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Danner boots recrafting service: wow!
Sometimes, you just gotta pay a little more to get a little more. Like most boot makers, Danner offers several boot lines that run the scale in price. Some, like my Pronghorns, are foreign made, cheaper and effectively disposable. They also offer some that are USA-made, better quality and re-craftable when time and use finally takes its toll on them. For my regular most-season hunting boot, I chose the latter a few years back in the form of the Canadian 600G Thinsulate-insulated boot.
After a few years of hard hunting, the boots finally stared looking the part, with plenty of superficial wear. But, I had to really stop using them when, after many trails hiked and Western mountains climbed, the sole started to delaminate from the last at the toes. The drooping rubber was looking to catch a rock and cause a bad spill.
For $143 (less than 1/3 the cost of replacing them at retail), Danner completely re-soled, repaired and refinished them. The pics they sent of their work is pretty impressive. While they can't fix all the leather erosion around the toe, they sure did one heck of a job sprucing them up in addition to resetting the miles on the soles. They also sent a brand new set of laces.
Here are the before and after pics that they emailed me:
It's good to know we still have some fine companies that do good, old fashioned work for a living.
After a few years of hard hunting, the boots finally stared looking the part, with plenty of superficial wear. But, I had to really stop using them when, after many trails hiked and Western mountains climbed, the sole started to delaminate from the last at the toes. The drooping rubber was looking to catch a rock and cause a bad spill.
For $143 (less than 1/3 the cost of replacing them at retail), Danner completely re-soled, repaired and refinished them. The pics they sent of their work is pretty impressive. While they can't fix all the leather erosion around the toe, they sure did one heck of a job sprucing them up in addition to resetting the miles on the soles. They also sent a brand new set of laces.
Here are the before and after pics that they emailed me:
It's good to know we still have some fine companies that do good, old fashioned work for a living.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
Replies
I have been torn on which direction to go for new work boots. While I like the ones I have, I have not checked to see if they are even available still. When I got them they were one of two offerings from Red Wings that were made here with material from here. I have heard some good things about Danner and I need to check their work boot lines for what is made here.
Mine have held up very well to 15 years of hard use, but they are showing their age. I was very disappointed to learn Danner doesn't rework this line.
I will buy another pair of Danners, but it won't, unfortunately, be Pronghorns.
Mike
N454casull
8", 200 gram thinsulate, Gore-Tex lined work boot. Well worth the $300 they cost when new.
The only pair of boots I like slightly better than Danners, and they are also 100% hand made in America, is Whites. Everyone that appreciates/needs good boots and don’t want to buy disposable should at some point put a pair of Whites on. Probably the last pair of boots you’ll ever buy but Danners are right up there.
It’s just that for me they make their boots just a hair slim and I have to get a EE size to fit. Whites is a touch more generous with their leather/lasts.
Other boots that I’ve owned simply sucked for what I paid for them. You live, you learn, I guess.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski