Reviewer
Stuart Bilby, male, stu@bwpl.co.nz Age 37, 176 cm (5'9"), 81 kg (179 lb)

Website
www.dunhambootmakers.com
At the time of writing there is no detailed information about the shoes on the website.

Price
US$89.99

Weight
Measured weight 31.6 oz (896 g) for the pair.

Description
The exact model I have are Dunham Men's Hiking MWM905GO Waffle Stomper Nimble Size US Size 10D.

The sole consists of a black hard rubber Vibram base with a distinctive tread pattern - perfect for stomping waffles. The knobbly Vibram layer has holes in it through which can be seen a tough red plastic layer (Thermoplastic Urethane, TPU) and through gaps in this can be seen a white soft midsole made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). There is also a spongy red Abzorb layer at the heel for shock absorption. Retailer web sites say that there is Adzorb in the forefoot as well.

Inside the shoe there is a white, slightly fluffy insole and a removable textured polystyrene insert of the type often found in running shoes. The inside rear of the shoe is covered with seamless fabric and is even without obvious lumps. The inside of the shoe around the toe has some substantial lumps where fabric layers overlap and are sewn. I will report in the Field Report whether these cause chafing or discomfort.

The soles are quite flexible with little torsional stiffness, however they look like they will offer good protection against stone bruising. The front of the toe has a rubber bumper going 33 mm (1.3 inches) high and wrapping a short distance around the sides. The shoes have the Dunham SL1 last, this is their standard straight last, and a squarish toe shape.

The upper consists of five different materials:

• A grey streaked split suede material in the high wear areas
• Orange tape on the tongue and lower sides
• Breathable orange mesh on the upper toe and tongue
• Stiff black woven tape in the medium wear areas
• And a black plastic band across the midfoot

They give the impression of being ruggedly constructed and the tread pattern appears to have solid edges, which is something I appreciate for sidling across steep gravel or tussock slopes. The tread pattern has a distinctive knobbly shape that gives it the Waffle Stomper name.

Laces
The shoes come with a pair of red wavy, round cross-section laces. I have never seen laces quite like them. I presume the wriggles in the laces are to help them stay tied. The shoes came with a similar spare set of grey laces for those who don't like the bold red colour.

Documentation
The only documentation supplied with the shoes was a small tag promoting the general virtues of Vibram soles.

Future Testing
The shoes arrived on 17 March 2004 but were too narrow. I expect to change them for a wider pair for the field testing. I will be testing the shoes in a wide range of New Zealand on and off-trail conditions. I will be interested to see if the mesh material on the upper keeps dirt and mud out of the inside of the shoe. I tend to be hard on my shoes so I will see how they stand up to the wear and tear of New Zealand tramping conditions. I will report on the performance of the tread while edging and on a wide range of surfaces.

Summary
The Waffle Stomper Nimbles are solid looking pair of trail shoes and I am looking forward to seeing how they perform.

Backpacking Background
I live in Auckland, New Zealand and have been heading into the mountains for 18 years. I am an experienced backpacker, tramper and climber and most of my trips are multi-day off-trail trips. I love long trips up the remote gorges, forests and glaciers of the South Island's west coast. Over the last three years I have converted to a lightweight style.

26 March 2004