How to Choose Hiking Boots and Shoes

Built for the long haul and designed for comfort the moment you put them on, the women's Vasque St. Elias Waterproof hiking boots deliver confident traction and weatherproof performance.
Imported.
View all Vasque Women's Day Hiking Boots| Best Use | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Footwear Height | Over-the-ankle |
| Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Type of Waterproofing | GORE-TEX waterproof membrane |
| Upper | 1.8-2 mm leather |
| Midsole | Dual-density high-energy return EVA midsole + 20% sugarcane |
| Outsole | Vibram Megagrip |
| Weight (Pair) | 2 lbs. 6 oz. |
| Gender | Women's |
| Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
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I broke these in on some winter and spring hikes with no issues. Then I wore them on a 4 day, 50 mile backpacking trip and they ravaged my feet. Hot spots, blisters, horrible bruised toenails…I think high milage hikes and heat are this boot’s worst enemy. They are securely waterproof but also lack ventilation. I will keep these for winter hikes but to the back of the closet they go for now. Stiff sole and toe box make them great for snow travel.
I have had these shoes for over 4 years. I took them up Kilimanjaro and they stayed dry despite rainy days and mud. I have hiked or walked probably hundreds of miles in them and they have held up great. After all those years and miles I think the support is starting to wear out, but I plan on buying the same ones again. Fit is as expected and I am the same size as I am in other shoes.
Great boots! Better fit than expected! I usually wear 6-6.5 in women shoes. Ordered the 6.5 and they fit nicely with some room for the toes or bigger socks. They are not too narrow. Sole is sturdy. Love them !
I just got back from a hiking trip where I wore these boots everyday and they totally wrecked my feet. Tons of pain in the ankle, probably achilles. Very uncomfortable boots if you plan to hike more than a few hundred feet. I would not recommend them at all for serious hiking or really much of anything. The worst part about them is that the ankle support hits in a super weird uncomfortable spot, but they don't have good cushioning or arch support either. It's a shame because they were not cheap and now I need a new pair of boots.
As someone who went on 2 backpacking trips and ultimately used these for work for a year I’ll give you the complete run down. So if you’re getting into backpacking and find these for 90 bucks, the price they are now because vasque stopped making boots or something, they are an absolute steal. The rubbing on your foot will depend for each person but I had pinky toe blisters and some rubbing along my ankle but nothing tape or wearing actual outdoor long socks won’t fix. After I broke them in they’re fine. They’re an amazing boot for what you pay for just don’t get mad when the boots you paid 90 bones for gives u a blister 15 miles into your trip it happens💀. The waterproofing is great, water beads right off the only thing I dislike is they don’t have a rubber stop in the front so u kick a few rocks on a trail with these and that beautiful water beading is gone wherever u hit a rock but they’re goretex so it doesn’t much matter. The only issue I had with prolonged use is the metal hooks you put your laces in to lace them all the way up. They’re long so you can snag your shoe strings in them together if your not careful or not using all of the hooks and the hook jus don’t stay in one place sometimes and u gotta bend them closed so after like a year of that they’ll snap off and you gotta sand down the metal but that’s it I mean it’s excellent bang for your buck I’d buy em just as a backup they’re nice. Didn’t sink a boot once on my first trip
These boots are outstanding! I have another pair I use as work boots on my property but these are so beautiful I am keeping them for "dress up" occasions. The craftenship of Vasque is perfection - every seam and layer is expertly finished. I find them so comfortable to walk, stand, work in due to the great ankle support and the way the laces are attached. You can make them as tight as needed or loose whatever fits your foot the best. I appreciate that they come with an extra set of laces. This boot will last me for years!
Beautiful boot but I couldnt even get my foot into the tight opening to try them on
These are an updated iteration of a boot I currently wear. The generations are very different. The new version is mostly one piece of leather, which I thought would be an improvement, but the leather is very stiff and compresses my foot uncomfortably. The footbed is hard. I don’t think I could wear them for long enough to break them in. I will be returning them.
I was expecting these boots to fit like my other Vasque boots. Not so. They are so small that I could not get my foot into one. Maybe this is why they are discontinued. Too bad, they look like great boots