Review: Danner Radical 452 hiking boots

These Danner Radicals hiking boots were reviewed by John Nerness, my hiking partner of some 50+ years. 

by Leon Pantenburg

Disclaimer: John Nerness bought these Radicals to wear and use. After hearing how much he liked the Radicals, I decided a review was in order. Nobody had any input into the contents of this post. All Survival Common Sense ever promises is a fair testing and review. 

I am really picky about hiking footwear, and my boot collection reflects that. Some people, like my wife, might think there is some sort of boot fetish involved, or that I’m  obsessive/compulsive. Not true. I also love sandals and flipflops!

We do a  lot of reviews because readers ask for opinions about different types of gear. Sometimes I’ll ask an experienced outdoorsperson to check out a product if I think they know more about it than I do.

Danner Radical 452

John Nerness and I have been hiking and backpacking together since 1971. When he and his wife Claudia visited us in Bend, Oregon last summer, we went to the Danner Store at The Box Factory shopping center. Claudia bought a pair of 2650 trail shoes, the same model my wife Debbie and I swear by. (UPDATE: We went back to the Bend Danner Store in June, 2024. Claudia bought two more pairs of 2650s, and John also got a pair. They also bought several pairs of socks.) 

Obviously, I like Danner footwear. I have tested and reviewed the Danner Coyote Full Bore, Incursions, 2650s, Pronghorns, and South Rim 600. My wife also has a pair of Inquire Chukkas. (She doesn’t like the Chukkas’ waterproof liners. She says the boots are too hot to wear in the summer.)

But shopping for boots with John is a challenge (Can you say persnickety?) A retired design engineer, John worked in the aerospace industry for 33 years. He knows how things are supposed to work. He also knows exactly what he wants and needs in boots and socks.

Left: John Nerness crosses a log bridge in Rocky Mountain National Park, while my brother Michael Pantenburg waits for him to fall in. Top right: Leon and John on first backpacking trip in 1971. Center: Leon, John and Michael at Continental Divide, 1986. Bottom: John and Leon in Oregon Cascades 2017.

Our first hiking trip in 1971 was along the Des Moines River in Central Iowa. We knew absolutely nothing about backpacking and didn’t know anyone who had ever been backpacking. All our gear was Vietnam-era Army stuff from the Ames (Iowa) Surplus Store. An entire post could be written about the things we did wrong.

Over the next 50 years, John and I adventured in mountain ranges and on rivers all across the United States, in such diverse and different places as Death Valley and the Okeefenokee Swamp. In later years, my brother Michael Pantenburg joined us on several backpacking trips.

John wore out these Pivettas in the western mountains over decades of hard use.

John moved to California to work for Lockheed aircraft in the San Francisco Bay area in 1973. Our next backpacking trip was in 1976 in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. John showed up wearing a pair of Pivetta hiking boots. (He had paid the incredible sum of $50 for them!)

He wore the Pivettas for the next 20-some years until they were completely worn out. John never got blisters or sore feet from the boots, and they were so comfortable he wore them around camp. John has bemoaned the demise of his Pivettas many times.

Anyway, after hours spent trying on different models of boots at the Danner Store at the Box Factory in Bend, Oregon, and in-depth discussions about hiking boot characteristics, John settled on a pair of Danner Radicals 452.

Here are the specs on the Danner Radicals:

Here is how the Radicals have worked out so far.

John broke in the Radicals gradually by wearing them around the house at first, and then by wearing them on increasingly long walks. We planned on doing a long hike in the Central Oregon Cascades this summer, but that didn’t pan out. We did take several shorter day hikes where the Radicals proved themselves.

Here is the good stuff:

Stability: This was one of the strong points of the boot. John was wearing his Radicals when he miss-stepped on a bicycle rim in the dark in his basement. Doesn’t sound like much, but most you never know what apparently insignificant action might lead to a major injury. John mentioned that he could have easily sprained an ankle, considering the circumstances.

The Vibram soles are non-slip under the great majority of situations.

Sole: The Vibram sole pattern has proven to be an excellent choice. I’ve worn mine on wet, slippery rocks, desert sand, and in southern clay ravines covered with wet oak leaves. The soles and pattern haven’t let me or John down.

Materials: Danner footwear is known for quality fit and top-notch materials. Time will tell, but the Radicals give every indication of being a really durable boot. (No, I didn’t write “Tough as a boot,” even though I was tempted!)

Fit: This boot is built on the 850 last. According to the Danner website, this last fits true to size with an athletic and supportive fit, while providing ample room in the toe. This fit is ideal for those needing high mileage performance from their gear.

John, wearing his Radicals, takes a break on a Central Oregon hike.

John spent a lot of time getting the right fit. We both love the fact that Danners come in wide widths. This is very, very important for someone who might end up carrying a heavy pack over long distances. Everybody’s feet naturally swell over the day, and those boots that felt great in the showroom in the morning could be causing pain in the afternoon. The folks at the Danner Store produced the right boots with exactly the right fit.

Comfort: There must be a compromise between support and comfort. Too much support means you’ll feel like you are wearing a cast on each foot. Too little and the boot can’t do its job on boulder fields or mountain skree. A boot that fits well and is suited for the terrain you’ll be hiking in is the key to comfort.

Waterproof Liner: Neither of us like waterproof liners on boots. (But other experienced outdoorspeople may love them.) My experience is that the liners make the boots hot and they can’t release the interior boot moisture as fast as it is generated. John concurs. My wife Debbie has a pair of Danner Inquire Chukkas, and she doesn’t wear them much in our home state of Mississippi.

“My feet are on fire,” she commented during one southeastern hike. These otherwise excellent boots sit in the closet because of the waterproof liners. So far, John hasn’t had any complaints about the liners (that I’ve heard!)

Do you need a pair of Danner Radicals?

Maybe. They’re incredible boots! But don’t buy them based on this review alone. There is no outdoor footwear that is the best for everyone, everywhere. Your footwear protects your feet, determines your safety in the wilderness and may be the final factor determining whether or not you end up in a survival situation.

In John’s case, the Radicals were just what he was looking for. Will they be up to the standard set by his beloved Pivettas? Well, that going to take some time and many more miles to figure out!

There are a lot of factors that determine how comfortable your hiking footwear will be.  Consider these things when you are shopping:

• Shoes or boots for hiking?
• Waterproof or not?
• What are the best socks for the conditions?
• How do you avoid getting sore feet?
• Will the shoes or boots keep your feet warm?

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