Danner 2650 Hiking Shoes – BPL Feedback?

I’ve been seeing Danner advertisements, and I am excited to learn they are doing more than just marketing to backpackers.

The trail 2650 almost looks like it was designed while reading BPL. Its hard to tell online how these compare weight wise to other popular trail runners but I what I really care about is durability.

I think it is gross how quickly hikers will go through synthetic shoes. The plastics in those things don’t biodegrade do they? If Danner has been able to produce a mesh hiking shoe light enough to compare to popular trail runners, but with the durability the Danner brand is known for, that minimizes the plastics, then that is a contribution I’d want to support. But as far as I can tell the jury is still out on their durability (and breathability for that matter). If I currently needed new hiking shoes, I’d give these a try.

I misread the Massdrop info – They do have them in EE width.  I don’t really need the 4E that NB makes.  I went ahead and, for $105, ordered a pair to try.  I’m hoping they’re here in time for my mid-May trip.  If not I have a 4-nighter coming up at the end of May, but I’m naturally a little reluctant to take new boots on a 60 mile trip…

I’ll post an update after they’re here and I have some miles on them.

The Danner 2650 are listed at 24 oz per pair.

For comparison, the Altra Lone Peak 4.0 are listed at 19 oz per pair and the La Sportiva Bushido are listed at 21 oz per pair.

So the Danners are heavier, but might be worth it to some. The external heel counter looks interesting. I’ve had problems with the lack of cushioning on the back of the heel in some shoes, but I haven’t worn a shoe with such a high 8mm drop in several years.

These look interesting. Hopefully are much more durable than the Altra’s. My Lone Peak 4.0 Mid toe cap is peeling after 4 months.

I’ve had a pair of 2650s for about a month now and I quite like them.

Some long-winded background. I’ve loved Danners for years–my first “real” hiking boots were Mountain Lites purchased in 1993 or so. I generally always have a pair of Gore-Tex Danner hunting boots for sloppy days and snowshoeing. I also recently purchased a pair of Mountain 600s–and while I like them well enough, they’re too clunky and non-athletic feeling on my feet to consider using for UL backpacking. So while I’ll proclaim my love for Danners to anyone who will listen, it’s been decades since I’ve used them for anything more than short hikes and snow days.

On to the 2650s. Armed with the knowledge that “a dayhike can break out at any time” here in Colorado, I grabbed a pair with the intention of using them as everyday shoes. (My son always asks me why I only have boots and no “regular shoes.”) To my surprise, they are extremely light and flexible with good support. On my scale, they weigh 24.75 oz in a size 12 wide. They breathe quite well and seem to provide a good balance between breathability and what I call “splash protection” for random unexpected moisture.

I’ve done a couple minor hikes in them so far, but I could absolutely see myself backpacking in these instead of the Salomon X Ultra 3s I generally prefer.

Hope this helps.

I’d be interested to hear more about your comparison to the Salomon X Ultra 3s. I hiked quite a bit in those around 2014-2016 and then switched back to Cascadias  after getting frustrated with the narrow toebox and aggressive rubber bumper of the Salomons. I do like increased rigidity and aggressive sole of my old Salomons when hiking on rough trails (which is basically everywhere I hike in AZ or the Sierras).

The 2650s look like they’d dry slowly after a creek crossing. What’s your feeling on that?

@Benjamin – Thanks for the response.  It’s nice to hear from someone who’s actually worn them.  I echo Matt’s question:  If you walk through a stream say, up to your knees, how quickly do they dry out?

A Massdrop (now Drop) sidenote:  I received an email from them today wherein they explained that there was an “error in the way the page was set up” and that they were canceling the drop.  I wasn’t charged so no harm done, but I was happy about getting a $150 pair of hikers for $105…

Danner has screwed me twice on boots that failed about 1/4 through their life.

Absolutely no more Danners for me. Sad B/C they are US made and used to be top quality.

I have a couple of USA made pairs of Danner boots that are 15+ years old and they are still going strong.  Of course I don’t wear them for backpacking, but they are quality boots.   Most of their lower end boots and shoes are now made overseas, and I’m not sure they are any better (or worse) quality than any other major brand footwear.

For hiking footwear, its all about fit, so if they fit like a glove, go for them, if they don’t, find something else.

I work in Danner steel toe boots and they pretty great, comfortable right out of the box. Durability is pretty much the same as any I’ve used, I shred them to bits within a year.  never considered the brand before reading your post for hiking because my go to for the past 7-8 years has been Salomon XA pro 3D. Super comfy, grippy never slippy, quick lace has spoiled me. Full mesh in 3 season and the goretex version with a pair of Forty Below Light Energy overboots in winter… I’ve tried altras and I like how light and comfy they are but durability and ruggedness has been a concern for hiking so I just run trails in them to preserve the longevity of my Salomons.

After looking at the 2650 specs, while it has perforations for breathabity it is still a leather upper which I think would dry slower than a synthetic upper.  They look pretty well made but the leather upper would disqualify them for me…

Looks like these are back up on Drop/Massdrop, for the same $105. Presumably, they fixed whatever error they had before.

The other Danners I’ve had have started pretty wide so I’m thinking the 2E will fit my normally 4E feet pretty well.

Could be the solution I’ve been waiting for (on a number of fronts) if  they hold up better than trail running shoes.   I’d like to test fit a pair before purchasing, but that “massdrop” looks mighty tempting … if they have my size (ACK! Not Seeing it).

Would also like a lighter color option, like beige-tan, for deserts, .. but let’s see how the design does first and foremost.

I haven’t walked through a stream yet to evaluate how quickly they dry, but I will take one for the team and do so once the temperature rises above freezing again. My guess is (as stated above) that as real leather boots they’ll take longer to dry than synthetic shoes, but we’ll see. They are quite thin and pliable, so it won’t be nearly like waiting for full-grain leather to dry.

As for a comparison with the Salomon X Ultra 3s, I’d generalize by saying that the Salomons are more like running shoes and the Danners are still more like boots, despite the advances they represent over traditional Danner products. The Salomons are more flexible under foot and have less extra space in the toe box (in a wide size, as with the Danners), which contributes to a greater sense of stability for me. I will probably always prefer a mid-cut boot because of the reduction in rocks in my shoes (as there’s something about my gait that kicks up lots of gravel), but I will certainly take the 2650s out for at least an overnight once the snow melts a bit more.

“there’s something about my gait that kicks up lots of gravel”

Or maybe there’s something about your shoes.  I notice a lot more dirt in my shoes when the sole extends past the foot cup in back:

Versus those that are undercut in the back – those toss a lot less sand and dust into my shoes:

I don’t think I want more stiffness than the Salomons provide. Oh well.

@Jim C – Thanks for letting me know that they were back on Drop…Massdrop let me know that they were cancelled but not that they were available again.  Only four days left if you want a pair for $105…

A quick follow-up post on the Danner 2650s if anyone is interested.

I’ve now worn them on multiple backpacking trips and have no complaints about the fit or design. These shoes broke in nicely after a few weeks of wear, and they’re now somewhere between the X Ultra 3s and XA Pro 3Ds in terms of stiffness and athletic feel (to continue the Salomon comparison from above).

As was previously suggested, the one major drawback here is the length of time it takes the leather uppers to dry. Once they get soaked through, they stay wet for most of the day. The back section of the shoes is a synthetic leather that dries much quicker than the front portion. Quick-drying is one of the main reasons hikers choose a non-GoreTex low-cut shoe, so this could be fairly problematic depending on conditions.

I’d be very interested in a fully synthetic 2650 that eliminates the leather portion for faster drying. As it is, I have no problems wearing these shoes when I expect them to stay mostly dry, such as on-trail hikes in good weather without difficult or repeated stream crossings.

@Benjamin – Thanks for the update.

I’ve worn them on two trips now and really like them.  I’ll echo your experience that the leather portion is slow to dry after a stream crossing, but it didn’t seem to affect how my feet dried.  The inside of the boots dried much more quickly than the leather outer.

I liked them so much that I bought another pair to have as backups, although Danner doesn’t seem to change their models every 6 months like NB or the other manufacturers.  I would like a fully synthetic 2650.

I have the Lone Peak 4, and 4.5, and will choose my 2650’s everytime.  So impressed with the quality, and performance of mine

I saw that Danner came out with kind of a mesh version of the 2650, called the Trailcomber:

https://www.danner.com/trailcomber-3-lichen-picante.html

Notable changes:

• Cordura knit upper
• 4mm heel-toe drop
• Either 16 oz or 19 oz per pair, depending on which description on the website is accurate

Anyone tried it yet? I have no idea when it came out – not a lot of user reviews on it. I liked the 2650, but the 8mm drop was too much for me (as someone used to wearing Altra/Topo shoes).

The Trailcomber looks interesting, but not that different from a lot of what’s out there.  Struggling to see what would make it stand out.  In particular, that vibram lug pattern does not look terribly grippy to me.  TBH, it looks a bit like outdoor-inspired fashion footwear.

Also note that a great many (most?) of Danner’s current lineup is imported, including the 2650.  It seems only the “stitchdown construction” (old school, big, heavy traditionally constructed) boots and the Crater Rim are still made in USA.

The Trailcomber looks interesting, but not that different from a lot of what’s out there.  Struggling to see what would make it stand out.

Well, I was hoping it lasts longer than most trail runners. Maybe that’s not the case. I have yet to find a shoe that has a wide toebox, a low or zero heel-toe drop, and lasts at least 500 miles. Some would suggest the Inov-8 Terraultra G, but its toebox is not particularly wide.

I’ll have to keep these in mind for when my current pair of 2650’s wear out (I have a new pair of 2650’s on deck).  The Trailcomber seems to be the result of our earlier comments asking Danner to get rid of the leather uppers…They’ve also changed the drop from 8mm to 4mm and they continue to be available in a wide.

Thanks for posting!