Solid, dependable, comfortable boots — everyone should own a pair, particularly if you live in a part of the world where rain, sleet and snow is a regular occurrence.
For reliability, you can’t beat a good pair of work boots and, while Red Wing might the go-to brand for that classic Moc Toe look, there is an alternative that we think feels more practical and comfortable straight out of the box.
Danner’s history is long and likely well-trodden if you happen to be from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where the company first laid down its foundations.
Charles Danner founded the Danner Shoe Manufacturing Company in 1932, slap-bang in the middle of the Great Depression. His original goal was simple: make tough, reliable boots for the hard-working folk trying to get the country off its ass.
A few years later, Danner moved his operation to Portland, Oregon, placing the business at the heart of America’s timber industry. This wasn’t to capitalise on the untapped nearby surf, the coffee culture and small batch beer brewing, but to be near the loggers, shipyard workers and labourers in the Pacific Northwest, who demanded footwear that could survive constant punishment, and Danner quickly earned a reputation for building boots that out-lasted the competition.
Times have changed and now, you’re more likely to find classic workwear in your nearest trendy farmer’s market than you are on an actual building site but Danner is still delivering the goods.
In fact, it pivoted in the 1960s to keep up with the trend towards outdoor active lifestyles, pioneered by those early folk climbing impossible faces in Yosemite and generally pushing burgeoning extreme sports out of the fringes and into the mainstream.
While many rival manufacturers stuck to heavy-duty leather boots, Danner quietly pivoted into hiking footwear, becoming the only company making hiking boots domestically in the US at the time. That move paid off in 1973 with the launch of the now-iconic Mountain Light, a lighter, more agile hiking boot that resonated with serious walkers.
Buy hey, we’re not here today to recommend the next pair of shoes to accompany you on that trek up Snowdonia, but instead focus on the classics: the 8-inch Bull Run and modern twist on the Moc Toe in the waterproof and ridiculously comfortable Cedar River model.
Both measure 8-inches tall, offering the sort of ankle protection that can see both pairs easily slip from bar to motorbike, while both also pack a removable OrhtoLite footbed that instantly feels comfortable underfoot and manages heat better than some of the original boots.
The Bull Run (£290) has been around almost as long as Danner has, packing utilitarian work boot styling, a full-grain leather upper and a huge Danner Wedge of non-conductive outsole underneath that soaks up the bumps but also doesn’t crumble after a few months of wearing them.
Cedar River (£210) is a modern twist on the classic Moc Toe work boot, with another full-grain leather upper, although this time it has been given the waterproof treatment so it can handle whatever the weather throws at it.
Again ,these brilliantly sturdy boots work brilliantly on the bike, offering excellent ankle protection but also protecting from the elements. Scuff up the upper with a little clutch lever action and they look even better.
Break-in period is surprisingly short, negating the need to wear about 15 pairs of socks for several months while the leather softens. Danner has added a padded collar, which helps a lot, but they are genuinely comfy straight out of the box.
Both models are available in a number of classic colour finishes, while both also come in shorter 6-inch versions, as well as the choice to have them fitted with a steel to cap if the site – or coffee shop – demands it.
