Reviews You Can Rely On

Danner Trail 2650 - Women's Review

A lightweight shoe for fair-weather day hikes featuring good comfort, shock absorption, and decent traction
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Danner Trail 2650 - Women's Review (The non-GTX Danner's are great for fair-weather hiking, but check out their waterproof version if you like these shoes...)
The non-GTX Danner's are great for fair-weather hiking, but check out their waterproof version if you like these shoes and need to stay dry.
Credit: Jared Ross
Price:  $170 List
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Manufacturer:   Danner
By Myrha Colt and Mary Witlacil  ⋅  Nov 7, 2022
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#14 of 19
  • Comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Support - 20% 6.0
  • Traction - 15% 6.0
  • Water Resistance - 15% 3.0
  • Weight - 15% 8.9
  • Durability - 10% 6.0
Length Sizing
Runs Small
Runs Large
Width Sizing
Runs Narrow
Runs Wide

Our Verdict

The Danner Trail 2650 is named after the number of miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. While we were impressed by their comfortable fit with minimal break-in time and their shock-absorptive power, they would not be our top choice for pounding out long days with a pack. They are not waterproof, but even more critically, they are slow to dry when wet. This owes to the suede uppers. That said, the plush EVA midsole and squishy ankle collar do lend to a comfortable shoe. While not the most supportive, they are more durable than other lightweight shoes in our review. Overall, we think they're a reasonable option for folks looking for something for day hikes or shorter backpacking trips.
REASONS TO BUY
Feather-light
Comfortable
Decent traction
Reasonably supportive
REASONS TO AVOID
Not waterproof
Slow to dry
Editor's Note: We updated our recommendations for other hiking shoes that might be a good fit on November 7, 2022.

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Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Women's Hiking Shoe
Top Pick Award
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Bottom Line Ultra-light shoes that are comfortable out of the box, for day trips or overnights with a lighter packFeaturing high-quality performance technology, this hiking shoe is designed to handle any backcountry challenge you dream upA comfortable, high-performing hiking shoe that's versatile enough to tackle everything from well-maintained trails to technical and steep terrainThis affordable hiking shoe offers great support for those with high archesThe lightweight design and sneaker-like feel provide ample comfort under foot
Rating Categories Danner Trail 2650 -... La Sportiva Spire G... Salomon X Ultra 4 G... Merrell Moab 3 - Wo... Columbia Crestwood...
Comfort (25%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
7.5
Support (20%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.5
Traction (15%)
6.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Water Resistance (15%)
3.0
9.0
9.0
4.0
3.0
Weight (15%)
8.9
5.5
6.5
5.3
6.8
Durability (10%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
7.5
6.5
Specs Danner Trail 2650 -... La Sportiva Spire G... Salomon X Ultra 4 G... Merrell Moab 3 - Wo... Columbia Crestwood...
Measured Weight (per pair, size 8.5) 1.22 lbs 1.68 lbs 1.54 lbs 1.70 lbs 1.50 lbs
Upper Leather, textile Abrasion-resistant mesh Synthetic textile Pigskin leather, mesh Leather, mesh, and webbing
Lining Mesh Gore-Tex Surround Gore-Tex Recycled mesh Omni-Tech
Midsole EVA EVA EVA Super rebound compound Techlite
Outsole Vibram 460 Vibram XS Trek Rubber Contagrip Vibram TC5 Omni-Grip
Width Options Regular Regular Regular Regular, wide Regular, wide

Our Analysis and Test Results

While the Trail 2650 was not the highest performing shoe in our review, we still recommend it for specific applications and certain people. For most fair-weather hikers, this shoe will give you what you need: comfort, traction, shock absorption, and breathability. They feel light on your feet or in your pack and are reasonably supportive. While they are slow to dry (which is not ideal for models that lack waterproofing), they are more durable than other lightweight options.

Performance Comparison


danner trail 2650 for women - out-of-the-box comfort and sticky tread make these a good option for...
Out-of-the-box comfort and sticky tread make these a good option for day hikes.
Credit: Jared Ross

Comfort


With a quick break-in time, the Trail 2650 proves to be quite comfortable. They have a soft foam insole, a plush ankle collar, and a generous toe box. The flat laces move easily through their grommets, and it is effortless to pull the laces snug enough to accommodate your feet. The foam tongue wraps around the foot and didn't irritate our reviewer's sensitive feet. The EVA heel provides a lot of cushion to absorb shock, which is something we really appreciate while moving around the mountains.

danner trail 2650 for women - with an exo heel and a wide toe box, the trail 2650 is extra roomy...
With an EXO heel and a wide toe box, the Trail 2650 is extra roomy in the front- and back-end of the shoe for an extra comfortable fit.
Credit: Jared Ross

Support


We would expect these shoes to be more supportive with a name that harkens to the Pacific Crest Trail. The Danner 2650 is incredibly flexible in the forefront, which translates into less support for the balls of your feet over a long hike, especially when carrying a heavy pack. We also evaluate shoes for their lateral rigidity by ringing them out like a sponge. When twisting the shoe from big toe to heel, there is lots of rigidity and support. Then from pinky toe to heel, there is rigidity through the midsole, with lots of flexibility through the ball of the foot. Torsional (or lateral) rigidity provides more support for your foot side-to-side. The less torsional rigidity, the more likely you are to roll your ankle. With these shoes, we were pleased they offered lots of lateral support but disappointed with the flexibility in the front of the shoe.

danner trail 2650 for women - laterally the trail 2650 is supportive laterally and has some...
Laterally the Trail 2650 is supportive laterally and has some flexibility in the forefront of the shoes. This provides better traction but less support for the balls of your feet.
Credit: Jared Ross

Traction


The Trail 2650 boasts the high-quality and sticky rubber compound of the Vibram Megagrip. They handled well on trail and were grippy on rock for light scrambling. The lugs are on the shorter end of the spectrum, so they won't be as nimble on snow, mud, or looser conditions. The EXO heel provides more space for the heel, but we wouldn't recommend using these shoes to scramble chimneys as the foam risks deteriorating from too much scratchy granite. Overall they offer great traction for summer hiking or fair-weather adventures in the shoulder season.

danner trail 2650 for women - the sticky rubber tread grips dry rock and trail quite nicely.
The sticky rubber tread grips dry rock and trail quite nicely.
Credit: Jared Ross

Water Resistance


We tested the non-waterproof version of the Trail 2650, and they did not perform well in this metric. While wearing dry socks, we submerge each pair of shoes for 10 minutes in 3" of water to test for water resistance. At the beginning and end of the test, we weigh the shoes to test for water absorption. The Trail 2650 was wet on the inside within a minute and absorbed 6.88 ounces of water over the course of the test. For comparison, our top performer absorbed just 2.24 ounces of water. This need not be a deal-breaker if you plan to wear them in dry climates or in fair weather without a ton of snow or stream-crossings. However, the most disappointing finding from this metric is how slow they are to dry. We tested them on a warm evening, and over 13 hours later, they still weren't dry. Point being, if these are the shoes for you, either get a waterproof version or avoid wet conditions.

danner trail 2650 for women - within a minute the trail 2650's were fully wet. as long as you...
Within a minute the Trail 2650's were fully wet. As long as you avoid wet conditions, these shoes should be fine for you.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Weight


These featherweight shoes are among the lightest shoes in our review. A pair in a women's 9.5 weighs just 1.25 pounds (20 ounces). So light you'll hardly notice them on your feet! And light enough to throw in your luggage for your next vacation.

danner trail 2650 for women - you could hardly feel the weight of these shoes, as they are among...
You could hardly feel the weight of these shoes, as they are among the lightest options in our review!
Credit: Jared Ross

Durability


We expected to see the suede uppers and the EVA foam outsoles to break down during our testing period, but the Trail 2650 has proven quite durable. While we can't attest to the durability of these shoes over hundreds of miles, we were impressed by how well they held up during our review cycle. They buck the convention that lightweight gear always sacrifices durability.

danner trail 2650 for women - with shallow lugs, even though the tread is made with a more durable...
With shallow lugs, even though the tread is made with a more durable compound, the soles will wear out faster than thicker tread. That said, these shoes proved quite durable throughout our review.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Should You Buy the Danner Trail 2650?


For day hiking, the Trail 2650 proves surprisingly comfortable and offers good traction. They are also durable despite being among the lighter-weight shoes we reviewed. Their grippy Vibram soles and lateral support prove their value on longer hikes, but both leave something to be desired on technical terrain or when carrying a heavier pack.

danner trail 2650 for women - the danners offer a medium value for the price, they are lightweight...
The Danners offer a medium value for the price, they are lightweight and mold nicely to your feet, but there are better deals to be had.
Credit: Jared Ross

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?


If you are interested in a beefier shoe that can handle a rigorous day or a heavier pack, we recommend looking at the top-performing and reasonably lightweight Merrell Moab 3 WP or the heavier but ultra-comfortable Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof. Both are waterproof, highly supportive, and offer great traction at a less expensive price.

Myrha Colt and Mary Witlacil