Danner Mountain 600 Leaf GTX boots. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Price: £175
Weight: 1,124g/pair
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Sizes: men’s 6-13; women’s 2½-8 in medium or wide versions
Uppers: full-grain leather
Waterproofing: Gore-Tex
Sole stiffness: 6/10

I’ve previously tested boots from this Oregon-based brand, and found them very comfortable.

The Mountain 600 Leaf GTX was no exception, with out-of-the-box comfort, and good performance. The comfort comes from three of the model’s features: the supple leather uppers; the generous last with plenty of room in the forefoot; and the sole unit, which offers good underfoot cushioning.

The 600 Leaf is one of the 600 series from Danner, the big difference from others in the range being the fact it can be ‘recrafted’ – resoled and reconditioned – though at present this service is only available in the USA.

Uppers on the boot are full-grain leather and the Leaf GTX also has a Gore-Tex membrane. This combination kept my feet dry on some very rainy days. The thickness of the leather resisted the wet for a long time, and the second front of the waterproof lining ensured no rain came through. The tongue gusset is attached to the body of the boot just above the fifth pair of lacing d-rings – about ankle-bone height – so if you’re wading through water any deeper than that, you’ll get wet feet from it overtopping the protection.

The flat-profile laces locked well. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

As I mentioned, the leather is supple, which meant that it didn’t provide any discomfort on long walks, but it did resist scuffing well over a prolonged period of testing. The forefoot is wide (I tested the normal width version, but wide variant is also available) and is fairly low volume, which suited my feet well. The toe box is stiffened and resisted knocks on more technical terrain. There’s a plastic heel counter which worked well in keeping that part of the foot in place and there was no heel-lift on uphill sections.

The boots come with two pairs of laces. I stuck with the flat-section pair, as I’ve found in general this type locks in place better, with less tendency to slacken. There are five pairs of metal d-rings in the lacing system, starting from the boot flex-point backwards. Above these are two pairs of metal hooks, which are used to control tension around the ankle area. The forefoot needed fairly firm tensioning on the laces to prevent the foot moving forward. The heel cup has a stiffened area and there’s a small pull tab to help get the boots on. The ankle cuff and the top section of the cuff have a medium amount of padding, though both were comfortable when on the trail.

The midsole uses a rubberised EVA material that Danner says is more durable than traditional EVA. The removable OrthoLite insole has a good amount of foam padding. This, combined with good shock absorption from the midsole, made for an easy walking experience, with above average underfoot cushioning and rebound, particularly on harder surfaces. The whole sole unit has a gentle curve, aiding good gait on the trail.

The MegaGrip compound provided good traction and braking. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

The outsole is Vibram’s Fuga model, which uses MegaGrip compound. The ‘self-adaptive’ lugs are up to 4mm deep, but there are flex lines – lateral channels in the outsole which, as the name suggests, allow the sole to bend with the natural walking movement. There’s no step at the heel section but it does have a deeper t-shaped channel at the heel. Overall grip from the boot was very good, with traction and braking on rock from the MegaGrip very assured.

There’s medium torsional stability from the midsole, which was about right for walking on maintained footpaths and trails, plus the boggy moorland tussocks I regularly encounter, but I wouldn’t recommend the 600 Leaf GTX for scrambly, technical routes.

I’ve tested the Danner boots extensively over six months and the comfort has been consistent. They’re an ideal choice for the UK’s footpaths and trails, and are suitable for hillwalking on our country’s upland paths. Quality is good and the waterproofing worked well. As with all boots with a waterproof membrane, my feet did get pretty warm on long walks in higher temperatures, though these were pretty rare this year.

We rated the Danner Mountain 600 Leaf GTX a good buy. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

The Gore-Tex membrane uses 45 per cent post-consumer recycled material. The collar and liner are made from 100 per cent recycled material. The fact the boots can be resoled and reconditioned is a plus point for sustainability, though while this service is offered in the USA, it’s not really practicable for UK consumers.

The materials used and construction quality should give good durability, which is good for sustainability, but Danner and parent company LaCrosse Footwear provide little information on their sustainability policies. The boots come with a 365-day warranty.

Best uses: hillwalking, trail walking, trekking, country walking, urban winter walking.

Performance 35/40
Comfort 26/30
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Sustainability 7/10
Total score: 83/100