Vasque Men's Wasatch GTX Hiking Boot

I purchased my Wasatch GTX nearly a year ago. I bought 10.5N as I have narrow feet. A very good fit especially since backpacking boots are usually too wide. The 'just wear extra socks solution wasn't going to cut it.' The other reason I selected these is because I have pronation issues in my right foot that mess up my knee and hips when I hike. The shoe support plate provided added support on my inside heel. This plus a pair of superfeet aligned my foot for painfree hiking (not a sales pitch, but credit to where credit is due). I laced these boots up and began to break them in. They were stiff boots and they took a good part of the spring and early summer to break in. I hiked multiple times and wore them in the field at work. Once they broke in, they were my feet's best friends, especially when I took the kids in carrier on rocky trails. My wife has a pair of Wasatch and she has no problems with her pair whatsoever.I was really beginning to enjoy my boots and was using them extensively this fall/winter as the temperature dropped and the snow pack accumulated. I live @ 7800ft with about 2.5ft of snow on the ground avg per winter. When the temperature dropped I discovered that the plate and the sole on the ball of each foot had cracked. As I looked at pictures of so many boots with cracking issues in the plate here on this website, I was disheartened. The cracks were all the way across the support plate and the rubber sole was beginning.I was within a year and called Amazon and they told me there was nothing they could do and gave me Vasque's contact #. I called them and they said to send the boots back as the boots had a 1 year warranty. The guy at the Vasque warranty place wasn't particularly friendly but I boxed up my boots and sent them back. In sending them back, I requested for an upgrade to their Bitterroot GTX boot, willing to pay for the upgrade. As I reviewed the Bitterroot, they looked just like the Wasatch except for the color and sole. I read reviews on them and there were no sole splitting issues identified.Within a week and half I received a box from Vasque. They were the Bitterroot GTX boots. No questions asked. I've got to say that I'm very happy with Vasque and their customer service. I had to do my part and be within warranty, but they came through very well. My feet are used to the feel, and I'm on my way to breaking them in. Once again thank you Vasque.

When will a manufacture learn to differentiate themselves by making quality products? I think people are catching on that most modern manufacturing is cheap junk.Case in point: these Vasque boots. I searched many stores to find the perfect hiking boot that fits my foot. No boot is perfect for everyone, but if this boot fits your foot like it did mine you'll love it. For a month or two. Check out the pictures - by the end of the hiking season the soles had split and the laces were falling apart. That's after only one 30 mile hike and 4 or 5 10 to 15 mile hikes. No more than 100 miles all together and the boots were useless. 5 stars for the quality of the boots for the first couple of weeks and zero for the way they fell apart in less than half a year. Probably should only be one star total but I really liked them on the first couple of hikes so I decided to be generous and give them 2 stars. Not recommended if you want boots for longer than a month of occasional hikes.

I ordered these shoes for a 3 day, 28 mile backpacking trip over the Lost Coast trail in Humboldt County, California. This trail is along the coast over sand, rock, and has numerous creeks to cross. I received these shoes exactly 1 day prior to the trip, so I had NO opportunity to break them in. These shoes performed extremely well over the entire trip, crossing small streams, walking through the surf, over wet rocks and logs, in the rain, and through gravel and sand.I was somewhat apprehensive after reading reviews that these shoes slip on wet rocks, but I did not experience this at all. Over the countless streams I crossed, hopping on rocks and wet logs, the soles gripped extremely well on smooth, wet surfaces. By day 3, and 28 miles, I had no blisters and my feet were the driest part of my body. The shoes breathed extremely well and I never found myself with a sweaty foot.I ordered a size 11 Normal, even though I usually wear a size 10.5 Normal. The shoe seems a little longer than I am used to, but has ample room for liner + 2 pairs of hiking socks. After 28 miles of use over rocks, sand and gravel, the shoes are in excellent shape with no damage.I am curious as to why some other reviewers refer to these as "light day hikers" - these shoes really are heavy-duty backpacking shoes. I would NOT want to wear these shoes for a "light day hike" or around the house or to work at an office.This would be my shoe of choice for overnight or multi-day backpacking or hikes into wet or rugged terrain.

Had old Merrill hiking boots I drove into the ground. Got a new of other boots and they killed my toes even though long enough. Got the Vasque through a recommendation at REI and absolutely love them. Got my second pair online so I have one for hiking and one for working outside in our partially natural and sloped back yard. Had the first pari for a number of years and absolutely love them. Comfortable, easy to tie, looks good even after cleaning off after snow, mud and yard work.

I never take the time to write reviews, but this time it's definitely warrented. I got these boots & initially thought they were a bit narrow, but would be okay. After wearing them on two medium hikes, it turned out I just could not get comfortable with the width. They seem well made, just too narrow for me. I was worried about returning to Amazon in 'used' condition, but was really plesantly surprised when I received a full credit, less a small return shipping fee. Amazon rocks! I do quite a bit of shopping here, & will do more in the future. The absolute best customer service!