The Mountain 600 Leaf GTX is Danner’s first recraftable lightweight hiking boot, which means that as well as being resoled it can be rebuilt and reconditioned. At present this can only be done by sending boots back to Danner in Portland in the USA but the company hopes to have a recrafting service in Europe soon. As the boots should last well anyway hopefully a European service will be operational by the time anyone needs it.
Chris Townsend Recommends
The Mountain 600 Leaf GTX is Danner’s first recraftable lightweight hiking boot, which means that as well as being resoled it can be rebuilt and reconditioned.- Lightweight
- Environmentally friendly
- Recraftable
- Two widths comfortable
- Bit warm for summer
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Weight: 1,138g (pair of size 9 Wide) Price: £185 Uppers: LWG certified full-grain leather, Gore-Tex liner Midsole: Vibram SPE rubberised EVA Sole: Vibram with Megagrip Sizes: Men 6.5 – 14.5, women 3-9, two widths https://global.danner.com |
There are other environmentally friendly features too. The inner and collar are made from 100% recycled material and the Gore-Tex bootie has 45% post-consumer recycled materials. The OrthoLite Eco footbed uses 12% plant-derived bio-oil. The full-grain leather is Leather Working Group certified.
Mountain 600 boots have been in Danner’s range for many years and the Leaf GTX looks much like other versions. It’s a classic ‘little brown boot’ with a reinforced TPU heel and a hard toebox. Lacing is via five sets of D rings and two sets of hooks. Two sets of laces are supplied, flat and round. The sole has a slight curve to help with forward propulsion. The midsole is made from Vibram SPE rubber/EVA for durability. The outsole is Vibram Megagrip with “self-adapting” lugs that are meant to move with your feet. These lugs are triangular and there are deep grooves running across the sole to allow it to flex with your foot. There’s also a nylon shank that makes the boots stiff longitudinally. They still flex easily at the forefoot for easy walking.
Unlike many boots (too many!) the Mountain 600 comes in two widths, Regular and Wide. The latter fits me well. I wouldn’t be able to properly test these boots otherwise. Whilst the forefoot allows plenty of room for my toes to spread out the heel isn’t so wide that my ankles move around. In fact for me the fit is just about perfect and the boots are very comfortable. They don’t require any breaking-in as I found on a first short walk and I was soon wearing them for hill walks.
Their toughest test came in early June, a time of year when I usually find waterproof boots too hot. Not this year! In fact it was more like January when I walked across the Cairngorm Plateau, the ground covered in fresh snow. The Mountain 600s were fine. They gripped well and kept my feet warm and dry. As well as snow I walked on wet rocks and wet grass without problems. These aren’t full winter boots of course (though you could attach walking crampons) but for most walking, whatever the terrain, they’re fine, though if your feet run hot, as mind do, you will probably find them too warm on hot summer days.
The plain and subdued look of the Mountain 600 offers an alternative to the multi-coloured, patchwork look of many lightweight boots. So if you prefer a brown leather boot they’re well worth considering.
