Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Dunham Waffle Stomper Nimble Shoes > Karen Ross > Initial Report

DUNHAM WAFFLE STOMPER® NIMBLE  SHOES

Background Information:

Name:  Karen Ross
Age:  24          
Gender: Female
Height:  5'0" (1.5 m)
Weight: 103 lb  (47 kg)         
Email address: karen ross AT tufts DOT edu
City, State, Country: Metropolitan Boston area, MA
Date:  March 19, 2004

Backpacking Background
I have been hiking and camping for as long as I can remember.  I'm an avid runner and day hiker, ski occasionally, kayak, car camp, and generally like to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  I've spent time hiking and orienteering with scout groups, as well as while doing my military service in Israel.  I travel frequently and try to use every opportunity to explore. I started backpacking a few years ago and my trips have been mostly limited so far to shorter ones, although I’m slowly working my way up to longer trips (including trail maintenance work).  Being small, I tend toward lightweight gear, although I’m not one to hit the digital scales with every item – it’s more of a philosophy than a science for me.  I like to think of my style as light, but not without a couple luxuries.

Product Information

Manufacturer:  Dunham Bootmakers
Manufacturer website: www.dunhambootmakers.com
Year of manufacture: 2004  
Listed weight: 12 oz (340 g)
Measured weight: 14 oz  (397 g) - left shoe; 13 oz (369 g) - right shoe; 27 oz (765 g) - pair
Size: 7B
Sizes available: AA: 6-11,12,13
                        B: 6-11,12,13
                        D: 6-11,12,13
Colors: Grey/blue/red
MSRP: $89.99

• ABZORB in Heel and Forefoot - Provides maximum shock absorption
• Vibram Sole Unit with TPU Plate - Traction, durability, and stability.
• EVA Midsole - Provides lightweight cushioning and flexibility
• Gusseted Tongue - Provides water resistant protection by attaching the tongue to the upper
• Split Suede/Mesh Upper - Provides natural comfort and support

The Nimbles Arrive

Product Description
The Dunham Waffle Stomper® Nimble shoes are lightweight hiking shoes, billed as outdoor performance shoes which are "incredibly light and comfortable and ready for any outdoor challenge you can dream." They are a handsome mixture of grey suede and sky blue mesh uppers with red and black trim and black Vibram® soles. "vibram" (in all lower-case) is written in yellow on the outer back part of the sole; on the back of the shoe, about half-way up, "ABZORB®" is written in red against the red trim. 

The laces on the Nimbles are the same bright red as the trim on the shoe; however, the extra pair of laces matches the blue color of the shoes' mesh.  Each shoe has seven eyelets: five running up the side of the shoe, and two near the top.  The laces also feed through two webbing straps: one in between the two lowest eyelets, and one about  half-way up the tongue of the shoe. 

According to the website, the Nimbles are constructed from "SL-1" lasts.  What this means is that the heel width, instep height, toe box depth and forefront width are all standard (Other lasts might have deeper toe boxes or higher insteps, for example).   The Nimble shoes come with removable black foot beds marked Dunham Waffle Stomper®. 

The tread, trademarked as part of the Vibram® sole, has a unique waffle-shaped pattern (hence the name Waffle Stomper®).  This tread is significantly deeper than the ones on my normal trail runners, and I suspect that the sole is what makes the Nimbles weigh more than typical trail running shoes.  It certainly seems substantial enough to provide traction on all kinds of terrain - of course, the next six months will show whether that statement can be substantiated.

Initial Impressions
What great looking shoes! When I opened the shoe box, I saw exactly what I had been expecting based on what pictures on the web showed, down to the shoelace color.  In fact, my only surprise was that the suede on the Nimbles was a light grey rather than charcoal, as the pictures had led me to believe.  I suppose I can survive that small disparity, though - especially considering what good looking shoes they turned out to be!  I was especially pleased with the red laces - hey, I like red! I'll keep the extra (blue) pair of laces in case this pair breaks, but for now, it's all red for me!  I tried on the Nimbles immediately and was pleased that they fit - I guess Dunham's claim that the shoe runs true to size is correct. 

My first 'test run' (walk would be better in this case) of the Nimbles occurred while wearing only thin cotton dress socks (what I had been wearing when the shoes arrived).  I wore the Nimbles around the house and over to a friend's house and back: about 3 hours and 2 miles (3.2 km) in all.  At first I was surprised at how high the arch bump felt against my foot, but this feeling quickly disappeared as my feet got used to the feeling of having arch support (most of my shoes have little or no arch support at all).  I was a bit more concerned by the fact that there was some pressure on the top part of my right big toe.

I spent a full day wearing the Nimbles with my standard hiking/backpacking socks.  Initially the shoes felt a bit tight with these socks, but the feeling disappeared quickly - even without loosening the laces at all.  I was comfortable wearing the Nimbles for an entire day, with the sole exception of the pressure on my right big toe, which hasn't disappeared yet.  I am planning on reinserting the paper into the Nimble shoes (for shape retention) and attempting to raise the material so as to deepen the foot bed a bit - hopefully this will alleviate the pressure.  Overall, though, I don't anticipate that the Nimbles will require any real break-in time, considering how comfortable they felt the first few times I wore them.  

Testing Plan
The Dunham Waffle Stomper® Nimble shoes will effectively replace my trail runners for the duration of this test period.  I plan on wearing them on day hikes and longer backpacking trips.  I will also wear the Nimbles around town as often as conditions (weather and ability to not get dressed up) allow. 
It's March, but I live in New England, which means we could still see some snow before spring really arrives.  Hopefully, therefore, I'll be able to test the Nimbles in all weather conditions over the next six months.
I will be testing the Nimbles on the following points:

• At their low weight, the Dunham Nimbles are a happy addition to the lightweight trail running line.  However, with their waffle tread and robust appearance, it would seem that they might be able to provide better overall foot support and sturdiness than my normal trail running sneakers.  My testing will focus on this aspect of the Nimbles.  How well does the traction keep me from slipping? Are the Nimbles sturdy enough to keep my ankle from turning, even in conditions where other shoes may not adequately prevent it from doing so?  Will different terrain affect the performance of the Nimbles?

• I will also be testing the Nimbles for comfort.  These shoes are advertised as being true to NB sizes.  However, how do they compare in comfort? I hike in trail runners, other than for weight reasons, largely because I find them more comfortable than heavier hiking boots.  How do the Nimbles measure up in this respect? Does the ABZORB really provide “maximum” shock absorption, or will my feet complain only a few miles into hikes that they are being abused? Likewise, does the EVA midsole provide enough cushioning for moderate and long days, when I may be hiking 15 miles or more? As I don’t use any type of additional insole, this factor is particularly important.  I am interested to see if there is any difference in how the Nimbles measure up to testing on short hikes versus longer ones – occasionally just a few miles aren’t enough for a shoe to show me all it’s got.  Furthermore, I will be testing the ‘breathability’ of the Nimbles, which are featured as giving “natural comfort” with mesh/suede uppers.  Will my feet perspire more or less than in my normal trail running shoes? When it rains, will the shoes keep my feet from getting wet? If not, will they dry out quickly or will I be hiking in wet shoes days after the rain?
  Also on the comfort point, I'm hoping that my re-insertion of the provided paper into the toe box of the Nimbles will alleviate the pressure on my right big toe.  I will be reporting back on this as the test progresses.

• Finally, I will focus on the durability of the Dunham Nimbles.  How well will the traction hold out on numerous backpacking trips and weekly (or more frequent) day hikes throughout the testing period? I have one pair of hiking boots that look almost new but which I can no longer wear because the first thing to wear out was the traction.  I hope this won’t be the case with the Nimbles.  Will the inside of the shoe wear out quicker than the outside, leaving me with a new-looking shoe that no longer provides cushioning and/or comfort, or will the insoles and interior materials last? How well will the laces hold up when being tied and re-tied constantly?  

• How will rain (always a possibility here in New England) affect the shoes? How will the shoe altogether hold up to miles of hiking on rocky, hilly, muddy terrain? The Nimbles look sturdy and indestructible on the web site - - I’ll be checking to see how well they measure up in real life. 

Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Dunham Waffle Stomper Nimble Shoes > Karen Ross > Initial Report