Vasque Breeze GTX Review

Vasque Breeze GTX Review

I'm pretty minimalist when it comes to footwear. Since I bought my first pair of Vibram FiveFingers all those years ago, I've never really envisioned myself hiking in anything else. However, sometimes circumstances call for an alternative method. So for backpacking and high mountain trekking I needed to choose a real hiking boot. Being someone that doesn't like a ton of shoe, it was important that my boots be lightweight. At a sweet 1160 grams, the Breeze is just what I was looking for. Supportive, sturdy, durable, but also not gonna weigh me down a ton. It was also important that I have boots for any condition, rain or shine. With a breathable waterproof Goretex layer, the Breeze checked another requirement off my list. Ok so that's what the manufacturer says about them, but how do they really hold up?

I took my Breezeys out for a two-day backpacking excursion in Desolation Wilderness up near Tahoe. I was carrying around 40 pounds in my pack. I bought some extra moleskin for the inevitable blisters that come with breaking in new boots while carrying more weight than you should. Didn't happen. For a durable hiking boot, the Breeze are remarkably box-ready to be worn. They felt a little bit stiff in the upper for the first few days. However, in terms of the support and shank of the shoe, I never expected them to be so comfortable right off the bat. I hiked about 30 miles in my first week with them and had absolutely no issues.

Then it was off to South America. Surely the Andes mountains would provide a tougher test for these boots. For 8 days and for over 40 miles of rigorous up and downhill in every imaginable condition, they held up to everything Peru could throw at them. I hiked through ankle high mud, slush, rivers, and snow. These Vasque boots kept my feet dry the whole time, even when I fully submerged my feet for a waterproofing test. The Vibram tread has some pretty no-nonsense lugs on it as well, providing great traction. The only times that I slipped were on packed ice/snow and when coming out of the water with wet treads onto slippery granite, both of these are typical no matter what type of boot you happen to be wearing. Also, the boots live up to their namesake in that they keep it Breezey. Mesh paneling makes them REALLY breathable. I wore my Darn Tough wool hiking socks the whole time, a great match for any hiking boot, and never worried about overheating. Merino wool is awesome for a hiking soft. Aside from being super soft and plush, the wool is a natural temperature regulating fiber. It retains warmth incredibly well, even if it happens to get wet, but is breathable enough to still feel cool even if scorching heat. In the case of sweat or water leaking into a shoe, the wool quickly wicks moisture away from the skin keeping you dry. Merino wool also contains lanolin, which is antibacterial. I'll be honest, I switched off between 2 pairs of Darn Tough wool socks depending on the day, and in MY humble opinion they never really even started to smell. On top of that, Darn Tough has a LIFETIME warranty on their products. Which means, as long as you take care not to lose or somehow destroy your socks beyond normal wear and tear, Darn Tough is perfectly willing to support their product and send you new ones if they reach their limit.  I find it to be a pretty good indication of a good boot and sock combo when you can really forget about, well, the fact that you're wearing a boot. The Breeze are light and breathable enough to accomplish this.

Pros:

Lightweight and breathable

Goretex waterproof layer holds up to the test

Supportive with a strong and wide base platform

Cons:
Lots of mesh paneling and stitching rather than a one piece upper, for many boots this just means more areas that could fail to function eventually

Sizing note: I normally wear a size 11 shoe. For the Breeze, I went up to an 11.5 and they fit PERFECTLY. Be aware you may have to go up in size a bit in these boots. 

Review by Jake