PATAGONIA VAGABOND
Lightweight-Waterproof Hiking Boots
Test Series By:
James E. Triplett
INITIAL REPORT (1-October-2007)
FIELD REPORT (3-December-2007)
LONG TERM REPORT (1-February-2008)
Personal Biographical
Information:
Name: |
James
E. Triplett |
E-mail: |
james_triplett@hotmail.com |
Age: |
47 |
Location:
|
Cedar
Rapids, Iowa |
Gender: |
male |
Height: |
6'
2" (1.88 m) |
Weight: |
200 lb (91 kg) |
Foot Size:
|
12 US (as measured
on a Brannock
Device)
|
Backpacking Background:
I am an experienced hiker, backpacker,
and camper, and am gaining more experience with winter camping every
year. I hike every day, and backpack when possible, which leads to many
weekends backpacking and camping each year. I try and take at least one
annual week-long backpacking trip in addition to many one to
three-night weekend trips. My style can best be described as
lightweight, but not at the cost of giving up too much comfort. I
generally sleep in a tent, and seem to be collecting quite a few of
them to choose from.
Patagonia Vagabond Waterproof Boots
Product Information & Specifications:
Manufacturer: Patagonia, Reno, Nevada (also in Canada, Japan, Europe, Italy, Chile, Argentina)
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Manufacturer's Website: www.patagonia.com
Style No. 79452
MSRP: $140 US
Color Received: Black (155)
Other Colors: Dark Brown (088)
Size received: 11½ US
Available sizes: 7 - 15 (US) with half sizes up to 11½
Listed
Weight: 1020 g (36 oz)
Measured Weight: 1210 g (42.8oz -or- 2 lb, 10.8 oz)
Date Item Received: 26-September-2007
Additional
Product Information:
From
the www.patagonia.com
website:
Description:
- A lightweight, breathable hiking boot with waterproof construction
Construction:
- Upper - protective mesh with bellows tongue
- Lining - fast-wicking, quick-drying Capilene® lining with natural odor control, and Waterproof bootie construction
- Insole - Bi-Fit™ dual-density recycled polyethylene/polyurethane
- Outsole - Vibram® Ecostep™ lug (up to 30% recycled rubber)
- Midsole - air-cushioning disk in the 15% recycled EVA foam
- Footbed - 70% recycled synthetic-cork with carbon component with antimicrobial qualities
- Last - Medium width, full toe box, medium arch/instep
Recommended Use:
- Hiking
- Scrambling
- The Approach
INITIAL
REPORT
1-October-2007
Introduction:
I've
hiked a lot over the years and started out with some heavy (and I mean
heavy!) Vasque steel-shanked boots when I did the lower third of the
Appalachian Trail almost two-dozen years ago. Times have changed
over the years and from my perspective the need for thick, heavy, and
stiff hiking boots has all but disappeared. In no particular
order, I have hiked in heavy-weight boots, mid-weight boots, stretchy
sock-like shoes, trail runners, and even sandals. Thanks to
advances in technology it is now possible to have a boot that is
lightweight, durable and even waterproof. That is the niche the
imported Patagonia Vagabonds are designed to fill. This is
desirable to me as I'm not going on 700 mile (1,100 km) hikes these
days, but rather shorter more frequent hikes for which the Vagabonds
should fit the bill.
Vagabond (vag-a-bond): rootless: wandering aimlessly without ties to a place or community; "led a vagabond life"; "a rootless wanderer"
Initial Impressions:
Based on the
product literature available on the Patagonia website, I had formed an
idea of what the Patagonia Vagabond boots would be like. They are
in fact pretty much what I expected. The Vagabonds are a
lightweight boot which rise to just above the ankle. There are
four pairs of eyelets for the laces, and two pairs of speed-hooks in
rather close proximity at the top of the boots. The toes are
rubberized, and the sole is slightly rounded under the arch of the
foot. The backs of the boots are low, measuring 6.1 inches (15.5
cm) from the resting surface, and there are loops for tugging on the
boots. The uppers are a bit of a surprise, as they are made of a
cloth fabric similar to canvas. There are areas of leather, or
simulated leather, around the eyelets and the base of the boots.
The gusseted tongues are heavily padded, and the laces are thin, round,
and have yellow highlights making them rather decorative.
Inside the boots is a cushy Capilene lining. The blue insoles are
thin and contoured, without any built in arch support. They are a
rubbery material of a high density nature. Under the insoles the
lining extends to the base of the inner boot where there is a single
zig-zag seam down the center of the boot (see image below).
The only literature coming with the Patagonia Vagabonds was
a hang-tag which touts the 30% recycled rubber Vibram® Ecostep
soles. The Vibram soles are nicely lugged and fairly aggressive
for a light-weight boot. I like the way they are narrower in the
middle, and the wrap up on the toes and heels should be good protection
for stubbing toes on rocks and other trail debris.
Initial
Fit:
Slipping the Patagonia Vagabond Lightweight Waterproof
Hiking Boots on reminded me of slipping into a new fleece
sweater. They are truly soft and luxurious. This is in
rather stark contrast to the utilitarian look and feel of the outside
of the boots. My feet measure right at size 12 (US) on a Brannock
device, but from past experience I ordered the 11 ½ boots for
the desired fit. This worked perfectly and the boots fit like a
glove while still leaving an adequate amount of room beyond my
toes. I have somewhat thin feet and sometimes lacing up boots can
be problematic as I need to compress a lot of the bulky boot material
to get them snug enough. My initial trial shows that this is
somewhat the case with these boots, but not to the extreme causing
concern. The laces are thin and slide easily through the eyelets
and speed-hooks, so I will monitor how well I am able to tighten the
boots as testing commences. Over all, the boots fit delightfully
well and I am anxious to get them out into the woods.
Test
Plan:
I will be using the
Patagonia Vagabond light-weight hiking boots for all my hiking,
backpacking, and camping needs throughout the test period. With
the test period extending into early 2008 there is a good chance that
this will include some use in the snow, so I will be able to test their
claimed water-proofness in both rain and wintry conditions. I
will also be looking for signs of wear, and report on warmth and
comfort. I plan to use the Vagabond boots on daily hikes of 2 to
4 miles (3 to 6.5 km) and multi-day trips of up to 10 or 12 miles (16
to 19 km) per day. I expect the Vagabonds to see dry dirt trails,
wet grassy trails, as well as mud, pavement, creek beds, possibly snow
and ice, and most other imaginable surfaces. The current plan is
for these hikes to take place here in Eastern Iowa. The elevation
is around 860 feet (262 meters) and the temperature and precipitation
data can be found in the table below.
Month
|
Temp
Range
degrees F
|
Temp
Range
degrees C
|
Precipitation
(inches)
|
Precipitation
(cm)
|
October
|
42
to 64
|
6
to 18
|
2.4
|
6.1
|
November
|
29
to 47
|
-2
to 8
|
2.2
|
5.6
|
December
|
16
to 32
|
-9
to 0
|
1.6
|
4.1
|
January
|
10
to 28
|
-12
to -2
|
1.1
|
2.8
|
Summary:
The
Patagonia Vagabond light-weight hiking boots are slightly unusual in
that they have canvas uppers. It will be interesting to see how
this material wears both from durability and ease of cleaning
standpoints. The tread is moderately aggressive, yet is shaped
with streamlined contours wrapping up at the toe and heel, and rising
on the sides around the arch of the foot. The height of the boots
is reasonably low, which for me is desirable. The styling is
appealing and I am anxious to start testing!
FIELD
REPORT
3-December-2007
Locations and Conditions:
I have used the Patagonia Vagabond
light-weight hiking boots for all my hiking since receiving them.
This has included daily hikes in the private woods near my home in
Eastern Iowa, hikes in the Faulks Heritage Woods, Squaw Creek Park, and
Pinicon Ridge Park, all also in Eastern Iowa, and three overnight
backpacking trips in the aforementioned areas. I estimate that I
have worn the boots for approximately 100 miles (161 km).
Temperatures have ranged from a high of 65 F (18 C) at the beginning of
the test period, to a low of 13 F (-10 C) during a recent trip.
The Vagabonds have been exposed to mud, rain, heavy dew, ice, and
snow. Elevations have been around 860 feet (262 meters).
Performance, Fit and Comfort:
As I reported earlier, the Patagonia
Vagabond boots fit nicely and seemed exceptionally comfortable to slip
on. I have used the boots exclusively with the stock insoles,
which seemed adequate for short hikes around my home. Taking a
longer backpacking hike in to a camping area at Pinicon Ridge Park,
however, yielded different results. With a pack weight of
approximately 30 pounds (14 kg), and hiking about 8 miles (13 km), my
feet grew tired and the arch support of the boots seemed lacking.
My feet felt hot and flat. This has happened on three different
occasions when going for similar distances. As I move into the
Long Term testing phase I intend to experiment with some off-the-shelf
insoles which are thicker and have better arch support. Ankle
support offered by the Vagabonds is adequate, and in fact more than
expected given that these are rather light weight boots. Traction
with the Vibram Ecostep soles has been good on dirt, muddy, and snowy
trails. The boots slip somewhat on wet rocky conditions, but no
more than what I have experienced with other lugged footwear.
The canvas uppers have worn well and resisted staining for the most
part. As can be seen in the pictures, when the boots are wet the
canvas discolors, but it generally restores itself to near the original
appearance when the boots have dried back out. When wearing the
boots through some tall, dew-soaked, prairie grass, the boots kept my
feet dry. I have also worn the boots through standing water when
there was no way around it on a particular trail, and found the
Patagonia Vagabonds to be waterproof as advertised. Snow has also
not presented a problem.
One surprising development with regards to the durability of the boots
is that the laces have broken on both boots. The lace on the left
boot broke between the third and fourth pair of eyelets when I was
lacing them one morning. I secured the broken ends together with
a square knot (photo below), but the casing of the laces was still
detached. Shortly thereafter the lace broke again in a spot near
the original break. I don't fault the laces for this since the
casing was not in tact, and only the inner cord was holding the laces
together. But then the right lace broke, and the left lace broke
again, this time in an area where the lace had not been
compromised. I have had laces last for years and was disappointed
that the laces on the Vagabonds seem to be inferior.
I
have worn the Patagonia boots with one sock layer consisting of cotton
blend socks when it was warmer out, followed by SmartWool and Thorlo
wool socks as temperatures dropped to freezing and below. I have
found the boots to insulate fairly well in the cold temperatures, yet
not cause excessive heat buildup on warmer days.
Field Testing Summary:
The Patagonia Vagabond boots are
holding up well, with the exception of the broken laces, through this
first phase of the testing process. The boots are quite
comfortable and offer decent support for a lightweight boot. I
will try some more supportive insoles during the long term test to see
if they aid in comfort on longer backpacking trips. Overall the
fit and comfort have been first rate, and there was no break-in period
required prior to heading out on a backpacking trip.
LONG TERM
REPORT
1-February-2008
Test Location and Conditions:
I have worn the Patagonia Vagabond boots for almost all my outdoor
activities since receiving them in September 2007. The exception
was a few days at Christmas when I loaned them to my son-in-law, as
their luggage was lost for a few days while they were flying up from
North Carolina. We were all outside shoveling snow and he needed
footwear. I have worn the Vagabonds on backpacking trips to
Pinicon Ridge Park, and Palisades Kepler Park (both in Eastern Iowa),
as well as on day hikes on both public and private land near my home on
the edge of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The elevation in this region is
approximately 860 feet (262 meters).
The weather conditions have been rather extreme for this test
period. Back in September it got as warm as 64 F (18 C), and
believe it or not, this month, January 2008, it got up to 65 F (18.5
C). In between it has hovered around freezing several times, been
below 0 F (-18 C) for days in a row, and gotten as cold as -20 F (-29
C). Perhaps the strangest day was this past Monday when it was 46
F (8 C) as I went on a hike in the morning, but the temperature fell
throughout the day and it got down to -2 F (-19 C) within 18 hours.
Because of this wild range of up and down temperatures, I have been
able to wear the Vagabond boots in a variety of conditions, from rain
and sleet, to damp heavy snow, light powdery snow, and packed snow and
ice. Average snowfall for the entire winter around here is 33
inches (84 cm), and we've already had 31 inches (79 cm)! I've
worn the Vagabonds on a variety of surfaces (dirt, grass, rock, etc.),
but that has been covered with snow for at least the last six weeks, so
it is somewhat irrelevant.
Performance:
The performance of the Patagonia Vagabond lightweight waterproof hiking
boots has been unremarkable, which in this case is a good thing.
My feet haven't gotten cold even when hiking in sub-zero (below -18 C)
weather. I haven't developed any blisters or had any other
bad-feet experiences. The boots have proven to be waterproof, and
remained
that way throughout the test. And comfort, traction, and
stability has been quite adequate from the first day through today.
Fit and Comfort:
When I Think of "Patagonia" what typically comes to mind is a sweater,
or maybe a fleece jacket, either of which being soft and
comfortable. When I slipped on the Vagabond boots for the first
time, they were indeed soft and comfortable. Remarkably so, in
fact. Now that I've worn them for approximately 200 miles (320
km), including about 25 miles (40 km) in snowshoes, I've gotten spoiled
and take the comfort for granted. They are still just as
comfortable, but I have to admit that I've stopped noticing it. I
did discover that on long hikes, or days when I wear them for 6, 8, or
10 hours, my feet would feel rather tired. I put in some Sof-Sol
insoles, and noticed a marked improvement.
Durability:
Durability of the Patagonia Vagabond's has proven to be sufficient over
the four-month test period, with the exception of the laces. The
laces were simply dismal. Each time a lace would break I would
tie it back together and continue on. This happened at least five
times. Recently I replaced the laces with some nice red hiking
laces. For some reason, with the new laces, the boots are nice
and snug again, and feel more secure. This is either due to my
tentativeness in tightening the old (easy-to-break) laces, or the knots
were causing issues and not letting the tension distribute
properly. I wish I had replaced the laces earlier because now I
am interested to see if there are sharp edges on the eyelets or some other
reason that the boots caused the laces to fail. My inspection of
the eyelets indicates that they are fine. I'll put an addendum to
this report if the new laces fail abnormally quickly.
So back to the durability of the boots themselves. For
non-leather boots I am rather impressed. When they are wet they
look stained, but when the dry they go back to their original
appearance. There are some slightly frayed places near the
eyelets, but they were there from the beginning and are simply the edge
of the material where the canvas is attached to the black
material. The tread is in almost perfect condition. Both
the clean uppers, and well preserved tread, are likely attributable to
daily usage in snow, where there isn't much abrasion on the tread and
the snow cleans the uppers.
Final Summary and Conclusions:
The Patagonia Vagabond lightweight waterproof hiking boots are about
half a pound (225 grams) lighter than my next lightest hiking
boots. Though not offering quite as much support as heavier
boots, I have found the Vagabonds nicely sufficient for hiking the
trails of Eastern Iowa. Traction is very good, as is durability
(except for the laces), and the over all performance of the boots has
met my needs. I have found the Vagabonds to be comfortable and
truly waterproof. They also fit nicely into my snowshoes.
This concludes my report series on the Patagonia Vagabond lightweight waterproof hiking boots. Thank you to Backpackgeartest.org and Patagonia for the opportunity to participate in this test series.
Respectfully submitted,
-James T.
Read more reviews of Patagonia gear
Read more gear reviews by James E. Triplett
|