Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Dunham Waffle Stomper Paramount Boots > James E. Triplett > Long Term Report

Long Term Test Report:
Dunham Paramount
Waffle Stomper Hiking Boots
 

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My style can best be described as lightweight, but not at the cost of giving up too much comfort.  I am continually looking at lighter replacement items for gear I own, which is generally not that hard, since a lot of my equipment is rather dated.  I prefer a tent over a tarp, but have not yet tried a hammock.

Product Name: Waffle Stomper Paramount
Model #:  MWH800BR

The price and weight information below came from another source as it was not contained on the Dunham site.

• Exclusive Vibram® Sole Unit
• Polyurethane Midsole, Tapered Nylon Insole Board
• ABZORB® Footbed
• Full Grain Waterproof Leather Seam Sealed
• Ski-flap Gusseted Tongue
• External TPU Heel Counter

Test Location and Conditions:

I have worn the Dunham Waffle Stomper Paramounts nearly every day throughout the test period.  This has been on daily hikes in the area around my home, as well as city and state parks in Eastern Iowa.  The temperature has ranged from just below freezing to summer temperatures in the 50 - 85 F (10 - 29 C) range.  The boots have been through tall foliage (both dry and wet) and on dirt and muddy trails, as well as pavement.  They have also been fully submerged in Indian Creek; details below.

• Fit and Comfort:

• General Usage Notes:

Aside from getting the tongue aligned, and getting the laces tight, the Dunham Paramounts have been a treat to wear.  Even with their rather large appearance, and despite coming in overweight from what the manufacturer listed, the Paramounts feel light on my feet.  They are easy to slip on, and once on they are easy to maneuver down the trail in.  I do clunk the boots together mid-stride on occasion, and because of this the speed hooks on the insides of the boots are bent (see picture below).  The hooks can be bent back however, and this hasn't really caused any problems.

The full grain, seam sealed, waterproof leather has proven to be just that - waterproof.  Since this was claimed by the manufacturer, I have not treated or conditioned the leather in any way.  The Paramounts have continued to keep my feet dry throughout the test period.  I generally wear the Waffle Stompers with plain white athletic crew socks, for day-hikes, and Smartwool crew-length socks with Coolmax liners for longer adventures.  After lacing the boots, I scrunch the socks down to the boot opening which rather effectively keeps debris out while I am hiking.

• Trail Use:

In the six months I have had the Dunham Paramount Waffle Stomper Hiking Boots, I have put somewhere between 400 and 500 miles (640 - 800 km) on them.  I have hiked in some mud and some rain, but mostly the boots have been worn on dirt and rock trails, and through both short and tall foliage.  In the most recent weeks the dew has been heavy on early morning outings.

I did have one unusual adventure in the Paramounts, about a week after I wrote my field report.  I took Claire (my Black Lab) out on a hike to see the swollen river from the spring rain and early flooding in the area.  The last time we were down by Indian Creek, a week earlier, she had a difficult time getting across, as the water was right at flood stage.  I knew she wouldn't try it this time, so I was looking over a small (15 ft / 4.5 m) bluff at the "raging" waters, and expecting to see Claire at the bottom checking out the water.  What I didn't expect, but what I did see, was Claire's head poking out of the water in the middle of the creek, floating by at a rapid rate.  I started racing along my side of the creek, calling her as I was afraid she'd never swim back once she crossed.  She swam out and got caught in the current again.  I knew that down stream she would be able to climb out... no bluff down there, and the angle looked to be about right for safe passage.  She was pointed up stream and about 20 feet from shore when she went under a bunch of downed trees and brush.  When she disappeared I counted to... well, I might have counted to "one" before jumping in - Waffle Stompers and all.  To make a long story short - I got fairly scraped up, lost my hat, but I rescued the dog and we both survived to hike another day.  The Dunham Paramounts were of course filled with water.  We sloshed about a mile (1.6 km) back home where I pulled the insoles out of the boots and turned them upside-down to dry.  They actually took a couple of days to dry, but they didn't seem to be any worse for wear.  The possible exception is that the black fabric lining seems to be loose around the back of the cuff.  I'm really not sure if this was a result of dunking them, or if it is normal wear and tear.  (See picture below.)

The Paramount Waffle Stompers have provided adequate traction in all conditions I have subjected them to.  On sandy and loose gravely areas they work really well, better than expected, and on packed dirt and pavement they perform as expected.  The tread is aggressive, but not as exaggerated as you might expect with a name like Waffle Stomper.   The only real issue I have had with traction has been on large, steep, wet, rocks, where I have actually lost footing and fallen.  On a positive note, I would also like to mention that the soles are stiff enough that I have had no problems getting toe-holds on the edges of rocks and I have not ever noticed feeling any pressure through the sole from baseball sized rocks or other obstructions.

• Durability:

The Dunham Waffle Stomper Paramounts have survived extremely well in all the paces I have put them through.  The Vibram soles show almost no wear - except at the very front where they curve upward to meet the toe of the boot, and the wear there is minimal.  The leather toe area is scuffed a bit, but less than I would have predicted after this much use.  The laces show no signs of wear whatsoever.  The leather has conformed to the laces and being worn, and the boots now have the appearance of being well used, but I wouldn't hesitate to head out on a lengthy hike with them.  The only exceptions are the interior fabric and bent speed hooks which I mentioned earlier.

Summary:
The Waffle Stomper Paramounts where exactly what I expected - and feel lighter than expected despite their large size.  After a short break-in period they became quite comfortable and I have not experienced any blisters or other foot troubles.  The Dunham Paramounts have provided excellent ankle support, protected my feet from all trail hazards, and remained waterproof throughout the test period.  Traction has been excellent as well.
 

Respectfully submitted,

-James E. Triplett

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Dunham Waffle Stomper Paramount Boots > James E. Triplett > Long Term Report