Vasque - Breeze III Mid GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

First off, very well-made boots. If these work for your feet they'll be great. Don't work for my wide feet at all. As with many other "wide" hiking boots I have tried, I really question if they're just using the same lasts on their "wides" as on their "D"s or "mediums" and only making the uppers more roomy. These lasts are so narrow at the arch that the insides of my feet were over them by almost 1/2". From above they don't look anywhere near as wide as my wide Merrell Moabs. Again, if you're feet aren't wide, or maybe if they're only wide around your toes and regular width at the arch, these might be the bomb.

I had Breeze II(BRII) for the last 10yrs and it was great and I really loved it. It was time to get a new one, since I loved Vasque Breeze..........I went for the Breeze III(BRIII). I just had for few weeks and so far not impressed with it.

I recently bought this boots to replace the old boots I've had for 7+ years. I needed a lightweight, supportive, and comfortable Hiking Boots for me to break into before my 50 mile backpacking trip on Vermonts Long Trail.

The Vasque Breeze is an excellent light hiking boot - comfortable out of the box and with good rocker and flex for walking. However, you cannot take full advantage of its ankle lacing system because the tongue does not have protective leather underneath the laces! In an attempt to maximize the ventilation in this boot, Vasque inexplicably put the leather tongue protection patches BETWEEN the lace crossover points instead of underneath them. Thus, if you want to snug the heel back into the heel cup by tightening down on the instep or use some fancy lacing pattern, you can't without the laces digging in to your instep. Vasque, please correct this. For the price of the boot, such a design error is inexcuseable.

I have been through several pairs of the Breeze boots and have found them to offer the support I need and be very comfortable. The only minus is that the soles seem to wear a bit too rapidly. Vasque says this new model has longer wearing soles. Unfortunately, I will not be able to wear them enough to find out. The soles seem to be thinner and the basic structure has been altered, especially with regard to the arch. The just no longer offer the support I need in a walking or hiking shoe. Also, they seem to run a bit smaller. So, be aware Vasque has made some significant changes in the Breeze and they may no longer work for you if you have feet needing especially good support and soles like I do.

I'm a woman with very wide feet that tend to slowly rip open the toe box of most boots I've worn. Not the case with these! After trying on 5 or 6 pairs in the store -- including the women's version, which had some weird heel slippage going -- I tried on and fell in love with these. Comfortable, no tight or weirdly loose spots, lots of support, very minimal break-in period (that mostly consisted of me going "whoa, I am not used to my feet being supported and cushioned in these ways!"), and they're still going strong with not even an inkling of future-shoe-splosion foreboding. Strongly approve and highly recommend!

Bought these on the recommendation of Melissa at the Christiana, DE, store. I've been soured on Merrell's the last two pair, and I came in to try on Keen's...but once these were on my feet I knew they were a perfect fit. It took only about five miles before these were totally broken in, and in about 40 miles since in heavy rain and some deep puddles their performance has been outstanding. The only thing I can't comment on yet is durability, but these seem to be made with exceptional care...and they just feel sturdy...so I'm very optimistic these will last as long as any I've owned. This was my first pair of boots from Vasque and they won't be my last.

I wore a pair of these doing QA work at an oil refinery. Water, mud, rust, didn't phase 'em they look just as good as the day I bought them. Wore them hiking in the Smokie Mountain National Park good comfort and water proof. Sizes run just a little narrow.

Out of the box, onto the feet, straight down Bright Angel trail at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Great stability going down across all the different terrain (loose rock, rock, bigger rocks, gravel, mule bricks, etc). Surprisingly comfortable for not being "broken in". Hiked 8 miles that day (4 down then... 4 back up) Many things were sore afterwards but not my feet or ankles. Great boot!

After trying a couple of pairs of another brand, I settled on these due to reviews. Purchased in October of 2017 and worn about 500 miles throughout an average Minnesota winter. The fit is comfortable, I can feel the texture of the soil surface I'm hiking and have better gripping ability on icy surfaces.

These boots hold true to the comfort and stability I’ve come to expect from Vasque. They are comfortable right out of the box, lightweight, and sturdy. The best part yet, is that they are truly waterproof! I put them to the test hiking in the Middle Prong Wilderness area in WNC, on a very rainy day.The trail was rugged and flooded most of the way, several times my foot was swallowed up by very muddy sink holes and a river crossing we did had risen to the point that the stepping stones were well underwater. Even with my boots submerged ankle deep, I’m proud to say that my feet stayed warm and dry! They also grip slippery rocks and roots like a pro!

I was excited to try out the new Breeze III this year. Took on a moderate hike and wasn’t very impressed. Gripping wasn’t even close to that of other boots I’ve worn in the past and the soles were dry. About a month later I took them up to the Eastern Sierras and encountered thunderstorms during the trip. Zero traction once the soles got wet, and stepped in a puddle only to be greeted with a wet sock for the next 5 miles. Waterproofing and grip where non-existent with this boot. Couldn’t return them fast enough.

After putting it on, the first thing one does with a boot is lace it up. This is where this boot falls completely flat. The lacing mechanism is poor, with hooks that are squared off and too shallow. Lacing is a real pain in the neck, to put it mildly. Since this is something one does every single time, it is a major problem.

I write this review with the disclaimer that it may have been the few pairs I tried on, so I recommend trying it yourself.

I have worn out 30 pair of Vasque Light Hikers since 2008 -- their share of my mileage during that time is about 28K miles. The soles of my first pair were end-to-end very firm and did a terrific job of protecting my size 13's over the long miles. That pair cost $95. Each of the first fifteen pair lasted around 1100 miles, but it took fewer and fewer miles to break down the high density sole foam with each new release , first to 700 miles and then under 500. The price has consistently risen as the quality of materials has declined as the shoes of nearly identical design now cost $180. In 2008 I walked 66 miles one day on a $100 pair that had 1150 miles on them and my feet felt great at the trail's end. Today's model offers less comfort than the 2008 release when they only have 400 miles. Last year I walked 73 miles in one day in a pair of Breeze II's that had 200 miles on them and was disappointed. I bought and returned a pair of Breeze III's in December '16 because the support is of a lower standard than in the past and the manufacturing compromised to where toe stitches are now exposed rather than protected by the rubber toe cup. I've bought my last pair.

I needed some boots at the last minute for a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip that was planned spontaneously. These boots gave me no trouble whatsoever-- no hot spots, blisters, or bruised toenails! We gained and lost thousands of feet with a starting pack weight of 50 pounds and these boots were perfect. Good grip, good ankle support, comfortable. Temperatures ranged from 60-100 degrees and they seemed to breathe rather well. I'd recommend these, although I cannot yet comment on the Gore-Tex. Also, I bought a half size up: I'm usually a 9.5 in more shoes and bought a size 10 in these.

I did 8 miles of rocky AT terrain in the rain walking long stretches of wet-mossy-slippery-sharp rocks. I had excellent traction and grip. I felt amazing comfort. I even noticed my pace increased and I had a lot less foot and leg fatigue. Each step seems to roll off smooth, smoother than many other boots that I've owned. The soles do look less sturdy and not as thick as some other boots, and that's probably true to a small extent, but it's all about how this boot performs overall as a package. The boot soles feel like a step in the direction towards trail runner design, and merged with a sturdy upper mid. It delivers a best of both worlds sensation that I'm able to describe in that way having hiked Moab's and Targhee's in the past couple of weeks, not happy with either of those. I was stepping up and down coffee table sized rocks on to brick sized rocks all day long and crushing miles with the Breeze III's. I never felt like I was "feeling" the rocks on my feet through the soles in a negative way. Too much sole and stiffness and I get pain and fatigue and slow down. I was being propelled through it all with speed and comfort and that is what I noticed immediately. The next day I was ready to hike, no feet issues, no soreness.

These boots are great. The only problem is the only waterproof part of them is the Gore-Tex liner. Being Gore-Tex, it works great, but when the rest of the boot becomes wet, it becomes heavier as the leather soaks up the water, and then takes forever to dry. The leather is great for abrasion resistance, but I wish it were treated with a water resistant coating. A simple fix for me was to rub mink oil on the boot, but paying $180 for the boots, I feel like this shouldn't have been necessary. That said, when not in wet conditions, these are amazingly comfortable and light.

I've worn the vasque breeze 2 gtx for years. Great right out of the box. I hike a lot & go thru 3 pair a year. The breeze 3 a step backwards for my use. My 9.5 now requires a 10. Both the 2 & 3 made in Vietnam. On the tung of the 3 they replaced the leather strap of the 2 with a thinner material potentially transferring pressure onto the top of the foot from the lace crossover when laced tight. I'm just as happy with the sole pattern but there's 2-3/100's less depth on the 3's. Not sure I want to give away those miles? The 3's do use megagrip compound. Whatever that is. Vasque also added more of the breathing areas in the toe & heal. My experience with a lot of snow hiking when kicking in toe holds I get wet socks only in the toe. Now the same with the heal? They have reduced the rubber protection around the outside of the toe. The cross piece of my crampons instead of being on the rubber is right on the leather seam. The 3's are 1.7 oz lighter each. Check these points & decide for your useage.

Tried several other brands and could not find a good fit. The Vasque Breeze fit great. They also had a comfortable sole. When I first bought them I purchased regular width. After wearing them a while I found the toe area was too narrow and pinched my toes. I exchanged them for a wide width and they fit great. Only wore them a couple of times before going on a 10 mile overnight hike. The boots were great. The hike was very rocky in areas and the soles worked great on rocks. It rained the heavy the second day and my feet stayed dry.

I bought these for a Philmont trek, but our 2018 journey was cancelled due to the fires in NM. Our Troop has pressed on with training hikes regardless, and these actually went right from the box to my feet on a Backpacking journey across the Kinsman Ridge trail in the Whites. In store, it was between these and a pair of Solomon’s. I have to say that these age absolutely the most comfortable boots that I have ever owned. Kinsman isn’t an easy walk in the woods, and these performed flawlessly on all terrain. Rocks, wet stuff, mud, etc were no problem with the great traction. My ankles were totally secure in these. I had only one small blister between toes, and really zero hotspots. I would absolutely recommend these.

I wore these for two days straight mostly on my feet. They are light and comfortable. Great shoes.

Purchased these last year and took them up Mt. Whitney and Yosemite. After the wearing in period, I thought I would stop getting blisters and losing toenails due to the rigid interior padding being insufficient. Unfortunately I continue to get blisters as the waterproofing causes the inside to get very hot and the moisture that wicks from your wool socks gets trapped in the boot. I typically have to change my socks 3 times per 8 miles because of this issue and the boots aren't even waterproof! I walked into a stream and my right sock got slight soaked... This is unacceptable and I can't even return the boot as it is past the 1 year for REI returns. I would not recommend even on sale.

I bought these boots for a trip out into the backcountry and let me tell you. These boots are by far the most comfortable pair of boots I’ve ever owned. The cushioning/padding on the inside and the materials used for the insole were hand-selected by Jesus Christ himself. This boot provides comfort and support and hugs your foot in all the right places. Ive taken this boot through boggy, muddy conditions in the Sierras, through the hot desert at Joshua Tree, and snowy Rocky Mountains in Colorado. All around great f****** boot that YOU need.

I have been wearing full leather boots for many years, and they had become my favorites. I had hoped to use them on an upcoming trip, but I had to get a new pair of boots since my old boots had gotten to the point of needing to be resoled. I found these at my local REI (good reviews, good price) but was concerned about waterproofness (not being all leather) as well as support (again, not being all leather). However, they seemed very comfortable right out of the box so I decided to buy them. I had a 50-mile backpack in the Rockies planned and began "breaking in" the boots on some short local trips. Ha! I didn't need to do much at all. No problems whatsoever and I only wore these for about 10 miles prior to my trip. (I did add a small gel pad under the insole at the forefoot for extra padding.) As I began my trip, I never expected what I found.

I had worn the previous model of this boot for several years, and this version is just as great. I have hiked the Great Glen Way in Scotland, several 14ers in Colorado, summited Kilimanjaro, and recently the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Every single day, my feet were kept dry and comfortable, and never a blister in all my hiking. I do use sole inserts for additional support, but boot fits well with original inserts as well.

I actually was looking at two other shoes off a different brand online before I went into the store. I asked to try on those two pairs, and the employee brought this one out to try as well (plus a few others). Long story short, I took this one home.

In only a month I can say that beside one other brand, this is the best boot I have ever bought and used. The other is an all leather boot and is not in a comparable design, leaving me to say that this is the best hiking boot ever!

I love this boot! I don't want to take them off! Yes I'm preparing for AT 2018, but why can't I just wear them now; all the time? I asked my wife if I could sleep in them and she said "sure": outside! I asked if I could wear them in the swimming pool! She said "sure", but not in our swimming pool! She just doesn't understand how much I love these things. Sooo light and sooo comfortable! Sooo dry!Especially for "wide" feet! Oh well, it looks like I will be sleeping in the garage and swimming at the YMCA! I haven't asked her about church yet! Maybe tomorrow!

These boots are quite comfortable and dry. I bought them for the very rocky 20 mile Enchantments Death March, and finished with toenails attached and feet blister-free - success. After that hike, I noticed some seemingly high rates of wear on the soles (and on my hiking poles, and generally on me as well).

Fantastic hiking boot. Getting ready to hike the Yosemite Half Dome and chose these for comfort, water resistant, ankle support and looks. The excellent sales lady, told me these boots could be worn out the store for a hike. She was absolutely correct. Very pleased with this French hiking boot!

These boots were super comfortable and did really well for the first 20 miles. I then wore them on a backpacking trip. I went through a puddle of water leaked in which college friction and blisters. By the end of the 21 mile hike I had blisters and various places in my feet so these are not good if you’re going to do any backpacking.

I've been using this boot for a couple of years now (through multiple pairs), and I honestly can't see myself wearing any other boot these days. I initially went with these for the ankle support they provided, but I soon also found that they offer ample amounts of toe room, and once broken in are extremely comfortable. They've served me well from places like the Continental Divide and Guadalupe Mountain to the Lone Star trail and the swamps of Louisiana. If you're looking for good boots that won't break the bank as much as other brands, there is no better boot than this.

Lady wearer here, was looking for a new boot to try for work. I have feet that run a bit wide and with color options, needed a dark color, the men’s side of things were the way to go. Have been wearing the boots for a month and they feel light on my feet. I’m working out on the beach, tromping through soft sand, and can’t just wear a lowrise hiking shoe, and these boots haven’t hindered me, and feel good on my feet! Normally wear a size 9 in women’s and got a 7.5 in men’s.

This is my second pair of these boots. The first pair lasted several years, but finally I wore out the heel and soles and they cannot be resoled. Also after several years I noticed the waterproofing starts to wear out on the top of the toe part of the boot, probably from so much bending. However, they are very comfortable and I can wear the for hours and hours on the trail. I have hiked about 50 miles in the new boots so far and they are just as comfortable as the old ones. They breathe fairly well for having a gore-tex lining. I wear them winter and summer.

Had worn another, more expensive brand, for a number of years. Decided to give Vasque a try-great decision. I've worn these now for about 6 months and put around 250 miles hiking over desert, rocky terrain and 50 miles in Glacier National Park. Wear was good and boots are water tight. I put an arch support in and my feet are definitely happier than they used to be. Suggest getting 1/2 to 1 full size bigger. The wide size is among the "bigger" in light hikers.

I bought these hiking boots a few weeks ago. After trying on several different brands. With the intent on buying Solomon. These are the ones that were most comfortable. Very light weight and water proof (so far) only tested that once tho. Stood in a creek up to my ankles and stayed completely dry. When I took out my foot the water just beaded right off the boots. Still no sore spots or pressure points with these boots. I have used them about 4 times now.

I bought these hiking boots with several purposes in mind, but primarily, I has headed off to do some service work at a Northern California Boy Scout Camp and it was supposed to rain buckets all weekend. Not only did it rain, it snowed. We were outside multiple hours both Saturday and Sunday but my feet stayed dry and warm, just as promised.

Boots were purchased in February of 2016, at REI store. Assisted by REI staff and was recommended to me that I get a size up, which I did. Boots were the most comfortable of all that I tried in-store and had plenty of room for swelling.

According to Dave Page, they no longer resole the Vasque Breeze III's. This makes the boot totally worthless for the long term. I had my Vasque Breeze I's resoled 3x and it worked great. If the III's can't be resoled, as Dave Page claims, then this boot is totally worthless and NOT recommended. Also, I'm unimpressed with Dave Page lately. He screwed up a pair of my Pivettas, too.

My last boots were the Breeze II and they were a good and comfortable boot overall. My BII were size 14 US/ 48 Euro but I need a little more room. I just got the Breeze III in the mail showing a size 15 US/ 49 Euro on the box and alas they are just as tight as my BII 14's. I like the BII as boot but cannot recommend size 15 if you need a 15. This is a bummer and I am returning them.

I bought these boots for a long multiday hole and they totally delivered. I have word feet, needing extra room at my little toe and also very flat feet. I also over pronate terribly. There were super supportive, excellent ankle support, and room for my toes. Not much time needed to "break them in"... Practically broken in at first wear. I do wish they were a little more breathable for in the instance water gets IN the boot.... Yes, it happened. But I still love them!! (I bought the men's version because it gave more room in the toes)

This is my third pair of the Vasque Breeze boots. I like the roomy toe box and they have the grippiest soles I have ever used. In sand, loose rocks, steep downhills, or wet rocks these boots grip. Very confidence inspiring. I've never had any issues with blisters or pain in my feet, even after an all day hike. That's why I continue to buy the same boot time after time.

After realizing my old boots weren't in good enough shape for my upcoming trip, I bought these just a week and half before departing (fully aware that would be a short break-in period). Even with very little break-in, I just finished a 30+ mile backpacking trip in Grand Tetons with absolutely no hotspots or blisters. Feet felt great the entire time. Awesome boots so far!

Like all other reviews, these shoes are comfortable right out of the box and have good grip. My only complaint is that they make my feet too warm. Right now it is cooler weather (50-70F) in Southern California, so temperature hasn't been too bad on 3-5 mile local hikes. However, I can see that this may be an issue in the summer months as the temperature gets hotter.

Comfortable right out of the box, and did not require break in period at all. Both my girlfriend and I have used this model on all of our hikes the past year, and have never had a problem with blisters or excessive foot fatigue. They do seem to be narrow in the toebox area, which has started to become uncomfortable for my inverted triangle shaped feet on longer day hikes or multi-day trips. If your feet are anything but a narrow rectangular shape, I would recommend trying on the wide sizes first (Extra props to Vasque for offering a wide selection on their boots).

They're still new and I've not given them a beating yet, but finding a well-put-together boot in a wide size was a blessing for me. Gave them a good workout on the Maple Pass loop trail in the North Cascades as a first day-hike two days ago (2,000 feet gain in four miles up) and they were comfortable, gave good support the whole way, and for once my toes weren't squeezed. Not a hint of a blister. Lightweight and good looking, too. One tiny quibble: I wish the laces were about 4 inches longer so as to be double-knotted more easily.

These boots are only good on hikes without rain or accumulating snow. It is not an all around boot. DEFINITELY NOT MADE FOR BACKPACKING.

Comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Completely waterproof, I'v walked in 5 inch deep water in these for 5-10 minutes and my feet stayed bone dry. Breathable in summer. Warm in winter. Great for backpacking. Flexible enough for day hikes and scrambles. Stiff enough for crampons. Pretty good for climbing and cycling. Awesome for a day of work.

I have adopted these as my primary work boots so I'm wearing them for over 40 hours a week, often hiking with a medium day pack. I also wear them recreationally for day hikes. I have tried a lot of different hiking boots over the years with different levels of satisfaction. I bought the Breeze III when they were on sale; these boots are just really light and comfortable, even athletic, but they support nicely and feel good on varied terrain for many hours. Grip is good on different surfaces. I've waded in shallow water and no moisture has ever gotten in. The soles seem to be wearing down a little faster than normal but it's likely when the time comes I'll replace these boots with the same model. It's just a really comfortable and suitable everyday hiking boot.