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Field Report: Dunham Waffle Stomper
Terrastryder-Low
Date: May 24, 2005
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
Shoe Size: U.S. Women's 9B
E-mail address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
Last year I finally
acted on a long time interest in backpacking, starting out slowly by
day hiking,
researching backpacking products and techniques, purchasing gear, and doing a few overnight
trips, including one solo. This year I
hope to fit in at least one longer trip in addition to several more
overnight and weekend trips. I hike and
backpack mainly
in the hills and valleys of West Virginia, and use a hammock sleeping
system. For a two-day trip my typical pack
weighs
22-30 lb (10-14 kg), and I hope to lighten that a bit.
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 Product
Information
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Manufacturer: Dunham
Year of manufacture:
2005
Model Number:
WOW613TN
Delivered weight: 1
lb. 14 oz. (0.85 kg) for the pair
Size: U.S. Women’s
9B (UK 7, EUR 40.5)
Measurements: 11.5” long x 4.25” wide (29.2 cm x
10.8 cm)
per shoe
Color: Tan/Sky Blue
Manufacturer Website: http://www.dunhambootmakers.com/
MSRP: $110 U.S.
 Advertised
Features:
Dryworks®
waterproof/breathable membrane
Vibram®
Supertrek® rubber
compound outsole with Waffle Stomper lug
Dual
TPU plates at front and rear, between midsole and outsole
AbZorb® cushioning in heel
and forefoot
Non-stretch
stability wings
Compression
molded EVA midsole
Gusseted
tongue
Armor-tech
mesh panels
SL-1
Sport last for an athletic fit
360° fit design available
in extended sizes and widths
Sizing/Pricing: The manufacturer
website lists the U.S. women’s sizes available, which range from 6-13
in length and 2A, B, & D in width. Half sizes
are available through size 10.5, and each length is available in all
three widths. The sizing seems to run true, as the
9B I normally wear fits me perfectly.
Physical description: The Waffle Stomper Terrastryder Lows have an upper
primarily composed of tan mesh panels with a texture similar to
coarsely woven canvas and tan and blue nubuck leather trim. “Non-stretch stability wings” composed of
leather, mesh, and a plastic-like material at the forefoot and heel
areas add support to the uppers. The lacing system is a combination of
ribbon-like fabric loops and metal hooks, with oval shaped tan fabric
laces. The
tongue is gusseted.
The toe area has an overlay of a black rubber like material and
a rubber rand. A lightweight pull loop is
located at the
heel. The interior of the uppers is a light
gray mesh
material. The removable insole is shaped with a defined heel cup, arch, and an area
for the ball of the foot.
The upper section of
the soles are composed of EVA and AbZorb®,
over thin plastic-like material. The bottom of
the sole
is black Vibram® . The sole is fairly stiff, with
shaped rubber cleats of various sizes. For a more detailed
physical description, please see my Initial
Report.
 Field
Use -
Conditions:
So far I have worn the Waffle Stompers in sunny warm weather,
rain, and even light snow. Temperatures have ranged from the low
30 F range to slightly over 80 F (-1 to 27 C). I have worn the
shoes on a variety of surfaces, including dirt, mud, loose gravel,
small and large rocks, grass, small stream crossings, blacktop,
concrete, and treadmills. Elevations so far have varied from
approximately 550 to 3800 ft (170 to 1150 m), with terrain varying from
nearly level to very steep. Pack weight has varied from a small
day pack of about 7 lb (3 kg) to 30 lb (14kg) for an overnight
backpacking trip. I have also used the Dunham Waffle Stomper
Terrastryder Lows when transporting my grandson in his carrier, at a
weight of about 35 pounds (18 kg).
Use:
So far I've logged a little over 130 trail miles (210 km), in addition
to wearing them around town and at camp. I've worn them with a
variety of socks, including nylon, cotton, and wool of varied
thicknesses. For backpacking I've found I prefer wearing a fairly
thick wool sock, but I've found any sock fairly comfortable for hiking
or casual wear. The shoes have performed well under all
conditions, protecting my feet from rain, snow, dew, and standing
water. I have noticed a minimal amount of moisture build-up from
sweat at times, but no more so than any other non-waterproof shoe I
have worn in the past. While the shoes tested out upon arrival as
totally waterproof when submerged to a level approximately half way up
the tongue, I recently noticed they will leak at the base of the tongue
now if submerged that deep. They remain waterproof
otherwise. The tread has provided excellent traction
overall. Even on very muddy hillside trails, I have slipped only
minimally, and on each occasion this happened, the slide felt
controlled and I never felt I was in danger of falling. Traction
has also been excellent on surfaces such as rock and snow, although I
did slip slightly once on a snow covered log. I've enjoyed the
feeling of confidence the tread has given me when traveling steep
terrain, both on the uphills and the downhills, as I don't worry about
slipping or sliding. It has also been pleasant not to worry about
the possiblity of my feet getting wet when crossing small streams or
walking in dewy grass.
 Durability:
The Waffle Stompers are showing some signs of wear. The most
concerning is a hole about the size of a nickel in the left shoe at the
rear of the heel. There are also a number of small gouges in the
EVA midsole. Oddly, these gouges have only appeared on the inside
of the soles. The outside of the soles show some small scrathes
and compression lines, but have held up well overall. The mesh
fabric has pilled a bit near the top of the shoe, around the edge near
the bottom of the tongue, and at the top of the tongue. The
fabric laces have a couple of small picked places. Overall I
would consider the shoes still in good condition.
Comfort:
So far, I have found the Waffle Stompers very comfortable
overall. I have experienced a slight soreness in my left pinky
toe occasionally, with a small callused area building up at
times. So far I have not been able to isolate a cause, although
it has seemed to happen most often, but not always, when wearing cotton
socks. During a recent 2-day, 14 mile (23 km) trip on the
graveled former railroad bed of the Greenbrier River Trail, my left big
toe developed a small numb area, and I noticed a bit of friction in my
left heel in the vacinity of the hole in the lining, but no blisters
have developed. The only other occasional area of discomfort has
been high on the front of my foot where the high tongue sometimes feels
stiff and leaves a small ache. In the past I have had trouble
with pain in my
arch area on longer hikes, but this has not occured with the Dunham
Waffle Stompers. Overall, they have been the most comfortable
shoes that I have ever hiked in, despite the occasional slight soreness
in the described areas.
Cleaning:
Although I cleaned the Waffle Stompers up quite often when I first
received them, I have been more lax about this lately. They have
cleaned up easily with a small scrub brush and plain water even after
being encased in mud, and I have not felt a need to wash them with
detergent yet. The interior has remained clean, except a few pet
hairs clinging to the insole, probably caused by walking around the
house in my sock feet and a bit of mud at the heel, which I scrubbed
off with the same scrub brush. Occasionally after wearing the
shoes for a longer hike or a full day of being on my feet, I have
noticed a slight odor when taking them off, but this has always left
within a few hours.
Miscellaneous:
The blue trim either seems to have toned down a bit after the shoes
have been dirty and cleaned several times, or I have grown used to it,
as it no longer seems as bright to me as when I first got the shoes.
Test Plan: I
will continue testing the Waffle Stompers on West
Virginia trails and back roads both on day hikes and backpacking trips,
and possibly a few trips occuring in neighboring states, in addition to
using them for camping and casual use. Elevations
and terrain will remain similar to those already traveled, and
temperatures up to 100 F (38 C) may be experienced. Pack weights
will vary from a small day pack of perhaps 7 lb (3 kg) up to 40 lb (18
kg) when packing my grandson on a longer day hike in his carrier.
I will continue to monitor the performance of the
shoes in the areas of
comfort, wear, breathability, traction on varied surfaces, performance
in the
mud, and ease of cleaning. Will the hole
in the heel lining grow larger? Will it cause discomfort,
friction spots, or blisters as I hike? Will the gouges in the
midsole grow larger, and if so will they affect comfort or
performance? I will be reporting on any additional areas of wear,
whether performance or comfort levels have changed, and how hotter
temperatures affect breathability and comfort. Will
they remain waterproof below the tongue? Does the breach of
waterproofness at the tongue cause my feet to become wet in rain or
stream crossings, and if so how long does it take the shoe to dry out? Will
there be a useful life left in the shoes at the end of the long term
test, or will I discard them immediately due to wear? The shoes have provided comfort
to my feet when backpacking, making me feel better when reaching camp,
but will I feel the level of wear I have experienced makes it
worthwhile to purchase a pair of Dunham Waffle
Stomper
Terrastryders as replacements?
Likes:
Comfortable sole and insole
Light weight
Neutral attractive color
Clean up well
Dislikes:
Wear in heel area and on midsoles
Tongue base leaks
Occasional discomfort in toe area and high on foot
Thanks
to Dunham and BackpackGearTest for the
opportunity to
test the Dunham Waffle Stomper TerraStryder-Low trail shoes.
Read more reviews of Dunham gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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