What Happened to Danner?

[Bailey Guns]

I've always been a fan of Danner boots. I've worn them in the service, on the street, hunting, and they're my everyday choice for boots.

I've always worn the same size...since the late 80s.

But the last 3 pair I've ordered haven't been close to fitting. And, naturally, they've discontinued my favorite style, the Raptor. Now most of their shit is made in Viet Nam or China. I've yet to have a pair of their imported boots fit properly. And it seems they're getting further and further away from what made them a great boot company and offering more and more hipster-looking crap.

Just got two more pair today from an email sale and they don't fit either. Both pair going back. Both pair made in Viet Nam.

That's it for me. If I'm gonna buy made in China/Viet Nam crap I sure as hell ain't gonna pay Danner prices.

It was good while it lasted but it's time to find a new boot company.

[CS1983]

I’ve not had good luck with Danner fit either. My best pair of boots right now that I can walk up, down, and sideways all over the hills is a pair of 400 gram insulated Merrell’s. No blisters or hot spots but makes for a sweaty hike/hunt.

[ben4372]

Yep. They went down a bit. Even the "made in US" ones are mostly made in China and finished here. My uncle used to deliver to them in Portland before he retired. He was friendly with them and they'd give him blems for employee cost. He gave me a pair in the 90's that was a well built boot. Same thing happened to RedWing. 20 years ago they built what I would call the best lineman boot ever. Last pair 10 years ago, was garbage. I switched to Carolinas.

I'm with Bailey. Why pay a premium for boots that suck. I've been buying from http://www.americanmadeworkboots.com/. If you get on their email list they have good deals. Its been sad to see the reduction in selection in the last 10 years. They used to have a TON of boots.

[Little Dutch]

That’s a bummer. My Danner hunting boots have another season in them, but I’ll need to find a replacement for them pretty soon. I think they are the best pair of hiking boots I’ve ever owned.

[Grant H.]

I've been happy with my Carolina Boots. I'd give them a look.

They have been the most comfortable of the boots I've bought in the last few years, and they have lasted the longest (currently at about 18 mos), and they have lasted.

Red Wings made it 11 months.
Keen's made it 13 months.
Ariat's only made it 10 months.
Danner's made it 11-12 months.

Now, to be completely fair, I am unbelievably hard on boots. Standing on towers is a really good way to F up a pair of boots in a hurry, especially the stupid shitty ones made out of angle iron bolted together. They REALLY suck.
The rest of my job is pretty normal use on boots (metal grating, gravel, dirt, pavement, concrete, etc), but I am usually in my boots for minimum 10 hours a day.

[JohnnyDrama]

I had no idea Danner's reputation had slid so far. I was a big fan but the last pair of boots I bought were Rockys. They seemed to last every bit as well at half the price.

[def90]

I just had some Danner steel toed Bull Run work boots delivered today. A little tight/stiff but generally fit the same as the majority of shoes I buy. They should soften up and stretch a bit with use. Mine say made in USA with imported components, so I’m guessing they get the rubber for the soles and the leather outside the US.

[BladesNBarrels]

Similar thing happened to Clark shoes a few years ago.
They moved their manufacturing to third world, low priced labor, countries and Clark is no longer a premium shoe.

"All progress requires change, but
All change is not progress"
Dean Bennett

[rondog]

Probably bought by Remington, like Marlin was.....