Danner Mountain Light Cascade: first impressions
The Danner Mountain Light Cascade is a beautiful classic style hiking boot made from a single piece of full grain sienna leather, artfully stitched to a thick Vibram rubber sole. The craftsmanship and materials are outstanding, and the result is a boot that’s tough enough for serious hiking, but stylish enough to pair with jeans for strolling around town between adventures.
All of that comes at a cost, and the Danner Mountain Light Cascades are undeniably expensive. costing $430 for the standard edition, or $440 if you want the extra protection of a Gore-Tex liner. That’s a big investment, but if you’re looking for boots with charisma that’ll last years and only gain character with each hike, it’s one that’s worth making.
• List price: $430
• Gender specification: Men’s and women’s sizing available • Sizes: Men’s 7 - 13, women’s 5 - 11
• Materials: Full-grain leather upper, fiberglass shank, Danner Dri-Lex liner, Vibram Kletterlift runner outsole
• Weight (per boot): 27.4oz / 777g (women’s US 11)
• Colors: Cascade
• Best use: Warm weather hiking
The leather is gorgeous, but takes a little extra care to keep it in good condition. Unlike synthetic boots, which you can get away with leaving a while before cleaning, you should get the dirt off your Danners as soon as possible. The good news is you don’t need lots of expensive products - just diligence with a damp cloth to keep them mud-free between walks. You can use a leather cleaner to get rid of heavier grime, and use a conditioning treatment once a month or so to prevent the leather drying out and cracking.
This will change the look of the leather slightly, making it a little darker, but that’s to be expected. The boots will pick up scratches and scuffs over time, but like a pair of raw denim jeans, the pattern of wear that develops is part of the charm.
Another advantage of the classic construction is that it allows for repairs that would be impossible with a machine-made boot – a process Danner calls recrafting. That’s better for your wallet in the long run, and the environment, as it means fewer boots sent to landfill or textile recycling. Provided the leather isn’t damaged, they can be resoled or even remade, giving them years of extra life.
The boots come up a little longer than average, and Danner advises erring on the smaller side if you’re between sizes. As a UK size 9, I opted for the US size 11, which equates to a UK 8.5, and they fit perfectly. It wasn’t a problem for me, but you have particularly narrow feet, it’s worth noting that the way the tongue folds means you can’t tighten them as far as you might expect, so you may need to invest in some thicker hiking socks or consider adding insoles.
They come with two pairs of scarlet laces: one flat and one round. Having tried both, I’d say your choice is a matter of style rather than functionality - both have minimal stretch and excellent grip to prevent slipping. Pick your favorite and carry the others as spares in the unlikely event the tough nylon breaks.
The Vibram outsole is seriously thick and chunky, and offers great traction on slippery surfaces. I’ve yet to make a dent in the rubber, but it’s reassuring to know it can be replaced when the time comes, leaving the boots good as new
Danner Mountain Light Cascade: on the trails
Leather hiking boots like these need breaking in, so make sure you wear them around the house for a while before your first hike, and choose hiking socks with cushioning at the ankle until the leather has softened and molded to your feet. Once that happens, they become blissfully comfortable.
I was expecting the breaking-in process to take a lot longer, but after just a few days of pottering about, I was confident enough to take them out on the hills. Bear in mind, however, that you won’t be able to return them once you’ve started breaking them in or have applied any cleaning or conditioning products.
I tested the Danner Mountain Light Cascade boots for a week of hiking near Sherwood Forest, England, and a weekend of walking and scrambling in Bannau Brycheiniog, Wales. I wore them with Darn Tough Micro Crew midweight hiking socks, and had no trouble with rubbing or blisters at all during that time.
They’re not light (at around 777g for a US women’s size 11, each one is around 100g more than my usual Brasher boots) but the weight isn’t as noticeable as I’d expected. The thick Vibram sole gives great protection against rocks and roots, and although rigid, it’s also springy, giving great energy return that I really noticed on climbs. That springiness also helps offset the boots’ weight, making them feel much lighter than they are on inclines.
The folded tongue design prevents ingress of dirt and water, though for truly wet hikes you’ll need to invest a little extra for the version with a Gore-Tex liner. The standard versions are fine in the rain, but Danner’s Dri-Lex liner isn’t waterproof so I wouldn’t want to wade through a brook wearing them. Instead, it's designed to keep your feet cool and comfortable while hiking in warmer weather, and I never found my feet becoming sweaty while walking on sunny days in late spring, despite the absence of breathable fabric panels.
Overall, if you can afford the initial investment, the Danner Light Mountain Cascade is one of the finest leather hiking boots around. Although stylish, it's definitely a serious piece of outdoor equipment, and has been leaving tracks on mountain trails since the 1970s for good reason.
If you’re tempted, but aren’t sure whether leather hiking boots are right for you, take a look at the pros and cons of leather vs synthetic boots.
