This review digs into the Danner Trail 2650 hiking shoe. It's Danner's best hiking shoe, named after the 2650-mile Pacific Cres Trail. Explicitly developed for thru-hikers as an alternative to trail running shoes, this shoe is a potential match for fast-and-light hikers and people who want a lightweight hiking shoe to wear everyday. But it's not cheap—and not as burly as traditional hiking shoes (for better or worse). My Danner Trail 2650 review should help you figure out if it's the right hiking shoe for you.
Over the past several months, I've worn the Danner Trail 2650 as both a hiking shoe and a casual shoe to evaluate its support, weight, comfort, fit, traction, and overall value. My test hikes included a stream-side trail in Moshannon State Forest, short but steep jaunts up and down Mt. Nittany, a snow-covered Musser Gap trail, and a ten-mile loop off Pennsylvania's rocky Mid State Trail. This review gives you my first-person take on the shoe's performance to answer key questions you may have before buying it: How does the Danner Trail 2650 compare with other hiking shoes? How does it fit? Is it more of a hiking shoe or a trail-to-town shoe? What are the shoe's pros and cons?
Men's Danner Trail 2650 (standard)
Women's Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTX
Danner Trail 2650 Review
Women's Trail 2650
SUPPORT
LIGHT
The Trail 2650 has a little less support than the average hiking shoe. It's moderately stiff through the midfoot, thanks to a 3/4-length TPU shank that adds some stability and rock protection. That's a plus for support. However, Danner built this to be a lightweight hiking shoe and cross-lists it as a casual outdoor shoe. That's left it a little thin underfoot—where I can feel more of what's on the trail that I do in other hiking shoes. There's also little arch support and less protective uppers than most hiking shoes (to cut weight). My feet got a little bruised in the rock gardens of the Mid-State Trail (PA), for example, and the protective toe cap already showed plenty of wear after only a couple hikes.
It's a capable hiking shoe. Overall, though, the Trail 2650 a better match for fast hikers on well maintained trails or men and women who want an outdoor performance shoe to wear from the trail to the tavern or from the woods to the wine bar.
Women's Trail 2650
WEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
That's fine because Danner made the Trail 2650 as a lightweight trail shoe. In men's sizes, these start around a pound and a half per pair—more like a trail runner than a classic hiking shoe. For example, my pair (men's size 12 wide) weighs 4 ounces less than my Salomon X Ultra 4 Lows and a whopping 12.5 ounces less than my Obox Sawtooth X Low hiking shoes! That weight savings could save a little energy for people who hike fast enough and far enough for a few ounces to matter. If you're looking for a lightweight hiking shoe, the Danner Trail 2650 may be a good choice for you. It's the lightest "hiking shoe" that I currently own.
Men's Trail 2650 Campo
FIT
BEST FOR AVERAGE TO WIDE FEET
As a US-based brand, Danners have a roomier fit than European brands. They also offer best-sellers—including the Trail 2650—in regular and wide sizes. The regular Danner 2650 apparently fits true to size with a slightly roomy fit (according the person who designed it). The Danner wide (which I bought) is a true wide (EE on the Brannock device). I have more room in Danner's wide than I do in Oboz wides or Salomon wides. Overall then, the Danner Trail 2650 seems to be a better fit for standard to wide feet. For hiking, my Danner size is a 1/2-size bigger than my everyday shoe size—pretty typical.
Women's Danner Trail 2650 Campo
COMFORT
DEPENDS ON HIKING STYLE & PERSONAL PREFERENCE
Comfort has a lot to do with fit and with people's personal preferences. In addition to targeting thru-hikers, the Trail 2650 also targets new hikers, who often prefer the more familiar feel of their everyday shoes to stiffer, more supportive hiking shoes. For me, the 2650 feels more like a "sniker"—a hybrid sneaker-hiker—than a true hiking shoe. If you prefer a light-duty shoe that wears much like a casual sneaker, you'll probably like the comfort of the Danner Trail 2650. However, if you prefer a sturdy and well cushioned hiking shoe, you'll probably think the Danner Trail 2650 is more of a glorified sneaker than a real hiking shoe.
In my case, I find them really comfortable as everyday shoes—sometimes forgetting to take them off at the end of my work-from-home shifts. However, they're less comfortable for me on the trail since I feel plenty of gravel, sticks, and rocks through their light-duty build. Again, comfort comes down to fit (where they favor wide feet), the kind of terrain you hike, and your personal thoughts on the new generation of high-priced hiking sneakers.
Men's Danner Trail 2650 GTX (GORE-TEX)
WEATHER PROTECTION
PLUS
Danner has sourced its waterproof membranes from GORE-TEX, which is still the industry standard for waterproof and breathable protection. Low-cut shoes don't provide a ton of clearance for puddles, snow, or water crossing, but the GTX lining in the Trail 2650 is a quality choice for a waterproof hiking shoe. GORE is durably waterproof and breathable (in spite of what many bloggers claim.) You would want a "GTX" (GORE TEX) version of the Danner Trail 2650 if you want good waterproofing.
For this review, I chose the non-waterproof Trail 2650 because that's what thru-hikers generally choose for a cooler, more ventilated feel. The soft suede and nubuck leather won't dry quickly if it does get saturated, but it does provide some water resistance and good breathability in my experience.
TRACTION
MODERATE
Danner has also sourced its outsoles from Vibram, the Italian company that makes many of the best outsoles in the outdoor industry. This specific sole has smaller number of widely spaced lugs to help shed some mud and snow. My first test hike was on a moderately snowy Musser Gap trail outside of State College, PA, and I stayed on my feet in my 2650s. The tread isn't very aggressive, so it's better on moderate terrain than steep terrain. It's fine on rock because the Megagrip rubber is relatively soft, but the lugging pattern is not really made for rocks. Overall, that averages out to moderate traction that's good (not great) on most terrain. It's a versatile tread for trail-to-town use and another premium feature of the Trail 2650.
Men's Danner Trail 2650 Mesh
VALUE
EXPENSIVE
Starting at $160 and going all the way up to $220 (!) for some styles and colors, the Danner Trail 2650 is expensive. For that money, you get quality leather, Vibram outsoles, and (optional) GORE-TEX waterproofing. Plus, Danner's durability has a good reputation in the outdoor industry. But that's still a steep price for a hiking shoe—especially one that Danner cross-lists as a "lifestyle" shoe (i.e. casual shoe). If you love the light weight and the sneaker-like comfort, the Trail 2650 might be worth it for you. Look below to see possible discounts at Backcountry, REI, and other outdoor retailers.
Now for the confusing part. Danner offers the Trail 2650 in MANY styles (with different prices):
Click on the buttons below to see current size, color, and style options for men:
See available sizes, styles, and colors for women:
DANNER TRAIL 2650: PROS VS CONS
According to my review, the Danner Trail 2650 has distinct pros and cons that should make it easier to figure out if it's the right sort of hiking shoe for you:
Overall Review: Danner Trail 2650
Overall, the Danner Trail 2650 is a well-made hiking shoe that may be a good choice for men and women who prefer a lightweight hiking shoe to a more traditional, supportive hiking shoe. Danner made the Trail 2650 for thru-hikers and the new generation of COVID-era hikers who often prefer a more casual, sneaker-like feel. It's expensive, but it may be worth it for you if the fit is right and if its lightweight build is a good match for where you hike and how you hike. That's not my hiking style, so I mostly wear my pair as trail-to-town or travel shoes, not as hiking shoes.
best fit
standard or wide feet
best match
fast & light hiking
Buying the Danner Trail 2650
Is the Trail 2650 a likely fit for your feet, your budget, and your hikes?
If my Danner Trail 2650 review has convinced you to buy Danner's best-selling trail shoe, please consider buying your new pair through the affiliate links above. Hiking Feet may receive a small commission from the vendor (at no cost to you) if you click on a link and then make a qualifying purchase. Those commissions aren't much, but they help this site and send a few bucks my way to make up for the hundreds of unpaid hours I spent creating free content to help you find the best hiking boots, hiking shoes, or trail running shoes for your hikes. If this site hooked you up, please consider hooking me up, too!
If the Danner Trail 2650 is not the right choice for you, please check out my other recommendations for the best hiking shoes for men and women or my other hiking shoe reviews and brand reviews. In particular, check out my picks for the best lightweight hiking shoes for similar shoes. There’s a good chance that you’ll find the best hiking shoe for you somewhere on Hiking Feet.
Happy hiking!
