Gear Danner Bull Run Moc Toe BootsThese snazzy men's boots from Danner — the Bull Run Moc Toe — are a faithful nod to the brand’s workmanlike heritage. Oh, and they're also comfortable as hell.
- Words Neal Wanderman
Levi’s. Dickies. Carhartt. And let’s include Danner on that list.
When it comes to workwear, the Portland, Oregon bootmaker is clearly one of America’s great Heritage Brands.
Charles Danner came west to make comfortable, dependable boots for loggers in the Pacific Northwest and since 1932, his company has produced quality footwear that’s made to work hard, be tough, look great, and stay wearable for years. Today the bootmaker has branched out into hiking gear and streetwear and makes a vast line of great footwear.
Yet it’s Danner’s Bull Run Moc Toe boots, a faithful nod to the brand’s workmanlike heritage, that have us walking on air.
Sure, that’s a hyperbolic statement but I’m here to testify: These are surely one of the most comfortable pair of steel-toed work boots I’ve ever had the pleasure of tromping around the garage in. My only concern is getting them dirty; it’d be a shame to muck up such great looks but hey—the job’s got to get done.
Ain’t that the way it goes with good-looking work boots? Too many try to be everything to everyone, promising style, quality, and comfort yet most of them fail on one or more of those counts. Designed to do a job — protect your feet and provide the comfort and confidence you need to work all day long—they sacrifice nailing Job #1 for a mediocre showing on jobs two through five. Google “biker boots”; most of the ones you’ll find are likely to fall apart at the sound of a v-twin.
Moc toe “work” boots have been hip for a few years now but the majority are nothing more than street boots dressed up to look tough, like Axl Rose in his biker jacket and doo-rag in back in the day. Sure, it’s a cool look but good luck living and working in it on the daily. Thankfully, Danner knows better.
We got our feet into Danner’s 6-inch Bull Run Moc Toe boots and immediately felt ready to do the work. Ours came in a velvet-y black with a white wedge outsole, but you can go black-on-black or even the brown/white look that’s been popular recently. No matter what color you get, you’ll be wearing a full-grain, oiled leather upper that’s both strong and soft. It’s unlined, but that keeps your feet cooler and still stays remarkably comfortable on repeated wears. The three-layer OrthoLite footbed is made of open-cell polyurethane for better heat dissipation and air circulation while the sole remains oil- and slip-resistant. It also provides electrical insulation, just in case. Like we said, they’re made to do the job.
The Stitchdown construction with contrast stitching is an iconic look but it offers far more than just great style; the design allows a wider footbed that provides premium comfort and makes them easy to resole, if necessary. In fact, Danner offers recrafting straight from the factory, so when the time comes, you can resuscitate your old boots into a brand-new pair with that familiar fit.
Danner’s Bull Run Moc Toe boots are handcrafted in the USA, right in the Portland factory. Best of all they’re far more affordable than you’d think; you can purchase them direct from the Danner website and have them brought straight to the house, or order them and pick them up at your local Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops if you prefer to try them on first.
So instead of buying a new pair of “biker boots” every couple of years, pick up a pair of Danners. They might be the last pair of work boots you’ll ever buy — and that’s not hyperbole.
