Danner Vertigo 917 Review: The Comfiest Leather Boot Yet?

One of Danner’s mountain-to-town leather boots, the Danner Vertigo 917 uses a mix of modern midsole materials, elastic cuffs, and classic leather stylings. We wore the Danner 917 leather boots for a month for this review.

“Ooh, I like the Huckberry Danners!” The exclamation took me by surprise at the recent Outdoor Retailer trade show this past month. A gentleman pointed to my shoes. Evidently, I was wearing more sought-after boots than I had thought.

The boot in question — the product of a brand collaboration between Danner and Huckberry — is the Vertigo 917, officially dubbed the “Gold Rush.” The improvements aren’t too functional; they’re mostly style related. The original Danner Vertigo 917 released a few years ago, but Huckberry added a suede heel, Vibram gum sole, Huckberry branding on the tongue, and a golden color for the update.

Yet in a time when heritage mountain boots are all the rage in town, I decided to wear these day in and day out for the past month to see what all the hype was about.

In short: The Danner 917, $220, is a comfortable leather boot that keeps your feet pain-free all day long. My main qualm is its use of a Gore-Tex membrane (read: sweaty feet).

Danner Vertigo 917 Review

Other reviewers have called the Vertigo 917 the comfiest boot ever. I’m not going to be so bold, but these boots are quite comfy.

The elastic cuff makes them super easy to take on and off. And for support, an OrthoLite footbed, mixed with a Vibram SPE midsole, gives sneaker-like comfort. And I’m not just saying that. While the outside looks like an old-school mountain boot, the inside is supportive and functional.

Whether I’m biking to work or walking 10 miles in a day, the Danner Vertigo 917 stands up.

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Huckberry’s First Danner Collab: Vertigo 917 Review

To design the boot, Huckberry looked to San Francisco’s history for inspiration. The golden color nods to the frontiersmen of the past that sought to strike gold in California.

It’s this risk-taking heritage Huckberry aspires to tap with the Vertigo 917 Gold Rush edition.

“We’ve cast Danner’s Vertigo 917 in a coveted Gold Ore colorway for the next generation of city dwellers hustling day-to-day in hopes of striking it big on their own,” Huckberry writes on its website.

Wear Test: Danner Vertigo 917 Review

The Danner Vertigo 917 has held up to a solid month of wear. But that much is expected — it’s a leather boot. I imagine these will last for years to come.

My only qualm with the boot is its use of a Gore-Tex membrane. Unless I’m in a downpour or Denver is dumping snow, you really don’t need a Gore-Tex membrane.

It keeps my feet dry but at the cost of sweaty feet. Unless you’re in a cool climate, like inside or on the trails, these shoes do not breathe well. Over the course of a flight, I slowly felt my feet start to swim.

But that’s all right, I still wear them frequently. Because they feel great and have the mountainous look I’m after.

You can shop for the Danner Vertigo 917 in Gold Rush on Huckberry’s website. The boots cost $220.