Advnture Verdict
A decent, supportive and warm boot with good grip, the Danner Inquire Mid Insulated will serve you well on various adventures in the colder months, so long as the snow isn’t too deep.
Pros
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Insulated
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Supportive
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Good grip
Cons
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Too low for deep snow
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First impressions
With the Danner Inquire Mid Insulated, you’re getting a good all-rounder cold-weather boot. Many winter hiking boots have insulation, but lack the support that would make them good for bigger winter adventures. The Danner Inquire Mid Insulated bucks that trend.
It has the torsional rigidity, supportive and shock-absorbing midsole, and technical construction that make it one of the best women's hiking boots for long treks, whether you’re wearing snowshoes or not.
• RRP: $180 (US) / £138 (UK)
• Weight: 411g / 29oz
• Colors: Hazelwood / Tangerine / Red
• Compatibility: Cold-weather treks, hill hiking
On the trails
An insulated boot’s first job is to keep your feet warm, and this one did. The fuzzy faux fur collar felt good to slip into, and 200g of PrimaLoft Gold insulation (enhanced by the same insulation astronauts use) in the toe kept my feet toasty when I was snowshoeing on a local peak, walking my dogs every morning all through winter and into spring, and while trekking into a yurt for a weekend in the woods.
The suede upper is supportive but not overbuilt so there was no break-in required. Zonal lacing let me control whether I tightened the boot down in the forefoot or just the ankle. Danner’s proprietary waterproof breathable lining kept out melting snow and puddles too, and the gusseted tongue helped keep my feet dry.
This hiking boot rides on a thick and cushioning midsole with a plastic shank for torsional stability and to protect your feet from rock bruising. The shank is visible through the dual-density sole, which performs like snow tires, with good grip in cold conditions, and traction for deeper snow, optimized for uphill and downhill trekking, and wet and slippery conditions.
A D-ring at the toe let me attach a gaiter, and I needed one when there was more than a few inches of snow. The Danner Inquire Mid Insulated is on the low side of mid-cut, which was ideal for cold-weather outings on bare ground, and snowshoeing in low-to-moderate fluff, but in anything deeper, a gaiter was required.
