Danner Pronghorn Boots [VIDEO]
This month Danner is honoring the tradition of hunting and the boots that go along with it. Danner Pronghorn boots were developed for sportsmen ready for a good chase.
With a claw-like sole ready to grip to the toughest terrain, the Pronghorn has a full-grain leather upper and CamoHide Camouflaged leather that's scuff-proof and waterproof. It's a serious boot for a serious hunter. Someone who doesn't takes their sport or their footwear lightly. Check out a 360 view of the boot.
We join Danner in proclaiming: "Long Live the Pronghorn!" Click below to watch their official commercial.
Poll: What’s Your Favorite Boot Brand?
For some, the choice is difficult. For others, it's not. But the task at hand? It's more than simple.
We want to know all about your favorite brand of military boots.
You've got to have at least one. There has to be something about the certain way those boots hug your feet. Or maybe it's the extra ankle and sole support. And then there's the ability to take on ultra-rugged terrain when other boots fail.
So, what boots brand has served you best? Why did you buy that certain boot? What made you pick one over another? We're curious to find out.
(Image via Flickr)
Danner Opens Boot Recrafting Factory
Last month Danner celebrated the grand opening of The Danner Factory Store.
In addition to carrying both Danner and LaCross footwear, the Portland store features a Danner recrafting factory. Located inside the 4,000-square-foot space, an expert bootmaker can turn a pair of old Danners sparkling new again right before your eyes. The craftsman fixes up the boots by replacing the outsole, rebuilding the midsole, reworking the leather and re-stitching the seams.
"The factory within a store concept is something we intentionally brought to our customers," said Joe Schneider, CEO of LaCrosse Footwear Inc, parent company of Danner, in a prepared statement.
Shoppers will also find plenty artifacts scattered around the store that trace Danner's 75-year history. The new space is one of two major projects Danner plans to complete this year. The other is a 59,000-square-foot factory that is scheduled to open later in the summer.
Jane of PortlandHikers.org stopped by the store's grand opening and wrote: "Lots of boots for the guys, limited for women (unfortunately), and they have rain gear and reflective outerwear, too. LaCrosse owns Danner now, and both lines are in their store. They had an interesting video playing about the making and testing of the boots; truly is a hands-on crafted product."
Army Scopes New Mountain Boot
According to Kit Up!, the Army is testing three versions of a new mountain combat boot. The blog says that the new test boots are similar to the Danner Combat Hiker.
Pictured above is one of three versions of the boot, this one is Danner's Mt. Combat Boot. The other two are from Wellco and Belleville. We don't want to steal Christian's thunder, so head over to Kit Up! for the full story.
The new crop of boots do indeed look like Danner's Combat Hiker Military Boots. Those boots feature a tough full-grain leather and Cordura upper to guard against abrasions and tears and rubber rand for further protection. It also touts Vibram Fifida outsoles and Gore-Tex lining.
In other boot news, there was an interesting piece in The Sydney Morning Herald chronicling Australian soldiers' struggle with ill-fitting military boots. Several hundred soldiers have logged official complaints about the Terra combat boot, the newspaper reports.
''Mark 3 combat boots never seem to fit,'' one soldier wrote. ''I resize every time to show my size hasn't changed, but every pair of the same size seems to be different. It takes a good deal of my blood to soak into the leather to make them more comfortable, then by that stage the sole has worn and broken away or eyelets fallen out, meaning I must change for a new set and start again.''
The Herald even revealed that the boot, which is said to have an unstable midsole, didn't test any better than the boots it replaced in 1999.
Does anyone have experience with uncomfortable issued boots? What actions did you take to improve your footwear condition?
(Image via Kit Up!)
Danner Boots on the Move
Danner Women's Dessert Arcadia Boot
Danner is moving into a new factory in Portland, Ore., the company's parent company LaCrosse Footwear announced earlier this month.
According to The Oregonian, this announcement came a week after the boot manufacturer posted record fourth-quarter sales, a result of increasing demands for military and outdoor boots.
Located one mile from its corporate headquarters, the 59,000-square-foot facility is twice the size of its previous factory, which was also located in Portland. The company said the new facility would enable to meet a growing demand worldwide for its customers in the work, military, law enforcement, outdoor recreation, hunting and Japanese markets.
"Danner is an iconic brand, whose boots have been hand-crafted in Portland since 1933, incorporating the highest standards of design, materials and construction," said Joseph Schneider, president and CEO of LaCrosse Footwear, in a prepared statement. "Our new facility will enable us to extend this great tradition of superior craftsmanship."
According to BusinessWeek, Lacrosse posted sales of $139.2 million for 2009, a 9 percent year-over-year increase.
Danner Boot Lawsuit
Danner Boot v. rag & bone's "Danner Combat Boot"
They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery. However, when that imitation poses a threat to the bottom line … well, we all know what comes next.
A lawsuit, of course!
According to WWD, Danner Inc. has filed a lawsuit against rag & bone over the New York-based label's "Danner Combat Boots by rag & bone." Obviously, they weren't shy about who inspired their black lace-up, combat-style boot, which is carried by Barney's New York and Saks Fifth Avenue reports New York Magazine. Above is a side-by-side comparison of the two boots, the original Danner boot on the right and rag & bone's version on the left.
In addition to the rag & bone suit, Danner is also suing Acadia Footwear, a Portland boutique, for name infringement. Danner's trademarked Acadia boots were developed more than 25 years ago.
Other noteworthy 'shoe suits':
- Balenciaga v. Steve Madden – Selling "inspired-by" shoes for just pennies compared to the originals, Steve Madden's blatant imitation brought on a suit from Spanish designer Balenciaga.
- Alexander McQueen v. Steve Madden – At it again, Steve Madden was named in another late 2009 suit claiming that the New York-based footwear designer copied Alexander McQueen's trademarked zipper.
- Nike v. Chinese Shoemakers – Nike won a 2007 lawsuit against Chinese shoemakers that were using the Air Jordan logo on athletic shoes not produced by Nike.
- Adidas v. Topline – Even though Topline's white shoes had one more and one less stripe than Adidas' three-stripe Superstar sneaker, that didn't stop Adidas from suing for infringement.
- Gwyneth Shoes v. Paris Hilton – One of the latest 'shoe suits' is over insoles. That's right: Insoles, the part of the shoe you can't even see! Gwyneth Shoes is claiming that Paris Hilton's footwear line stole its heart-shaped insole.
(Image via NyMag.com)
7 Ways to Make Your Boots Last Longer, Look Sexier
Combat boots are hot.
You love your boots, don't you? (Well, we certainly do since we run a blog entirely dedicated to them.) So, assuming your adoration runs as deep as ours, you should want to care for them like they were your first and only child … or something along those lines.
Here are seven tips for you, gleaned from the experts themselves -- the people who make them! (Note: Some of these tips apply to only full-grain leather, while others only to suede. Read closely for specification.)
1. Brush 'em. Just like your teeth and hair, your boots need a good bristle lashing to get their cleanest. For full-grain boots, some advise using a stiff brush to remove dust and dirt on a regular basis, while Danner and Belleville both suggest a softer brush. For suede boots, pick a metal bristle brush and lightly stroke the boot -- no heavy scrubbing! Doing so can be damaging to the leather and possibly to your boot-cleaning reputation.
2. Clean 'em. Instead of a brush, you can use a wet rag on full-grain leather boots. Danner offers its Cleaning Gel, which can remove even the tiniest particles of grime and helps with waterproofing. Apply the gel sparingly to wet leather. On the other hand, suede boots should be wiped down only on the inside with a wet, soapy cloth. If your boots have Cordura nylon fabric, that can be tidied up with warm water but NOT polish.
3. Polish 'em. Note: This only applies to certain types of full-grain leather. Utilize a polish containing silicone to keep the leather soft. Wellco suggests you use mink oil, and rub a small coat into the leather and seams with a cloth or dauber. To give them that super-glossy, rock-star look, make sure you buff 'em, too.
4. Waterproof 'em. Even if your boots are awesome enough already to have Gore-tex waterproofing, you still need to treat the leather. If you have a problem with that, consult Danner's Boot Care page, because that's what they say. Apparently water can get in between the leather and Gore-tex liner and create ugly water spots. And nobody wants that. The solution? They propose Danner Waterproofing Gel as a proper solution, which should be applied after boots are cleaned. Once you massage it onto the boot, allow some dry time and then wipe away any extra gel hanging around. However, they do warn: Do not use Danner Waterproofing Gel on nubuck, suede or rough-out leather boots. Instead, use our Danner Waterproofing Spray, which will help maintain the original texture of those products. Whatever you say!
5. Condition 'em. On this one, if you own nubuck, suede and rough-out leather boots, you're in the clear. What does that leave? Full-grain leather! If your boots are made out of full grain, condition them with a boot dressing product to prevent the leather from flaking, cracking or just from looking generally unattractive. Really work in the conditioner with all your might, and let it dry overnight. (And we promise that we didn't plan to have that rhyme. Because that would be awfully trite!)
6. Dry 'em (naturally!). Your best bet, unless you own a professional boot dryer (which, let's face it, you probably don't), is to let those puppies air dry. It will be really tempting to get out a hair dryer or head over to the nearest Wal-Mart bathroom and stick it under a hand dryer, but DON'T DO IT! All that blistering air could put your feet's best friend in critical danger. It's best that you let the sun or air at room temperature take care of it. Plus, that's less work for you, right?
7. Restore 'em. If you've been a neglectful boot parent, it's OK. We forgive you. Although your boots won't until you restore them to their original beauty. No matter how much you've mistreated them in the past, there's a way for you to get those handsome boots back -- but it will cost you. Danner's Recrafting service runs between $45 to $160 and includes repair stitching, hardware and sole replacements, new laces and, of course, a good cleaning and polishing. In the end, it will be well worth it and very "green" of you to do instead of tossing the old pair.
Now forget everything we just told you, and see how a 7-year-old (well, he's definitely young) polishes his military boots...
How Long Do Military Boots Last?
When you’re throwing down some major dough on a sturdy pair of combat boots, what’s going to be the ROI on those suckers? The major consensus online is that it comes down three things: quality, maintenance and what you put them through.
Obviously, like anything else, if you buy a military boot constructed with quality materials like full-grain leathers, 3M Thinsulate, Gore-Tex and Cambrelle nylon, it will last. Some lower-grade boots might appear to be a better deal in the short-term (like the ones at Army-Navy surplus stores), but they are typically slapdash.
Looking at buying a less expensive pair is like selling your “sole.” When you do the deal, you're trading in quality, comfort and reliability for something that will not only fail you when you need it the most, but you’ll end up wasting money in the long run when you have to buy a new pair in a year.
A good, high-quality pair of boots is smart investment indeed. Would you go to Payless to buy your boots? We think not.
Most people who take good care of high-quality boots could, in theory, make them last a lifetime. How can you make your pair last longer? Tend to your boots’ needs. Keep them clean, dry and polished or brushed. If you're not sure how to exactly do that, consult the brand's website such as Danner, which has an excellent boot care guide.
Danner Recrafting
If you're familiar with Danner boots, you know that they represent top quality materials and legit craftsmanship. Old world craftsmanship. Their boots are the kind of thing that once you have them broken in, you probably won't want to give them up. The good news is, you don't have to.
Danner now offers a recrafting service in which they lovingly restore your boots to like new condition. The process has to be seen to be believed, and luckily for us the company has provided a video giving us a glimpse into the recrafting process and results. Amazing!