Vasque Breeze LT GTX Test Report by Kurt Papke

Product Information
Manufacturer	Vasque
Manufacturer website	http://www.vasque.com/
Year Manufactured	2009
Size tested/used	13 men's Available in sizes Medium 7-12,13,14,15
Color tested/used	Beluga/Olive Oil (only one color available)
MSRP	$130 US
	Listed	Measured
Weight	2 lb 2 oz (960 g)	2 lb 8.8 oz (1160 g)

Note in the above table the substantial difference between listed and measured weights. This is likely due to the size of the boot; the product website does note state the size that was used for the listed weight, but it is likely much smaller than my size 13's.

front/back view

The picture at left shows the front and back of the boots. The product website states the following composition:

Upper: Synthetic Leather Leather
Upper: Airmesh Nylon Fabric
Midsole: Molded EVA
Outsole: Vibram Contact
Footbed: Dual Density EVA

The nylon mesh (which provides the breathability) and the synthetic leather are readily apparent in the photo. Also visible is the generous padding around the ankles and in the tongue, the pull-strap with its yellow strip, and the lacing system. The prominent Vibram labeling can be seen in yellow at the heel.

The excellent toe protection can be seen in the left boot. The entire toe area is very rigid and should prevent serious toe stubs on trail rocks and roots.

The yellow stripes on the lacing loops are very visible in low light and will aid lace repair and re-lacing in the dark.

side view

In the photo at right the extent of the nylon mesh is more readily seen, as is the lone lace lug. The generous padding in the tongue can also be seen.

The GORE-TEX label for the waterproof liner is visible just below the lacing lug.

Laces: there are six courses of laces on this boot. From the bottom, the first three are attached with straps to the inside of the tongue area. The fourth is attached to a strap sewn to the outside of the upper. The fifth is a plastic-reinforced (yellow) hole in the upper. The final course is looped over the gray plastic lugs, which are generously sized for ease of capture while lacing.

I had no difficulties getting a nice snug lacing the first few times I put the boots on. The laces themselves are soft and spongy making it comfortable on the hands when tightening.

The photo above shows the details of the Vibram sole. I find the design of the lugs quite interesting, with the light gray traction grips on the bottom of the ball of the foot for downhill descents.

There are two sets of lugs that I'm not sure I fully understand. Both are in yellow Vibram with a small light-gray lug that appears to provide side-traction. One is just behind the arch, the other on the outside ball of the foot. They would appear to function mostly when the very inner or outer part of the foot is used, perhaps when crossing steep inclines.

The bright yellow piece at the back of the arch appears to be a small section of the TPU plate - it is very rigid. Note also the hard yellow Vibram lugs at the outer part of the heel which is typically the highest wear spot.

The above picture shows the various insoles I will be using with the boots. This is very important to me - I have Plantar Fasciitis and I need a lot of arch support to make it into camp without limping and a lot of pain. The first one on the left in yellow is the insole provided with the boot. It has some nice cushion and feels like it will breathe well, but not much support. In white are my custom orthotics that have a very rigid base (blue plastic). Next are two different models of Powerstep off-the-shelf insoles in blue. The first on the left is the regular full-length model, the second on the right is the Pinnacle model that has substantially more cushioning, but fills up more of the foot box.

Initial Use

My first boot use was a simple local day hike of about 5 miles (8 km) on April 21, 2009. The weather was sunny, around 50 F (10 C) with high winds between 7 and 30 mph (11 to 48 kph). The altitude was around 1000 ft (305 m). Walking surface was gravel and packed dirt. I used the stock Vasque insoles on this hike.

Socks: I typically wear liner socks, and I consider them essential with this boot given the larger size I am using. I wore merino wool liners with midweight merino wool hiking socks. Observations:

The boots pulled on easily with the integrated pull strap.
The laces tightened nicely. My feet felt snug.
Fit: in the recent past I have tried to purchase size 12 ½ footwear. Since the Breeze boots are available only in whole sizes I rounded up to size 13. They feel a little roomy, but my feet swell substantially when backpacking and with thick socks I am not expecting issues. With two pairs of socks on the fit was comfortable. I didn't notice any forward sliding in the boot on downhills. The width was snug, but I didn't detect any pinching.
Sole flex is excellent. These boots flex at the ball of the foot almost as much as my trail runners. This is critical for me to prevent Plantar Fasciitis flare-ups.
The temperature was quite low, so I didn't anticipate any foot sweating and experienced none. Even in the car on the way to and from the trail, my feet did not get hot.
The gray color goes nicely with any color of clothing.
There is not a lot of cushion in the boot. My feet were not sore after the hike, but I could tell when I was walking on gravel with small rocks.
Traction was good going up and down small hills. I was happy with the grip.
I could tell I was wearing lightweight boots -- my feet felt very light while walking.
Good cushioning in the ankles -- they felt very protected.

Summary

So far I am impressed with these boots. They seem to be a good compromise between foot protection and going lightweight. I am excited about getting them out into the backcountry.

Likes:

Lightweight
My feet didn't get overheated
Lacing works well
Decent traction
I like the judicious use of bright yellow for components I may need to find in the dark: pull-on strap, and the lace straps and holes.

Areas for improvement:

Not a lot of cushion in the sole. I'll be wearing insoles and socks with good bottom cushions.

Field Report

Test Conditions

Dates	April 23-26, 2009	May 1-3, 2009	May 20-24, 2009	June 11-14, 2009
Location	North Country Trail (NCT), Heritage section in northern Wisconsin	Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) between Split Rock and Tettegouche state parks. This was a car-camping trip, so only short sections of the trail were hiked in and between the parks.	Kekekabic Trail through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of northern Minnesota.	North Country Tail (NCT), Chequamegon section in northern Wisconsin
Hike Distance (by day)	5.5, 11.6, 4.9 and 1.5 miles (8.9, 18.7, 7.9 and 2.4 km)	approximately 5, 3 and 5 miles (8, 4.8 and 8 km)	11.2, 9.1, 8.4, 10.0 and 8.6 miles (18, 14.6, 13.5, 16.1 and 13.8 km)	4.5, 12.8 and 9.5 miles (7.25, 20.6 and 15.3 km)
Altitude	1250 to 1800 ft (380 to 550 m)	650 ft to 1500 ft (200 m to 460 m)	1450 ft to 2000 ft (440 m to 610 m)	1050 ft to 1650 ft (320 m to 500 m)
Terrain	Heavily forested mix of deciduous and pine. Streams, rivers, waterfalls, one beaver dam crossing. Granite outcroppings.	Heavily forested mix of birch and aspen. Day 1 and 2 were ascent/descent trips, Day 3 was constant up-and-down.	Burned and blowdown areas to dense forests of poplar and spruce.	Heavily forested with maple and pine. Streams, lakes, bogs and beaver dams.
Weather	Nightly lows near freezing, daytime highs ranging from 45-65 F (7-18 C). Winds were blustery, with a significant hail, electrical and rainstorm the night of April 24.	Nightly lows just below freezing, daytime highs ranging from 45-65 F (7-18 C). Day 3 was sunny.	Lowest nighttime temperature was 29 F (-2 C), highest daytime temperature of 80 F (27 C)	Coldest nighttime low was 41 F (5 C), daytime highs around 74 F (23 C), very light winds. Mostly sunny with rain shower June 13.
Trail Conditions	Muddy, with stretches of ankle-deep running water from snow melt and spring rains. The first few hours on April 24 included hiking in ankle-deep slushy snow.	Muddy with snow patches. The real challenge was day 3 was a trail-clearing expedition, with lots of bushwhacking through thousands of downed aspen and birch trees.	Muddy, lots of standing water. The trail goes through many bogs and over numerous beaver dams.	Mostly dry, with a few muddy and wet spots. The beaver dam crossings were wet with slippery logs.
Socks used with boots	Midweight merino wool hiking socks with silk liner sock	Lightweight merino wool hiking socks with silk liner sock	Lightweight merino wool hiking socks with silk liner sock	Lightweight merino wool hiking socks with Coolmax liner sock
Insoles used	Powerstep Full-Length	Powerstep Full-Length	Powerstep Full-Length	Powerstep Full-Length
Total pack weight with food and water	46 lbs (21 kg)	Daypack only	60 lbs (27.2 kg) This is far more weight than I normally carry, but I had to pack food for 8+ days in case I had to do a yo-yo hike.	Total pack weight = 44.5 lbs (20.2 kg) Food = 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) Water = 5.0 lbs (2.3 kg) Base weight = 28.7 lbs (13 kg)

Observations

North Country Trail - Heritage section

This was my first backpacking trip with the boots, and with only the one dayhike described in the Initial Report to break them in.

As is apparent from the photo at left, this was a typical too-early spring hike with snowy, wet, muddy trail conditions. There was a significant snowfall in the area just prior to our arrival, and the remainder can be seen in the woods in the photo upper left. It was warm enough the create a rapid snowmelt, resulting in water running down the trails.

We often had to result to picking our way around the areas of water that were over our boots, as my compatriots can be seen doing in the photo background.

I came away from this trip very impressed with the waterproof construction of the Vasque Breeze LT GTX boots. My feet remained completely dry until one deep crossing where I had no choice but to hop on my toes over a deep spot, but alas it was too deep and a little water slopped over the tops of the boots. This is certainly not the fault of the boots -- nothing can keep water out of your boots when its deeper than the boot height.

We didn't have a lot of technical climbing on this trip, but we did have some tricky crossings including the beaver dam shown in the following photo:

Photo courtesy of Paul Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Newspaper

The Breeze boots did a great job of helping me keep my footing on this crossing over wet, slippery branches and logs. I made it across with no incident and with dry feet. The soles gripped well, and the rigid toe guard prevented stubs from causing any damage to my feet.

The boots breathed exceptionally well. The first day out was warm, sunny and dry. The perspiration from my feet seemed to dissipate well. Not all GORE-TEX lined boots are created equal - I've owned other pairs that did not seem to breathe nearly as well. My speculation is that these boots breathe better due to the mesh uppers. Between the excellent breathability and the comfort I didn't feel rushed to change into camp shoes in the evening; the following photo shows me preparing dinner by Wren Falls still wearing the Vasque Breeze boots long after we finished hiking that day:

Photo courtesy of Paul Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Newspaper

Fit: I did notice the first day that the outside of my little toes were sore and slight abraded. I was wearing heavier (merino wool) liner socks, and switched to thinner, lighter (silk) liners for the rest of the trip. This seemed to do the trick, and my toes never blistered. I did develop a small blister on the inner right ball of my foot, which seemed to rub against the side of the boot. As can be seen in the Initial Report pictures, the front of the boot is a little on the narrow side. If the to box were made just a little wider, I think the fit for me would be improved.

Very near to where the above photo was taken I did turn my ankle coming down the trail with the boots on. The ankle support of the boots is decent, but will not completely prevent ankle turns. It did brace me enough to prevent a sprain or otherwise injure myself.

Flex

One aspect of the boot that really impressed me is the flexibility of the soles at the ball of the foot. This is critical for plantar fasciitis sufferers like myself; if footwear does not flex at the foot ball, excess tension is placed on the heel which can lead to inflammation.

The photo at right shows the exceptional flex this boot has at this critical point. The toe plate is completely rigid, but it ends right at the ball of the foot allowing the boot to bend. As a result I suffered no foot pain from hiking on this trip.

I have owned one other boot that had similar flexibility, and the sole cracked after only a few days use right at the ball of the foot at the flex point. I'll be keeping an eye out on these boots for a similar potential failure point.

Superior Hiking Trail

The conditions were a repeat of the NCT hike with wet muddy trail with snow patches. The new challenge for the boots on this trip was the trail-clearing expedition on day 3. The first 3 miles (5 km) or so were not too bad, as we were clearing the trail as we went. At about 12:30PM the bar broke on the chainsaw, and the sawyer decided we would hike out. We had a shuttle vehicle parked at Tettegouche state park which was closer than the lot where we started from, but we would be hiking through uncleared trail.

This turned out to be a real challenge. There was a terrific ice storm in March that deposited about 2 in (5 cm) of ice on the trees centered on the area we were clearing. The ice had brought down countless young aspens and old birch trees. There were spots where I was literally walking on tree trunks, stepping from fallen tree to fallen tree. This was an interesting traction challenge for footwear, and the Breeze boots handled the situation with aplomb. I had no slips, despite the fact I was hiking without my trekking poles which just get in the way when clearing trail.

Once again I returned from the trip with mud-caked boots, but bone-dry feet. I had no discomfort from wearing the boots on this trip, but the mileage was low.

Kekekabic Trail

The greatest hiking challenge of this trail is making it through the myriad blown-down trees (from straight-line winds) and fire-burned areas. There are tree trunks and branches strewn everywhere on some sections of this trail, and it can be a real trial of ankle strength and boot support. I had only one problem on this account when I was stepping over a blown-down tree and came down on a slippery branch that turned my ankle. My leg collapsed and I fell to my knees, fortunately with no injury. I don't think any boot could have prevented me from turning my ankle in this situation.

The trail also is very rocky in spots, from shale to boulders. The Breeze boots handled these passages with aplomb.

My compatriots crossing a typical Kekekabic Trail stream

The Kekekabic trail is a lowland passage through the Boundary Waters wilderness, so we were slopping around in mud, over beaver dams and through lengthy stretches of flooded ground. The picture above illustrates the type of stream we crossed several times per day. Once again the Breeze boots proved to be absolutely waterproof and my feet remained dry. We had one river crossing, hip-deep for me. I removed the boots and used sandals for this exercise.

North Country Trail - Chequamegon section

On this trip I got another blister with the boots, on the inside of the ball of my right foot. I suspect with the warmer weather my feet were sweating more, which caused the blister. I also did not take my boots off during hiking breaks, which likely contributed to moisture buildup in the boots.

This trip did not stress the waterproof capability of the Breeze boots. I sunk into muddy puddles up to my ankles a few times, but nothing like on my prior trips. Most of the hiking was through the pleasant "green tunnel" as shown in the photo at left.

I had no problems with traction or slipping on the beaver dams -- the boots kept me steady in all the situations I encountered.