Danner Arctic 600 Side-Zip

Our take If your feet are in the snow all day, your boot better be up to the task. The Arctic 600 delivers, thanks to 200 grams of PrimaLoft Gold insulation, a synthetic fiber that stays warm when wet. Combined with Danner’s proprietary waterproofing, it kept one tester’s digits toasty in -20°F temps while he climbed 5,158-foot Mt. Sentinel near Missoula, Montana. Bonus: Thanks to the side zip, pulling the boot on and off is a breeze, even with frozen fingers.

The details Our tester put the Arctic 600 through 350 miles of abuse on winter trails, and the boot’s thick suede upper had no trouble handling even frozen crust in Montana’s Bitterroots. A rubber-and-EVA midsole also increases the boot’s longevity over months spent hoofing winter loads. The Arctic 600’s Vibram Arctic Grip outsole held fast on packed snow and slick mud, but the diamond-shaped lugs slid out on dry talus. A full-length nylon shank bolstered underfoot support on high-mileage treks with weekend-weight packs.

Trail cred “The supportive upper kept me from rolling my ankle when I was postholing through snow drifts,” our tester says.

m’s 7-14, w’s 5-11; danner.com