The Danner Trail 2650 looks great and performs even better. Photo: Steve Andrews//The Inertia
For a hiking shoe to truly shine, a few non-negotiable requirements must come into play. Comfort is paramount, for if you don’t have that you won’t enjoy your time on the trail. Traction is also of utmost importance. Nobody wants to be slipping around all day, especially far from any support. Another big differentiator between good hiking shoes and hiking boots should be weight, or rather, lack thereof. If you’re serious about moving fast on the trails then you want the shoes to be as light as possible while also providing the necessary comfort and traction to get you there in one piece.
After testing the Danner Trail 2650 ($170) hiking shoes, I found that they hit all of these points and look really good as well. That’s a good thing if you don’t feel like having a closet full of shoes for every little circumstance and would rather just have a piece of reliable footwear that feels great on the trails as well as in the pub. Danner is more well-known for their boots, but their foray into the light hiking shoe world seems to be a winner. I even took it for a run and they felt great. These shoes have a lot going for them, which I’ll discuss in more detail, below.
Plus, we have plenty of other top picks in our guide to the Best Hiking Shoes.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great traction underfoot | Fit is fairly narrow |
| Comfortable on first wear | Not much lateral support |
| Multiple options to suit your need |
Danner Trail 2650: First Impressions
Category: Crossover Hiking Shoe
Weight: 9 oz per shoe
Heel-Toe Drop: 8 mm
Versions: Campo, GTX, Trail Mesh, Mid
The first thing I noticed when pulling these shoes out for the first time was the quality of the materials for such a lightweight package. At nine ounces, they certainly fall under the “lightweight” category yet the suede material gives the shoes both durability and style. The comfort of the material combined with the Ortholite footbed made them ready to go right out of the box.
As I started moving in them, the cushion of the midsole felt like I could move fast yet still have sufficient protection underfoot on rocky and uneven ground. Once the ground really started coming uneven, the low-cut design made me realize that I wouldn’t want to carry a heavy pack with these on, yet for day hikes and ultralight setups these shoes were more than enough. They do come in a mid-cut option if you need more support.
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The shoes win style points but have the comfort and performance needed to log big days on the trails. Photo: Steve Andrews//The Inertia
Notable Features of the Danner Trail 2650
The big shining factor in my mind was the lightweight EVA midsole. It provides enough protection underfoot to handle rough trails yet hardly weighs anything, allowing for fast movement. I even did a few runs in this and never felt like the shoes couldn’t handle the impact.
The Vibram outsole is second to none and has certainly become the standard for premium hiking shoes. These are no different and felt tacky on a variety of trails, yet did not require any significant breaking in to feel like they were doing their job.
The shoes have a mesh pattern on both sides to allow for breathability, and sweat was never an issue, despite wearing cotton socks, just to be sure.
The midsole provides a sweet spot of cushioning and bounce. Photo: Steve Andrews//The Inertia
Drawbacks of the Danner Trail 2650
Being a low-cut model, there isn’t sufficient lateral support to take this on a big backpacking mission with a heavy pack. I still felt like I could handle a heavy load, but when the ground was uneven, I could feel my foot slipping to the sides. That said, these shoes are never presented as heavy-duty, so just be aware of that if you want to take them on a backpacking trip. Ideally, you would opt for the mid-top shoes if you’re doing more backpacking than day hikes.
While the outsole provides excellent traction, the lug pattern isn’t too deep, and for muddy trails or soft ground, you’ll lose some of that grip. For that reason, you might not want to use these shoes unless on firm ground where slipping out might become an issue.
These shoes were designed to move fast on the trail. Photo: Steve Andrews//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
Danner has made a pair of shoes that can handle long distances and speeds with ease. The quality materials are well thought out, and the design lends itself to moving well for many hours at a time. The lightweight midsole is where these shoes really shine, and I felt the comfort on day 1 which only seemed to improve throughout the testing period.
If you’re looking for a pair of shoes that will serve many purposes, and also look good enough to wear casually around town, the Trail 2650 has many uses beyond the trail. The comfort was right up there at the top of the list, and at only nine ounces, I hardly noticed they were under my feet. They aren’t heavy-duty shoes by any means, but for fast hikes and trail runs, they are now my go-to when I want to log some miles and do so with efficiency and ease.
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Editor’s Note: Check out the rest of our picks in our guide to the Best Hiking Shoes. For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
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