Which Vasque Hiking
Boot Is The Best?

As with any company Vasque has some products that are better than others. The Sundowner Vasque hiking boot and Clarion Vasque hiking boot mentioned below are the two best boots Vasque offers...

Vasque is a company well known for hiking boots...

In case you were curious Vasque is actually a division of the Red Wing Shoe Company founded in 1905. Vasque offers a one year warranty against defects and workmanship and has great customer service. I've heard of someone losing their boots in the mail to or from the company, I'm not sure which... and Vasque still replaced them. To me, that makes a statement.

(I've noticed some Vasque hiking boots have several varieties to choose from. If you click-through and they don't have your size, you don't want Gore-tex, or etc., try their search feature.)

After spending several hours researching information for this page I'll keep it brief, I've determined the two best Vasque hiking boots to be...

The Vasque Clarion GTX (links open new windows) is designed for light to mid-weight backpacking, and they're a little lighter than the Sundowner's at 3 lb 1 oz (1390 grams),they're also less expensive. The GTX has a Nubuck leather and Cordura nylon fabric upper and Vasque's "Skywalk Tri-V Lug High Carbon Rubber" outsole. The biggest complaint about the Clarions is that they don't seem to be as grippy over wet rocks as they could be and I've heard mixed things about their ability to resist water, but otherwise if you're looking for a quality Vasque hiking boot I'd say these are second only to the Sundowner.








The Vasque Sundowner GTX is designed for mid-weight backpacking.

It seems that people either love or hate the Vasque Sundowner GTX, but many more people like them than not. I've heard many more positives than negatives, but I still want to mention the occasional complaints regarding soles coming apart, leaks here and there, and a few complaints about squeaking. When you take into account how many years these boots have been available though, a few complaints really should be expected.

The Sundowners weigh in at 3 lb 6 oz or 1530 grams for a Mens size 9. The upper is made from 2.4 mm thick leather which should help these shoes to hold up for years unless you don't keep them up and/or constantly wear them on concrete. The sizes run in halves from 7-12, and then in full sizes from 13 to 15 and they come in medium and wide widths.

If I had to choose between these two Vasque boots, I'd go with the Sundowners even though they're a bit more expensive, the extra money is well spent. I'd also look to get them from Zappos. Zappos has impressed me more than any place I've done business with online. Besides shipping 3 pairs of shoes to me before noon the next business day (after a 7:00 pm order) for free, they also offer free returns, which I didn't have to use. Impressive, and as you probably have guessed, I don't give praise lightly. ;-)

Another quick mention is that it would be nice if both of these Vasque hiking boots offered a bigger rubber toe scuff protector. Yeah, OK, maybe I expect too much... nahhh! ;-)

Although I'm pointing out their flaws, both these boots still rate a 8+/10. Each Vasque hiking boot has a loyal following that emphatically state they've bought more than one pair and will continue to do so, some even say they wouldn't consider any other boot. I just want to mention what I've found so you can make an informed choice and hopefully avoid any surprises.

I'll have to say even though I've pointed out some of the negatives above, no company can produce a hiking boot that's perfect for every person's individual needs, as people will split the vote on what they consider to be important. Some would say that durability is more important than ride, while others would say that weight, style or color choice are more important. That being said the Sundowner Vasque hiking boot and the Clarion Vasque hiking boot are clear standouts to choose from and for now the two best choices that Vasque has to offer.

I hope this Vasque hiking boot information has helped make your decision easier. Please see the hiking boots page for more information on other boot choices, and for detailed help on how to choose boots.