DUNHAM WAFFLE STOMPER® NIMBLE SHOES - LONG TERM REPORT

Background Information
Name: Karen Ross
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Height: 5'0" (1.5 m)
Weight: 103 lb (47 kg)
Email address: karen DOT ross AT tufts DOT edu
City, State, Country: Metropolitan Boston area, MA
Date: November 24, 2004

Backpacking Background
I have been hiking and camping for as long as I can remember. 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.  Being small, I tend toward lightweight gear, although I'm not one to hit the digital scales with every item.  However, I still carry a tent and will bring a couple of luxury items with me on trips rather than sacrifice everything for the lightest weight possible.  

Product Information
Manufacturer: Dunham Bootmakers
Manufacturer website: http://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: US$89.99

Selected Features (from the website):

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

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 pairs of eyelets: five running up the side of the shoe, and two near the top. The laces also feed through two webbing straps on the tongue: 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 on "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®).

Long term Testing
I have now been wearing the Nimbles for nearly 9 months, and I have to say I’m completely happy with them as both hiking and every day walking shoes.  While in South Africa this summer, I had the opportunity to wear the Nimbles a number of times while scrambling in the Drakensberg Mountains.  Scrambling is always a bit of a scare for me, because of the need to be especially nimble on my feet (pun absolutely intended) while navigating various mountain ridges.  With a history of sprained ankles, I often find myself more cautious than usual, especially since up until I began wearing the Nimbles my main choice of footwear for hiking were trail running shoes.  I was a bit wary of using the Nimbles on these hikes/scrambles due to their lack of much ankle support; however, they were by far my best option, so I climbed in them...happily, with no problems at all! I suspect that the thickness of the soles helped stabilize me on the ridges.
More recently (as marathon training has exposed my previously hidden foot problems), I’ve begun wearing the Nimbles with Powerstep inserts in order to provide additional arch support.  As I stated in my Initial Report, the Nimbles have more arch support then do many of my other shoes; nonetheless, by now much of that support has broken down (in other words, I no longer feel the arch support – I believe this is because my constant weight on the shoe has resulted in the support compacting, but I am not certain).  No matter.  When I first put the inserts into my Nimbles, the height of the arch against my foot was definitely uncomfortable.  I persisted in wearing the shoes with the inserts, though, and soon got used to the added support.  At this point I can’t say I really notice the inserts any more, but their presence in my Nimbles gives me hope that I can continue wearing the shoes until they wear out entirely. 
After 9 months, the Nimbles now look like they have taken many a beating (as they have).  The soles are cracked, the uppers are dirty (although the occasional toss in the washing machine helps), and the laces are beginning to fray (this doesn’t really worry me, as I was provided with an extra pair of laces with the shoes).  Aside from the reduced arch support, however, the Nimbles have amazed me with their durability.  I think that even with the aesthetic depreciation it will take another several hundred miles (or kilometers) until they’re no longer useable.
 
Continued Use and Final Thoughts
I anticipate that I will continue wearing the Nimbles on all of my hiking trips as well as frequently as everyday shoes until they can be worn no more. Over the past few months they have become my favorite choice of footwear, and many a day I can be seen wearing them regardless of my walking/running/hiking plans.  Until they fall apart, the Nimbles will be on my feet.
I have nothing negative to say about the Dunham Waffle Stomper® Nimbles.  These are fantastic shoes! And the red shoelaces – well, they just bring the Nimbles to a whole new level…