Danner Boot Sizing: Mountain Light, Bull Run and Other Lasts

Danner boots do not follow one rule, because the fit depends on the last each model is built on. The short version: Bull Run and other roomy-last boots are generally true to size, the narrow-last Mountain Light is snug and is often described as running long, and the best starting point for almost everyone is the size you get from a Brannock device, not your sneaker size.

Below is a model-by-model guide, a look at widths, and the places where the available information disagrees. Danner publishes its own size and width charts, and we do not reproduce an invented one here.

Start with the Brannock size, not the sneaker size

Danner sizes its boots to the Brannock scale, which is the US foot-measuring system used in most shoe stores. If you have never been measured on one, that is the number to find out first. Sneaker sizes drift by brand and often run a bit larger than the Brannock reading. As a rough starting point, a Brannock size is often about half a size below the sneaker size, so a men's US 10.5 sneaker wearer may well be a 10 on the Brannock scale. That is a pattern, not a guarantee.

The standard chart below shows the foot lengths that go with each US size. Use the Foot length column as the real length of your foot, and compare your measured length with it.

For example, a 27.1 cm foot lines up with a men's US 10. If you do not own a measuring device, follow the steps in how to measure your feet, and measure both feet, since the larger one decides the size.

Why the last matters more than the model name

A last is the form a boot is built around. It sets the length, width, toe shape and heel hold, and two boots with the same printed size can feel quite different if they use different lasts. Reports about Danner lasts generally agree on a few patterns:

• 650 last: a narrow, snug shape used in boots like the Mountain Light, Elk Hunter and several of the older hiking and duty models.
• 503 last: wider through the forefoot and a little more relaxed, used in the Mountain Pass and in Bull Run Moc Toe styles.
• 610 last: a roomier toe box and generally true to size, found in some military-style lines.
• Athletic lasts such as 850 and 851: a secure heel and a trail-running feel.
• Low-profile lasts such as DPDX: an everyday, lower-volume fit, where going a half size down is often suggested.

Danner changes lasts between lines and generations, and the information scattered online disagrees in a few places, for example which last the Mountain Pass uses. If the product page names a last, use it. If not, compare how the boot is described.

Model by model

Danner Mountain Light

The Mountain Light is the one most buyers ask about. It sits on a narrow last and is stiff when new, so it often feels snug through the forefoot. Sources disagree here in a way you should know about: some advise going a half size down because the boot can run long, while others advise going up for more toe room. Both can be right for different feet. The difference comes from your foot shape. If your foot is narrow, a half size down can hold the heel better. If your foot is average or wide, the narrow last may press on the sides, and a size down would make it worse. Try the Mountain Light on, with your hiking socks, before settling on a number.

Danner Bull Run

The Bull Run is a work boot with a more traditional shape, and it is generally described as true to size. It is available in medium and wide. If you are between sizes, the roomier toe box makes it more forgiving than the Mountain Light.

Danner Light and other hiking boots

Hiking-oriented Danners vary. Some models use performance lasts with a snugger heel and some room at the toe, which suits downhill walking, and others are low-profile. Check which last the model uses before applying any general rule. For general principles, see our hiking boot fit guide.

Danner work lines

Work-oriented lines, including the Bull Run family, are designed for long days on hard floors. They are usually fitted with thicker socks than a casual boot, and many come with safety toes or waterproof linings that take up room. If you wear one for hours, our work boot fit guide explains toe room and heel hold.

Widths

Most Danner boots come in D (medium) and EE (wide) for men. Select models also come in B (narrow), 3E or 4E, but availability is limited and varies by style. The standard chart's width letters are shown below for reference.

On the Mountain Light, reports are mixed. Some versions have been offered in only certain widths, and the boot feels narrow even in EE. If your foot is wide and you want a Mountain Light, check the exact version and width listed for the pair you are buying. For a wider foot, a roomier last such as the 503 may suit you better. Our wide feet guide has more on how to choose.

How Danner compares with other boots

Information we have seen says Danner's sizing is fairly consistent with several outdoor brands, so a Brannock size that works in one is a fair first guess in another, and the women's sizes may differ more. Women's Danner sizes sometimes run a size lower than the same foot in other brands, so check the women's chart on the product page rather than assuming. Compared with Red Wing, which often runs half a size or more large relative to sneakers, Danner is generally less extreme, though we do not have a published head-to-head chart to quote. See our Red Wing sizing guide to compare, and the general boot fit guide for the basic checks.

Break-in and stretch

Danner leather boots are stiff at first and need a break-in period. You may see a figure that leather stretches by roughly 3 to 5 percent with wear, but that figure is a generalization and not a promise. Leather stretches mostly in width and across the top of the foot, and very little in length. That means a boot that is too short will not become longer. A boot that is a little snug across the ball may ease off after a few weeks.

To break in a pair, wear them at home for short sessions in the socks you will use, then on short walks, then on longer ones. Condition the leather according to the maker's instructions. If you get a hot spot, deal with it right away.

Socks, insoles and swelling

Many Danner boots are worn with cushioned wool socks, and a thick sock can use up half a size of room. If you plan to swap in an aftermarket insole or an orthotic, take it with you when you try the boot on, because a thicker insole raises the foot and tightens the forefoot, especially in a narrow-last boot. Feet are also larger late in the day, so fit the boot in the afternoon and judge it by how it holds the heel, not only by how it feels at the toe.

A step-by-step way to choose

1. Get your Brannock size and width, or measure your foot length and compare it with the chart above.
2. Find out which last the boot uses and whether it is a narrow, standard or roomy fit.
3. Choose the width first. If you are a D on the Brannock scale, start with D unless the boot is on a narrow last and your forefoot is broad.
4. Try the boot on with your real socks and look for about a thumb's width in front of the longest toe.
5. Walk up and down a slope. The heel should hold without much lift and the toes should not hit the front on the way down.

If you must order online

Buy from a seller with free returns. Order your Brannock size, and if the boot is a narrow-last model, consider ordering the half size up as a second pair to compare. Judge them on the slope test and send back the pair you do not need. The shoe size calculator is a useful check if you are working from a measurement in centimeters.

Bottom line

Treat Danner as a collection of different lasts rather than a single brand fit. Start from your Brannock size, pick the width first, expect narrow-last models such as the Mountain Light to feel snug, and expect roomier-last boots such as the Bull Run to be closer to true to size. Where advice conflicts, as it does on the Mountain Light, believe the try-on with your own socks over any rule.