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Vasque
Breeze III GTX Boots
Test
Series by Bob Sanders
Initial
Report: May 22, 2017
Field Report: August 27, 2017
Long Term Report: October 22, 2017
PERSONAL INFORMATION |
Name: |
Bob
Sanders |
Backpacking
Background: I went on my first backpacking trip as a
Boy Scout at the age of 16. Over the years I have hiked the
Wonderland Trail in Washington and section hiked parts of the
Florida Trail, Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail and 740 mi
(1191 km) of the Pacific Crest Trail. I continue to backpack and
hike year round in the Colorado mountains. I have evolved from a
heavyweight backpacker to a lightweight backpacker and sometimes
reach ultralight weights. My three day Spring/Summer solo
adventures (using a tent) have me hovering around a 12 lb (5.4
kg) base weight.
|
Age: |
59 |
Gender: |
Male |
Height: |
6
ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Weight: |
200
lb (91 kg) |
Email: |
sherpabob(at)mac(dot)com |
Location: |
Pagosa
Springs, Colorado USA |
INITIAL
REPORT
May 22, 2017
PRODUCT INFORMATION (Image from website)
|
Manufacturer:
Vasque
Year
of Manufacture: 2017
Manufacturer's Website: www.vasque.com
MSRP: $179.00 US
Listed Weight: 2 lb 10 oz (1198 g)
Measured Weight: 2 lb 12.5 oz (1262 g)
Color
Tested: Brown Olive/Pesto (Shown above) - also
available in Brown Olive/Bungee Cord, Magnet/Yellow
Size Tested: 11 Wide (US), 44 (European) - Also
available in 7 to 13 (US), 39 to 47 (European) medium and wide
widths
Last: Arc Tempo+
Upper: 2.0 mm (.08 in) Waterproof Nubuck Leather,
Air Mesh, Gore-Tex waterproof membrane with extended comfort
Footbed: Dual Density EVA
Midsole: TPU Shank,
A.T.C. (All Terrain Compound Midsole with EVA cushioning Pods
Outsole: Vasque
Exclusive VibramĀ® Contact Grip with Megagrip Compound
|
Front View (Sorry they are a little dusty, already took them out for
a spin)
Nubuck leather with lots of mesh!
Vibram Contact Grip with MegaGrip Compound
Product
Description:
The boots are constructed of Nubuck leather and lots of mesh. A
Gore-Tex liner makes them waterproof. At first glance these boots are
well made with tight stitching and attention to detail. The soles are
stout and nicely lugged. The toe bumper wraps up high enough in the
front to give good protection. A pull-on loop at the top back is big
enough even for large hands. There are 7 lace points on each side (4
fabric and 3 metal). The website refers to them as a speed lace
system. First time on the lacing was easy and pretty fast. I like the
fact that the logo is understated and the color choices are earthy.
Initial
Impressions:
At
first I was a bit hesitant to test a high-top boot with a Gore-Tex
liner. My usual go-to hiking boot is a low-top non Gore-Tex version.
Getting the sweat out has always been more of a concern than keeping
moisture out like rain or puddles. The few blisters I have gotten
over the years have almost always been the result of a combination
of sweaty feet and toes rubbing or heal slippage. I am hoping all
that mesh will keep my feet dry and happy both inside and out.
Straight out of the box they felt good on my feet. The toe box
is wide and the heal cup is nice and snug with no slippage. I've worn
Vasque boots in the past and I remember them fitting well. I am super
glad I got the wide version. My toes have plenty of room to splay out
as I walk and there was no rubbing.
After a quick 4 mile (6.4 km) shake down hike my feet feel pretty
good. My feet were a little sweaty but no more than normal. Also no
hot spots and no rubbing. These boots are not going to need a break-in
period.
Likes:
- Well made and solid
construction
- Nice grippy sole
Dislikes:
FIELD
REPORT
August 27, 2017
Field Conditions:
For the past 2 months I have used these boots
for my almost daily walks of approx. 4 mi (6.4 km). I have also
gone on 5 day hikes and 1 quick overnighter. Probably close to 100
mi (160 km) total so far. All of this walking and backpacking has
taken place in the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado.
Mostly on local trails in and around Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Temperatures have been between 85 and 50F (30 and 10C) and the
weather has been sunny to partly cloudy with mild afternoon rain
showers. Elevations have ranged between 7,500 to 12,000 ft (2,286
to 3,658 m). The terrain has been quite varied including gravel
roads, dirt trails, scree, boulder fields and wet slippery downed
trees. These boots have held their own anywhere I have been.
Observations:
I really like these boots. Right out of the box they have been
comfortable. I have not experienced any major foot discomfort with
the exception of a couple of blisters and hot spots that I really
point the finger at sock selection, not the boots. Once I changed
the socks the problems went away.
I was also a bit concerned with how sweaty my feet would get while
using boots with a Gore-Tex waterproof membrane. I normally hike
in low-cut trail running shoes with lots of mesh. They keep my
feet fairly dry because they breath so well. The Breeze III boots
are almost as good. I believe there is a minor increase in how
damp my socks are. I don't believe they breath as well as my trail
runners.
They have done an excellent job of keeping my feet dry from
external moisture. Of the few times I have been caught on the
trail in a brief afternoon shower and small creek crossings the
boots have done a good job. The boots were obviously wet on the
outside but dry on the inside. By the time I got home in the car
the boots were pretty much dry on the outside.
Traction and durability have not been an issue. They have held up
to everything I have thrown at them.
Clouds starting to build near Engineer Mountain
Summary:
I have been on lots of short trips with these boots, under 10
mi (16 km). No real long days and they have been very
comfortable. I have taken them off sometimes during lunch
breaks which has helped air them out. I will continue to use
these boots on nearly a daily basis. I really do not have any
complaints so far.
October 22, 2017
For the past 2 months I
have continued to give these boots a lot of use. I put
them on every morning before my daily walks. I have also
used them on 3 additional day hikes of approx. 7 mi (11
km). During this test period all of this activity has
taken place in the San Juan Mountains in southwest
Colorado. All on local trails in and around Pagosa
Springs, Colorado. Temperatures have been between 65 and
40 F (18 and 4 C) and the weather has been sunny to partly
cloudy. Elevations have ranged between 7500 to 12,000 ft
(2300 to 3700 m). The terrain has been quite varied
including gravel roads, dirt trails, scree, boulder fields
and rare stream crossings. These boots are the ones I grab
for my walks, hikes and backpacks.
Observations:
These boots have exceeded my expectations. My initial
worry that my feet were going to be overly sweaty because
of the Gore-Tex liners has been unfounded. While my feet
are usually damp after every hike it has not been more
than normal. On longer hikes I usually stop for lunch and
take my boots off to let my feet air out. This technique
has worked well for me over the years.
The only water encountered so far has been several small
creek crossings that were quickly crossed in a couple of
steps. The outside of the boots were only slightly damp
and were dry by the time I got back to the car. I have not
noticed any discoloration of the leather.
I have also solved my previous sock issues that were
creating hot spots and blisters. No more foot issues
during this testing period.
The soles have worn well and other than a few scuffs the
boots have had excellent durability. The only cleaning I
have done is with a stiff nylon brush that I use to knock
off dirt and mud.
Conclusion:
I like these boots. They fit me well and seem to have good
durability. I have not been able to test these boots in
the snow but with the higher tops I think they are going
to come in handy. The Vibram soles have had excellent
traction and with all the mesh the boots seem to breath
well.
I don't have any negatives with these boots and I will
continue to wear them for all my hikes and backpacking
trips.
____________________________________________________________________________________
I would like to thank
BackpackGearTest.org and Vasque for the opportunity to test these boots.
Read more reviews of Vasque gear
Read more gear reviews by Bob Sanders
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