Backpacking Background:

Along with my two sons – ages eleven and thirteen, I am very active with our local Boy Scout troop.  I’ve been involved with Scouting as an adult for the past ten years.  Besides being the Committee Chairman, I’m also the High Adventure Leader.  As such, one of my responsibilities is to teach the young people about the "Great Outdoors".  I especially love to teach them about hiking, backpacking and canoeing.

Product Arrival:

The Waffle Stomper Paramounts arrived via Federal Express, packed in a standard boot or shoe-type box within a larger plain, brown shipping box.  Inside the box, the boots were stored together like any footwear packed in a shoebox.  There was a small packet of desiccant in the box as well.  The Waffle Stomper Paramount boots arrived in perfect condition.  As far as I could tell, they had never been worn.  The boots came shipped with red laces, though there was a small bag attached to the boots containing optional brown laces as well.  Also attached to the boots was a small promotional hang tag for the Vibram soles. 

Impressive Boots:

These really are nice looking boots.  I gave them the once-over with the critical eye of a gear tester and was very pleased with what I saw.  The Paramounts are a fine example of quality workmanship from top to bottom.  The boot's features break down as follows:

The uppers are made of full grain leather.  The leather has been treated with waterproofing.  It is soft to the touch.  The only seam found low on the shoe runs vertically from the tongue to the midsole, along the area of the first metatarsal bone.  The other seams exist high on the shoe and are associated with securing the TPU heel counter.  There are no seams near the usual "blister" spots.  The Dunham name is stamped into the top, outside of the boot, right about the location of the baby toe.  All seams are double stitched.

From the picture, it can be seen that the boots also include a heel wedge, shown in red.  The function of the heel wedge is to improve shock absorption in the heel.

The lacing system consists of five eyelets followed by three hooks.  The metal hardware appears to be of substantial gauge.  The eyelets can swivel, but the hooks are anchored.  The laces themselves were rather thin I thought, although so far adequate.  The boots come with a choice of laces, either red or brown, depending on color preference.

The boots have an interesting tongue system.  The inner tongue is a complete soft gusseted tongue.  Over the top is a split tongue, of the same weight leather as the boot body.  The outer tongue is sewn along the entire length of the tongue/boot interface on the inside (medial) section of the boot.  The outer side is completely free, and is drawn in over the gusseted tongue when tightening the laces.  So far, this appears a very effective tongue assembly. 

The collar is nicely padded with dense padding.  It extends down over the achilles tendon creating the heel cup.  The outside of the heel is comprised of the thermoplastic urethane (TPU) heel counter.  The TPU heel counter is very rigid and extends along the sides of the boots, offering a lot of protection externally while creating a very stable heel environment. 

The inside lining of the uppers is made of a soft, padded, wicking material.  The insole is lined with the ABSORB footbed.  According to Dunham, this footbed promises to retain 90% of its shock absorbing thickness.  It is also treated to reduce foot odor.

The polyurethane midsole is found bonded to the bottom of the insole and is gray in color.  Although hard to the touch, it is nevertheless softer than the surrounding parts of the lower.  Along the bottom is the tough, Vibram outersole, bonded to the softer midsole.  The Vibram sole's unique lug pattern is what earns these boots the name "Waffle Stomper."

Trying to flex the boot reveals that somewhere hidden deep within the midsole is the tapered nylon insole board (sometimes called a "shank").  The nylon does give slightly, allowing the boot to flex, while still providing plenty of protection for scrambling over sharp outcroppings.

Beginning Tests - How They Fit

I was a little concerned at first with the stiffness of the boots.  I was worried that the boots would require an extended break in time.  But, after wearing them daily for a week, I found that wasn't the case.  Although they feel stiff in my hands, once they're on my feet, I've found them VERY comfortable.  I'm really impressed with the comfort level I've experienced with these boots "right out of the box".  My foot is really closer to an "E" width, but the "D" fits nicely.  I have plenty of toe room, yet my heel is VERY secure in the heel cup.  These boots offer plenty of stability.  I'm not worried about rolling my foot at all.  The TPU heel counter offers superb protection to the back of my foot.  The front is protected with a small toe guard, but I am concerned that it isn't big enough - time will tell.  So far, I love the Paramount Waffle Stompers!

Test Plan

The areas I will be concentrating my testing on include fit, comfort, support, waterproofness, durability and odor control. I will be evaluating these parameters initially, and again throughout the test period. I will also be evaluating how well the boots work with my Crescent Moon snowshoes. I expect the TPU heel counter will offer plenty of support for the snowshoe bindings. I will also evaluate how well the Paramounts work with my NEOS overshoes.

Comments on the Website:

Summary of Initial Impressions

Field Testing Information

Tim