Like plenty of outdoors-minded males, I like to think about myself as a sensible man. The form of man who travels gentle. The form of man who owns one pair of shoes to cowl all of the bases. However in actuality, like plenty of outdoors-minded males, I’ve a pair of shoes for rucking… a pair of shoes for warm-weather mucking round within the marsh… a pair of shoes for cold-weather mucking round within the marsh, or sitting within the deer stand or ATV driving in chilly climate… and so forth. Discovering good do-it-all footwear isn’t straightforward. However with the Vasque Talus AT Ultradry boots, I got here fairly shut.
The Fundamental Particulars – Vasque Talus AT Ultradry
The Talus AT Ultradry boots have a leather-based higher, with mesh built-in for breathability and flex. Though the waterproof membrane is Vasque’s proprietary materials, the outsole is manufactured from Vibram, a reputation that’s acquainted throughout the outside trade. The midsole is molded EVA materials, with an inner TPU shank offering help whereas remaining snug.
There’s a set of three fast-lace eyes on the high of the boot; the remainder of the eyelets are customary hole-type.
Nothing revolutionary, however at first look, what I feel the Talus AT (the AT stands for All-Terrain) does finest is present plenty of helpful technical options whereas not trying too goofy. Apart from some yellow highlights on the only real, these don’t have any brilliant colours; they don’t scream “Wannabe AT Via-Hiker.” You may put on them with out trying like somebody from a Matt Lyons sketch.
How Did They Work Out? Vasque Talus AT Ultradry
So they give the impression of being good, however are these precise good boots? Not being a thru-hiker myself, I can’t say for certain how they’d deal with the Appalachian Path, however I can say that for the rocky clambers alongside the shorelines of my residence on Canada’s east coast, the Talus AT boots had been wonderful all-round footwear. They provided wonderful grip on moist seaside rocks; I spent hours fishing stripers in these boots, working up and down the shoreline, and by no means as soon as felt like I used to be about to fall right into a coastal channel and break my neck on the similar time.
The identical goes for native hikes via the woods, generally with gentle packs; that they had ample ankle help for his or her mid-height design, and had grip in each state of affairs, even after I took a shortcut up a rocky seashore coated in bubbleweed. And when climbing within the bush checking cameras in deer looking season, I discovered they did an excellent job of protecting twigs and leaves out of the collar.
I’d have appreciated to do extra rucking in these boots, however a brutal 1-2 combo of a again harm adopted by a rib harm this summer season saved me on gentle responsibility till September. Nevertheless, I’ll say that with the smaller packs I carried, the boots had been nonetheless super-comfortable, a lot better than the mil-surp stompers I often put on for rucks, and the Vasque Talus AT required no preliminary break-in interval. They had been good proper out of the field.
And that held via for the size of the season; though they use a proprietary waterproof membrane and never the Gore-Tex layer that so many outside fanatics worship, the Vasque boots don’t leak after months of utilization. You would possibly assume that’s a minor factor, however round right here, the place it’s foggy, wet and snowy 13 months a yr, it’s essential, and it’s uncommon to search out footwear that basically retains its waterproofing long-term whereas additionally staying breathable. The Talus AT boots do each.
What Might Enhance? Vasque Talus AT Ultradry
There’s little or no I’d change on these boots, however I did discover there was sufficient flex within the collar that the laces would work out of the quick-lace eyelets on the high if you happen to weren’t cautious if you tied them. Except for that, I’m very impressed with these boots. However there’s an issue. Vasque is a useless model, for now.
A number of weeks again, the Crimson Wing Shoe Firm mentioned they had been going to discontinue the Vasque model. There can be extra sneakers produced within the coming months, however by mid-2o25, they are going to now not be making Vasque merchandise.
It’s unlucky. Vasque has been making footwear for American outside fanatics since 1964. However in a press release, Crimson Wing’s media relations staff mentioned “Collectively, we have now finished exceptional issues throughout the out of doors trade. However, this market has modified dramatically, notably over the past a number of years. What shoppers search and the way they wish to each store and purchase has modified dramatically … Now we have, subsequently, made the tough determination to sundown the Vasque model and our out of doors enterprise as we all know it as we speak.”
Administration mentioned this wasn’t a choice they took calmly: “We evaluated many attainable strategic paths. In the long run, nonetheless, we don’t imagine that there’s a viable path ahead. With restricted sources, we imagine it’s best for us to give attention to the unbelievable alternatives we see in our core enterprise and types at Crimson Wing Shoe Firm.”
It’s unlucky, as Vasque was lengthy a model that in-the-know consumers may rely on. Going ahead, they should finally store elsewhere—however for now, you can still buy the Vasque Talus AT Ultradry boots for $160, and I’m telling you that they’re properly price trying out.
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