Review: Danner Trail 2650 GTX Shoe

Being a travel and outdoor photographer and film-maker, I tend to carry large, heavy rucksacks on some questionable terrain, in all weathers. Therefore, shoe-wise, I need something that can perform well in all those conditions and keep my feet dry while giving me excellent support and grip.

I prefer using a lighter weight pair of shoes compared to boots as I find boots more restrictive when scrambling or hiking up steep terrain, but I don’t want to compromise on ankle support if I can help it.

In an ideal world, I love having a pair of shoes that can perform well in the great outdoors, as well as being able to look like they belong when I go into town.

This has ended up being a long-term test, and I must say I have been super impressed with them to the point where they have become my everyday shoe as well as using them out in the wild. I must have worn them nearly everyday for 6 months or so now, and they’re still going strong without any obvious signs of wear or tear apart from the expected wear on the sole. 

In that time, they have completed many miles around the Brecons, Snowdonia and the South Downs, as well as further afield such as the famous Tongario Alpine Crossing in New Zealand and various sections of the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage trail in Japan. These shoes really have seen it all and they keep on going! Not to mention being my everyday shoe around my now home city of Bristol – I estimate that these shoes must have already done 500-750 miles at least.

When I’ve been taking these off the trail, I’ve been impressed with how much grip and protection they provide. I’ve stubbed and knocked the front of these shoes against more rocks and tree roots than I care to mention, but while the rubber toe rand is fairly scuffed now, it’s always protected my toes and shows no sign of failing anytime soon. The Vibram megagrip combined with the multi-directional lugs have allowed me to scramble at some pretty extreme angles on dry rock.  I have found though that on sharper rocks and rougher terrain, you can begin to feel these objects through the sole; not in an uncomfortable or painful way, but might be worth considering if you intend to use these as your main scrambling shoes. 

One thing Danner has done differently with the Trail 2650 GTX is moving the heel cup onto the outside. Normally you’ll find this on the inside, but by moving it to the exterior it allows the heel to sit more naturally, and gives more stability to the whole foot. Danner have also added an 8mm drop to this model, which I’ve found has helped with foot fatigue and improved my walking stride.