As you know, I test a lot of outdoor gear and write a lot of product reviews.

    Some trips I may have eight to ten different products to test, so it can get a little hectic. That happened earlier this year when I had seven pairs of boots to test.

    I thought it may be fun for the girls in the audience to hear once in a while about some female gear being tested, so I recruited my oldest daughter, a hot shot over in Oregon. They ship those kids all over fighting fires. They’re rough on equipment and work long hours. During the fire season they’re working 14 hours a day, 14 days on, two off. It’s about as good of testing ground as you can find.

    With that said, I figured Cami could put them through the mill even though she had switched positions and was working in Wyoming this summer for the Forest Service. Well, here is her Product Review. Go ahead and take over Cami:

    “I received my first pair of Danner boots (Explorer Model) from my father to use hiking this summer. The only boots that I had owned before were my fire boots, which I had used when I worked for the Forest Service. When I first took the Danner boots to break them in, the first thing that I noticed was the traction that they gave me while hiking. Naturally they were stiff, but I was able to scale steep rocks with a proper grip compared to my hiking companions, who were wearing tennis shoes and generic hiking boots.

    After breaking in my hiking boots, I was very impressed by how comfortable they are. When I worked for the Forest Service, I always had to wear two pairs of socks with my boots to prevent blistering. This was never necessary with my Danner boots. They were very comfortable and did not cause any blistering on my feet after being broken in.  

    The ankle support that they provided was also impressive. I have naturally weak ankles that are prone to rolling, but even on difficult terrain, I felt fully supported while hiking. Oftentimes, I had to hike off trail to reach a destination and still was able to remain stable and supported on off trail hikes.

    Since I was living in remote areas over the summer, I was concerned with durability. If my boots were to fall apart halfway through the season, it would be difficult for me to replace them with another pair. Without even the internet, I would have to drive several hours into town to purchase a new pair of boots. My Danner boots showed minimal wear and tear despite the amount of hiking I did. The tread remained intact on the soles and the stitching held up very well.  

    I was very happy with my Danner boots. I trust that they will last for quite a few more hikes and feel confident about taking them into the wilderness for future hiking excursions. I would rather have one good pair of boots than several pairs of lower quality, which is why I feel that I will continue to wear Danner boots in the future.”