Danner Pronghorn GTX Field Test 1

How do you write a review for a pair of hunting boots? I’ll tell you how. You put them on your feet and wear the hell out of them for three years. I’ve hiked, climbed, side-hilled, walked, stalked, ran, ascended, descended, and slept in these boots. I’ve put my barkin’ dogs (that’s what I call my feet) thru every bit of torture and cruelty you can imagine. A few hundred miles later my Danner Pronghorn GTX’s have passed the field test with flying colors.

I’m one of those guys that buys something and then uses it until it falls apart. My last pair of Danner hunting boots lasted me 18 years, so when it finally came time to buy some new boots there was no question which brand I’d go with. I loved those boots so much that I had the Russian shoe guru in my old hometown of Bellingham, Washington slap a new set of soles on them towards the end of their life. Wishful thinking, but it bought me a couple more years of abuse and would’ve been more, but I melted them badly attempting to dry them out next to a camp fire on a cold and soggy deer hunt. Time for some new boots!

After trying on a number of different styles I settled on the 8″ Danner Pronghorn GTX’s with 400G Thinsulate. The boots are available in 200G, 400G, and 600G Thinsulate insulation. I chose the 400G because I wanted some insulation, but didn’t want to overheat in my boots. We just don’t get that many frigid hunting days here in the Pacific Northwest, at least not where I hunt, and I thought that overheating could be an issue.

When I was checking these boots out I liked the waterproof Realtree Goretex outer layer and the Predator TF outsole that provides what Danner describes as a “super-gripping, claw-like” quality that reduces the chance of slipping on the gnarly ground I’m typically hunting in. I also like the sole because it’s stiff enough to keep my feet from aching after climbing around in the rocks all day, yet soft enough to provide much needed “grip-tion”.

A 1000 Denier nylon upper section and Camohide leather makes these boots lightweight, yet tough as nails. Danner uses a system they call Terra Force to construct these boots that results in a very rigid and stable platform. That and a full eight inches of ankle support have kept me from rolling an ankle on numerous occasions, one of which was this fall. I rolled my ankle badly coming down off a ridge at the end of the day and had I not had been wearing these boots I would’ve spent the rest of the season, well, here on the computer. No swelling, no ankle sprain, no nothing. Good to go!

I would recommend the Danner Pronghorn’s to anyone looking to invest in a hunting boot that’s going to last a very long time. I’ve done the field work for you on this one and I can attest to the toughness and hunt-ability of these great boots. I’ve put my Pronghorn’s through three hard years of work and expect many more out of them.

For more information about Danner Pronghorn boots visit www.dannerboots.com.

Rob Endsley
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com