New for 2026, the Danner MTN45 is a more robust hiking shoe than the Danner N45, which I reviewed in 2025. The heaviest hiking shoe in Danner's line is stiff but soft underfoot with nubuck leather, retro-styling, and trail-to-town versatility. Over the past four months, I've taken my pair out on several test hikes to write this Danner MTN45 review.
Testing the Danner MTN45 on La Luz trail outside Albuquerque
Danner MTN45 Hiking Shoe Review
To review the new Danner MTN45, I tested my pair on the Pino, Piedra Lisa, La Luz, Embudito, and Osso Ridge trails outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. My test hikes included desert washes, scree, slickrock, alpine woods, and steep, weathered granite switchbacks in the Sandia Mountains. This diverse terrain helped me test the support, weight, comfort, fit, traction, weather protection, and overall value of the Danner MTN45 hiking shoe.
As always, my reviews are 100% independent and based on my personal hiking experience. My evaluations also draw on 5 years of experience in outdoor specialty retail, including my time as a Gearhead at Backcountry and footwear manager at Appalachian Outdoors.
Testing the Danner MTN45 in the Sandia Mountains
Support
Danner crosslists most of its hiking shoes as casual shoes, too, but the MTN45 is an exception. It's strictly a "hiking shoe" in their line. As such, it's more supportive than the Danner N45 and Danner Trail 2650.
Danner snuck a TPU shank between the shoe's soles, which limits how much the MTN45 bends at the forefoot or twists from side to side. If you're hiking slanted ground or rocky trails, this added stiffness adds foot and ankle support—even though this shoe is a lowcut.
When I hiked rocky and uneven ground on the Pino and Piedra Lisa trails, the Danner MTN45 provided a solid base. The added support was noticeable compared to recent test hikes when I wore trail running shoes on the same trails. This is the stiffest, most supportive Danner hiking shoe that I've tested and reviewed.
My Danner MTN45 weighs 2 lbs 4 oz / pair (men's size 12)
Weight
It's also the heaviest Danner hiking shoe I've tested and reviewed. My men's size 12 weighs 2 lbs 4 oz per pair. That's average to slightly heavy for true men's hiking shoes in my size.
Truth be told, few hikers hike fast enough for a few extra ounces to matter. However, if you prefer a lightweight hiking shoe, you should consider the Danner N45 (6 oz lighter) or especially the Danner Trail 2650 (12 oz lighter). The Danner MTN45 emphasizes comfort and support over weight savings.
The Danner MTN45 has a standard to slightly roomy fit
Fit
The Danner MTN45 runs true to size lengthwise with a regular width and plenty of volume. (If you have narrow or low volume feet, this shoe may feel large.) The brand offers its best sellers in both regular and wides, but this new shoe is only available in a regular width for now. The MTN45 squeezes my wide feet a bit, but I could still hike in it. Most people will want to size up a half-size from their everyday (casual) shoe size to get the best hiking fit.
I tested the Danner MTN45 on a range of surfaces
Comfort
Comfort may be this shoe's best feature. For a leather hiking shoe, the Danner MTN45 is well cushioned. It's not a max cushion shoe, but its Endurofoam has plenty of shock absorption. It's a stiff shoe but also a soft one, thanks to that generous foam. The nubuck leather uppers are extra soft, giving this shoe an easy-wearing, accessible feel.
I hiked up to 9 miles on my test hikes without my feet feeling too fatigued. The combination of stiff but cushy worked for me. Danner made these for more challenging hikes, but the shoe has more of a casual fit and feel than the alpine hiking shoes I recommend. It wears more like a trail to town shoe in my book.
If you're a fast and light hiker, you'll probably find the Danner MTN45 clunky. It's not only heavy but doesn't really lock in your heels or have an athletic fit. It's high volume also contributes to a looser fit (especially if you have low volume feet). You'll probably find this shoe most comfortable if you're a casual hiker or typical day hiker.
The non-waterproof MTN45 is a good choice for arid mountains
Weather Protection
I tested the non-waterproof Danner MTN45 because I mostly hike desert mountains. Those leather uppers are naturally water resistant but are not made for wet weather or sloppy trails.
On the plus side, non-waterproof hiking shoes generally aren't as warm on your feet as waterproof styles. If you hike in the desert (like me), only hike in nice weather, or wear hiking shoes indoors, you'll probably appreciate the MTN 45's non-waterproof construction.
This shoe is also available in a GTX version: GORE-TEX (GTX) waterproofing. In my experience GORE-TEX is more reliable and breathable than the proprietary waterproofing in many hiking shoes. If you want a waterproof MTN 45, make sure to spend an extra $10-20 to get the "GTX" version of this shoe.
Traction
I was mostly happy with the MTN45's traction. Danner sources its outsoles from Vibram—the Italian brand known for top of the line tread. On my test hikes, this tread performed best on soft ground, sand, and gravel. The aggressive, v-shaped lugs dug into steep switchbacks and pine needle litter well.
It features both climbing lugs and braking lugs. But the lack of a heel brake means this shoe's better on steep uphills than steep downhills.
Slickrock gave me problems. On the Embudito Trail, I slipped three times (including one fall) while scrambling smooth granite slabs, even when they were dry. The lugs aren't wide enough or soft enough to generate much friction on slick rock. However, I could scramble rougher rock without much problem.
Overall, the traction is good—but not the best for smooth or wet rock.
Women's version of the Danner MTN45 hiking shoe
Value
This is not a cheap hiking shoe. With a MSRP of $240 (more for GTX waterproofing), the Danner MTN45 is the most expensive hiking shoe I remember testing. On the plus side, Danner has a strong reputation for durability. The high price largely stems from premium materials, such as premium leather uppers and Vibram outsoles. This shoe is also recraftable. The down side is that $240 is expensive for a hiking boot, much less a non-waterpoof hiking shoe.
You may be able to find occasional discounts at the links below:
Men's Danner MTN45
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Danner MTN45
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Pros and Cons of Danner MN45
Based on my first-hand testing, here are the main pros and cons of the new Danner MTN45:
Should you buy the Danner MTN45 hiking shoe?
The Danner MTN45 is the most serious—and most expensive—Danner hiking shoe I've tested and reviewed. It's stiff enough for more challenging hikes, but I still prefer its fit and feel for easy to average trails. (For hard hikes, I prefer a more performance fit and better slickrock traction.) That said, the MTN45 is a comfortable hiking shoe that should be quite durable with its leather uppers and Vibram soles. Plus, it's recraftable: you can have them rebuild or resoled. If you're the average day hiker who likes this shoe's look and fit, you can probably wear it for years—for a premium price.
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