quality boot; I'm still very pleased with them and they have all the support and strength in all the right places. They are my fave boots by a long stretch -- super reliable, strong and durable.CON: They need breaking in longer than the average boot due to the one-piece leather design, and unless I'm wearing the correct sock combo, still can cause the odd blister. The boots are not lightweight either, nor do they claim to be.

I've only had these for about 6 months at the time of this review, but they've held up perfectly. After some particularly rough outings, I gave them a quick treatment with some coconut oil, and I swear they look as good as new.I was skeptical about the plastic insoles provided, but have been pleasantly surprised with how comfortable they've been.The only downside I will mention is that the gore-tex lining doesn't allow your feet to breathe, and can make for an uncomfortably hot experience. But that's true for all waterproof shoes as far as I can tell, and doesn't take away from the excellent quality of these boots.EDIT: Also worth mentioning that the break-in period for these boots was approximately 2 weeks of regular wear; which is the price you pay for heavy duty leather boots. If you can stand a few blisters and a couple weeks of sore feet, you'll be rewarded with an incredible pair of boots that will become even more comfortable over time, as they slowly take the shape of your foot. Just don't don't expect to go hiking in them as soon as they arrive.UPDATE: It's been 18 months since I first got these boots, and they've only improved with age. I wear them nearly every day from September to April, and even most days through the summer. The vibram soles will need to be replaced soon, which is part of the beauty of these boots. Rather than having to throw away a perfectly good pair of boots, I can send them back to Danner (or a cobbler) to have the outsoles replaced for a small fee. Still a very satisfied customer.