Dunham Insulated Terrastryder Extra : Hiking Tough, Running Kind

In the name of journalistic integrity, I should note that I have a thing for athletic footwear. Not a fetish, mind you, but I spend far too much time gazing at on-line catalogs in search of that perfect pair of high-tech sport-specific footwear. Saldy, all the shoes I found are often strikingly similar to a pair I already have.

I have a pair of mountaineering boots that I wore on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley; I have stiff leather boots that are sturdy as a mule but as uncomfortable as its trot; and I have a pair of lightweight approach shoes suitable for cruising mellow trails. Not only did I not have Dunham’s Insulated Terrastryder Extra lightweight hiking boots, but I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t know so much biped technology had been crammed into a single pair of boots.

Dunham’s Insulated Terrastryder Extra might be cumbersome to type but most everything else about this tough, lightweight, breathable, and waterproof boot is as welcome and as rare as a portable stream to a hiker with a dry water bottle. This ankle-high boot has a gusseted leather tongue to keep the proverbial sticks and stones out. The toe has a capped edge for durability. There’s also enough torsional stability built in to negotiate the steep boulder-hopping trails you’ll find, say, on Mt. Katahdin, but because there’s plenty of running shoe shock-absorption technology built in, the Terrastryders are also comfortable enough for a stroll across a dewy meadow in May. 

While my boots fit right out of the box, they required a bit of breaking in, especially around the top of my Achilles. Given the Waffle Stomper "multi-directional lugs” on the Vibram sole – little grippy rubber cleats to you and me -- the traction is tip top. Bashing around town I was impressed by how solid my footing was on ice. Hiking on the muddy old logging trails over ruts, roots and rocks around my brothers’ home outside of Brattleboro, VT (where the company was founded in 1882, I later learned) my feet stayed dry, and I was as sure-footed as a bighorn sheep.

Bottom Line: A lightweight, very sturdy hiking boot that’s high on comfort as well as stability, protection, and traction.--J.G. (Feb 06)

Price: $130

Manufacturer's Site: www.dunhamfits.com

Buy Online: Dunham