Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I definately have worn through the soles way before I have ever seen wear down of the actual upper leather. I hike about 15-20 miles a week so foot wear is very important. I noticed that in other comments there is question of durability and waterproof.....Here is the deal. For most avid hikers this boot is far more than adequate. The fit is almost perfect and within 10 or so miles of hiking this boot will be broken in. My first pair logged an easy 1000 miles before their retirment and from the top part of the boot you would never had guessed them to be more than a season old. That same pair saw the peaks of over 20 mountains, 6 fourteeners (some twice) and enough snow, ice and water (thanks to St. Marys and a few notible mentions). Unlike other boots of comparable price, These are breathable which ultimatly reduce the quantity of blisters on your feet. Come to think of it, I do not recall ever having blisters in these boots....And I have done plenty of long trips in them. If you are a hardcore backpacker with a ton of gear these boots are not going to be the Asolo's that you are used to.... Honestly get over it. If you expect that you will be disappointed. For the rest of us....This boot is perfect. Yes waterproof and I will continue to purchase this boot for many years to come. BTW....My fiance' whom would never admit this until owning a pair herself (i purchased for her) believes this to be the most comfortable pair of boots she has owned. The one flaw I see in these boots at all would be that the arch support gives way about 500-700 miles or so in (purchase some super feet and you will be fine). This spring I will be purchasing a new pair and am excited to hit the trails in my new pair of Vasques!

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I returned yesterday from Philmont,New Mexico, a Boy Scout Ranch, from a 12 day backpacking trip, where I wore my new Vasque Breezes.

I hiked 80 miles with a 40 pound pack wearing the Vasque Breezes, and didn't get a single blister! They were great, and comfortable.

These boots were put to the test, being taken through the Rocky Mountains, up 6 mountains, across streams, and through thorn bushes.

As for waterproofing, these boots were great. I hiked along a stream on one day, crossing through it 15+ times, without a single drop getting in. They dry quickly and are as breathable as a hiking boot can get.

There was some wear and tear around the toe of the boot, but that was all. What a great product!

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I bought these boots for my thru-hike because they were advertised as waterproof, felt instantly comfortable, and were relatively lightweight. I did a couple weeks' practice/ training hikes, and hiked 2 weeks in Maine on the A.T. before they started falling apart. Seams started breaking, the leather tore off the toes, revealing that the "genuine leather upper" was thin and had a thin layer of plastic under it, and a while afterwards the soles started coming off. Moreover, they completely lost traction for the White Mountains of New Hampshire, causing me some pretty painful falls. After a couple more weeks, these are barely boots anymore. There are huge holes where there were previously seam tears, there is no leather on the toes, and the soles are completely worn down and are coming off.

Most companies will stand by their product. With Vasque, I had to argue with customer service through a number of calls and do a lot of work to figure out a way to get replacement boots.

I will never buy another pair of Vasque shoes or boots. I expected these boots to take me at least 500 miles (and I was hoping for about 750), and they took me less than 200. And now I know that their company doesn't care for their customers as much as most other footwear companies in the industry.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

These boots can really take a beating and keep on coming. I wore them on a 7-day trip up Kilimanjaro, and the only compaint I had was that on summit day my feet were a little cold. These were defintiely designed for warmer weather, but even in the snow they're pretty good, providing you won't be outside for too long. I've almost turned my ankle twice hiking with these, and both times the high ankle design probably saved me from a pretty bad injury. I've had my pair over a year and a half, and while they are pretty beat up, they show no signs of slowing down or wearing out.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I used them from the deserts to the alpine mountains, on the trials and x-country. I was in love for the first few months. They were comfortable, light, stylish, and cool. The honeymoon ended when the wet weather started. These boots failed to keep my feet dry. Then the rubber started to seperate from the synthetic leather at the bumper as well as on the side. I returned them, first time ever, for a pair of hiking boots.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

Absolutely no break in time what so ever. Wonderful grip on wet, steep surfaces. If you intend on doing long distance hiking (week +) stay away...wear and tear comes quick on these babies. My biggest gripe besides the price was the quality of stitching. The sole began detaching after a few long weeks of backpacking. Complete submersion (almost to the ankle) resulted in wet feet at the laces. I'm not one to complain often :) In all honesty though, after spending [$] I expected something that offered a little more longevity.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I hike about 500 miles a year going once a week on day hikes and two times a year on 3 day hikes. These boots do their job well. Just a couple of cons: Need more protection around the toes to prevent wear and the vent parts catch foxtails easily.

Overall a great boot. So far I probably have 1000 miles on them.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I bought these after trying on almost every brand and style out there a month before my Yosemite JMT backpacking trip. I carried a 38lb pack up the mist trail. Great traction and stability. I climbed Half Dome in these boots. comfortable and never got a blister during the 10 day trip. On day 3 I was able to cover 17.5 miles most of that was down hill. I have flat feet and always have problems finding comfortable boots. Well worth the money.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

I have had these boots for 3 years and approximately 1000 miles of hiking and trail running over the dry, rough granite trails west of Denver. They offer excellent support and good durability. The sole is about done and the toe box is torn up (but not worn through) on my current boots which seems very appropriate for 3 years of rough use. Both dry and wet traction is good, they have given me good ankle support over the rough ground. I am a little over 6 foot and 200 lbs and these mid weight boots protect my foot from stones and trail irregularities. They are stiffer than light weight boots or trail running shoes. However, with the stiffness I have learned to take care not to catch the front on protruding rocks when running.

The Breezes do seem to run small, I would guess only 1/2 size though. Or maybe they are a little narrow, but normal length. I have stuck with my normal shoe size to avoid blisters potentially caused by my foot sloshing around in a comfortably loose boot. Sized this way (my normal size) the boot is snug but comfy, and there is plenty of room (length) in the toe so my toes do not touch the end of the boot. Never, ever had a blister. I did replace the original insole with Superfeet (green) as I tend to pronate.

I find the Breeze are best in fall, winter, and spring. They keep me dry in snow and mud and clean up well, but we don't stay wet for long here in the near desert so I don't know how they would do in protracted wet. In the summer the Breeze gets hotter than my old, light weight vented boots which breath great, but are too light and flexible to handle the rough ground. I do use the Breezes in the summer as they do have some air circulation but they get a bit warm and my feet are sweaty after a 2 hour hike on a hot summer afternoon.

The Breezes offer some protection from thorns and prickly seeds, much better than my old, light weight vented boots which picked up every prickle, but much less than my old leather boots. But my leather boots were a furnace half the year.

The Breeze are a great mid-weight hiking boot for the foothills area of Colorado.

Comments about Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex Hiking Boots - Men's:

The Vasque Breeze boots are among the better boots in this class. I hike moderate to strenuous trails routinely, typically exceeding 900 miles a year at about 80,000 vertical feet overall. I am frequently in terrain that is rocky and/or wet, which is not a forgiving environment for most boots. I have 300 miles currently on these boots.

These boots fit very well, gripping the wide part of the foot snuggly where they are supposed to that stabilizes the foot very well inside the boot itself. The break in period was surprisingly blister free and under normal conditions up to 7 mile hikes in any terrain, I've not ever had a problem with blisters. On long duration hiking of 12 miles or more, its advisable to tape the toes to reduce blisters or chafing in the toe box. Most average hikers likely won't ever see a blister in these boots.

The boot offers good support up the ankle, allowing time for a quick recovery on a misstep or rolling of the foot on rough terrain. The boot material itself seems durable and is resistant to scratching or tearing from heavy branches or rock. Cleats used for lacing are rounded to reduce snaging potential.

Among their better traits is how they grip various surfaces. These boots grip surprisingly well on most any dry surface, at angles which can cause other boots to break contact. The boots are honest and will telegraph the surfaces they don't like early on, which allows one to read the conditions they need to be cautious with.

For those of us who spend a lot of time on trails, there is no such thing as completely waterproof. The boots do pretty well in keeping water out in light rain or wet grass conditions, however, in long exposure in moderate to heavy rain they can saturate. The good news here is, they take longer than other boots to reach that point.

The only failing I have seen is the sensitivity to heat and the glue used to seal the rubber toe of the boot. Left in a hot car, the glue can fail and the rubber separate from the boot a little. Avoid keeping them in cars parked in the sun.