Danner Quarry Vs Rainforest

If you’re on the hunt for a new pair of work boots, your coworkers and family members may have mentioned picking up a pair of Danner boots.

Danner has a reputation for building high-quality boots that are dependable for everyday wear as well as suited for those demanding occupations like construction work, mechanics, electricians, forestry work, etc.

Today we’ve chosen to review the Danner Quarry and the Danner Rainforest boot; both boots have a solid reputation and are fairly similar to each other, so why not compare them?

Danner Quarry Video Review

Danner Rainforest Video Review

Fit

The Danner Quarry boot is best purchased one size up from your normal size. Some people have made the mistake of purchasing the boot in their normal size hoping the leather would stretch and adjust but they usually end up having to send the boots back when they realize the boots have no give.

Once you have your size figured out, the boots are comfortable. They feel narrow in the heel while wide in the toes so that your feet can find purchase inside the boot without sliding around while also giving your toes room to move around.

To top it off, these boots don’t require a significant amount of break in time. You could slide them on your feet as soon as you get them and probably have them broke in within a few days of doing some work around the house or yard.

This would be perfect if you’re searching for a new pair of boots during the work week because the current pair you have now broke down or have just seen better years.

The Danner Rainforest is similar in terms of fit with the boots feeling narrow at the hell while widening at the toe.

However, these boots do require a significant amount of break in time which can take anywhere from a week to a couple of weeks. So make sure to factor that into your purchase as well if you intend to be using them for a demanding hike or if you’re trying to break them in for work.

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What about Arches?

There is a slight arch to the Danner Quarry boot, but it’s very subtle. You won’t feel like your feet are on a slippery slope and sliding around. Feet are just like people, so if your feet won’t tolerate a flatter inner sole, you may want to grab yourself a pair of some inserts that your feet do like.

Just be sure you look into something that has a non-slip type grip. Rubber inserts work best for this.

The arches for the Rainforest boots are slight with the heel being slightly higher than the toe portion of the foot.

It’s not steep enough to feel like your toes would be jamming into the front of the boot. Out of the box, they’re comfortable and most people, but if you intend to be on your feet all day, picking up your own pair of insoles would be advised since the insoles that come with this boot are plastic and only extend to the heel portion of the boot.

Weight

Weight can make the difference between being able to stand on your feet all day long or having to call it quits early on because your feet are blistered and feel bruised.

The Quarry boot is a solid boot. They’re definitely not light, and because of that, we wouldn’t recommend using it for long hikes or where the landscape you’re walking around on is constantly changing. Think slopes or steep grades.

Now if you need something that can handle walking around on concrete or asphalt all day, then you’ll be fine.

Leather and rubber makes up the primary materials for the Rainforest boot. Both materials are not heavy for short periods of time but may be too heavy for continuous work.

We’d recommend this boot for simple outdoor jobs where you don’t need to be scaling slippery rocks or having to walk around on your feet all the time.

Insoles and Outsoles

The Insoles and Outsoles for the Quarry boot were well thought out.

Insoles are made from rubber and seem made from high quality materials. They’re not significantly cushioned which will work well for some and not so well for others.

Right out of the box as is though, they’ll be comfortable with people who don’t have picky feet.

The outersoles of these boots are made from a thick rubber material. The grip is fantastic and ideal for slippery conditions where the user will be working around a lot of water, oil, or some other slippery surface. Mechanics and leaking oils come to mind.

And because of the rubber outersole, these boots are fantastic for anyone that works in hazardous electric conditions.

Like the Quarry boot, the Rainforest boots also have a Vibram rubber outersole that is impervious to electric shock making them perfect for anyone who works in or around electricity.

And while the rubber soles might seem like they’d be ideal for all terrains or surfaces, we would disagree. These boots are not the best for slippery conditions like puddles or ice. You’ll slide around and could potentially injure yourself.

Instead, the grips on these shoes seem better setup to handle outdoor terrain where you’ll encounter sand, rock, bark and wet leaves.

As far as inner soles go, they have those little holes that help move air around in your boot, so you don’t have to worry about sweaty and gross feet.

Are They Waterproof?

Being made from leather, the Danner Quarry boots are reasonably waterproof. The Gore-Tex liner inside the boot will also help wick away moisture from sweaty feet as well as keep your feet dry in most wet conditions.

Water or liquids that exceed over the top of your boot or ankles may be another issue entirely though. But for regular puddles or crossing small streams, your feet should stay dry.

Despite the inner Gore-Tex liner for the Rainforest boots, these boots are not completely waterproof and that’s one our biggest issues with these boots.

Small puddles will be no problem, but when it comes to crossing creeks or snow, you’re better off reaching for another pair of boots. They’re not very comfortable or insulating during the winter either…

The Rainforest boots also have the same Gore-Tex waterproof liner and we find them to be comparable to the Danner Quarry boots in that aspect.

Are They Good for Winter/Summer Wear?

Leather tends to capture heat well. This can be beneficial in the winter and not so great during the summer.

If you’re looking to wear your Quarry boots during either season, stick to thin cotton socks for the warmer months and heavy merino wool type socks for the colder months.

This will keep your feet comfortable in either of these seasons without having to switch to another pair of boots or footwear.

The Rainforest boots are not the first pair of boots we would reach for when snow starts to hit the ground. For all other seasons though? Sure, but with the right pair of socks.

Color Options

For the Danner Quarry boot, you won’t get a whole lot of options when it comes to picking colors, but the safety and function is more important than the colors of the boots.

Right now, you can pick up a new pair in either black or brown.

Aesthetic wise, both look good and will remain looking good when a proper care regimen is followed. That includes cleaning and protecting/waterproofing the boot.

For the Danner Rainforest boot, you’re limited to just two color choices: black or brown.

Verdict – Danner Quarry Vs Rainforest

The Danner Quarry boots are some of the best dependable work boots that will keep you comfortable while also keeping your wallet happy.

The styling looks great and more importantly, they’ll fit a wide range of uses anywhere from miners, landscapers, construction workers, mechanics etc.

The only downside to these boots is that they are not steel toe boots. There is an extra thick tongue that extends down on top of the toes, but these will protect your toes from small falls and are useless if something heavy falls on your feet.

We’d consider these boots if comfort and safety were the top priorities when picking up a new pair of work boots.

Just be mindful of the steel toe issue. Especially if your work requires and will not tolerate anything but steel toed boots.

The Danner Rainforest boots are a decent pair of boots that any hard-working man/woman might consider for a respectable pair of work boots.

But some of our concerns like cheap quality lacing, and the lack of steel toe and the lack of a leather tongue covering the toes makes it easy for us to skip over this pair of boots.

Still, these boots seem to be built with agility and comfort in mind. They’re easy to get around in and they won’t weigh you down while working.