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Post by cweston on Jan 26, 2016 14:55:34 GMT -8
$79 at Campsaver.com
I just ordered a pair--being a long-time Vasque wearer, I'm pretty confident that they will fit. For this price, I figure I can just give them a shot.
I'll post some info when they arrive. This is a newer model for them--a lightweight gtx boot designed to maximize breathability.
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Post by cweston on Feb 2, 2016 6:54:30 GMT -8
These arrived yesterday--I wore them in the house yesterday evening, then wore them to walk to work this morning (1.5 mile).
Initial impressions: fit is good. They might be a hair on the short side for their size, toe box neither crowded nor roomy, in between. I've worn Vasques for several years, so the fit is familiar to me.
They are extremely light: I certainly have no complaints about the weight.
They do breath quite nicely for a Gore-Tex boot. It was about 35 degrees and drizzly when I left the house this morning--my feet were actually bordering on cold for the first 100 steps or so.
I like the tread (Vibram). It seems quite grippy. I worry a little about the unprotected bit in front of the heel area being vulnerable to a sharp boulder point or something going right through (or at the very least being very uncomfortable).
My biggest concern is durability--obviously, I can't comment on that yet.
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Post by cweston on Feb 5, 2016 15:39:22 GMT -8
I've worn Vasque Summits for a while. Your "probably last until the end of the summer" comment is part of why I'm trying a less expensive boot. It just seems like nothing lasts multiple seasons anymore, so why spend so much on boots? My main motivation, though, was to try something lighter weight. These Inhalers weigh about half what my Summits weighted. We'll see how they hold up.
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Post by cweston on Jul 26, 2016 6:41:15 GMT -8
Update on the Vasque Inhalers:
I just returned from a major trip, and I was quite happy with them.
The first day, I didn't have them well enough laced and my big toe jammed into the front of one boot a bit. The next day, I did a better job of tightening the lower laces, it it was fine. I do think they are a tiny bit short for the size, but overall I like the fit.
They breath better than any GTX boot I've ever worn. My feet got a little warm on a very long day at a bit lower altitude, but it was all good.
Waterproofness was excellent. I did one very wet bushwhacking day wearing gaiters, and my feet stayed completely dry. On the way back over than same terrain, I forgot to wear the gaiters, and some moisture did wick down my socks into the boots. (And once GTX boots get wet inside, it takes a long time for them to dry, of course. Wear those gaiters.)
The tread was what I was most concerned about--I was very relieved. We covered a lot of different terrain on this trip: dry trail, rocky trail, mud, steep wet grass, talus, boulders, snow. I was quite pleased.
I think I'm going to like these quite a bit. And since I got them for less than $100, I'll not have too much complaint when they wear out.
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driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 15,004 
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 26, 2016 10:12:32 GMT -8
How about underfoot protection with a full load on your back -- do they provide support for backpackers who generally need a sturdy sole for rough terrain?
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Post by cweston on Jul 26, 2016 11:23:27 GMT -8
I thought the underfoot protection was good--you'll recall that I was a little worried about that in a conversation we had, apparently in a different thread. Specifically, I was worried about that more exposed bit between the two parts of the tread.
I had no issues, and we covered a lot of rough terrain, some fairly extreme class-3 boulder hopping, and so on. We were planning to be out for 7 days, so our packs were fairly heavy.
There is a slight nick on the exposed outsole portion of one of the boots, right under the arch. Probably from a sharp edge of a boulder. I could get a lot of nicks that size before the rubber is breeched (which may eventually be how they fail), so I'm not worried about it.
Overall, I'd give them a very good rating. Excellent, if we're considering function vs. cost.
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