User Review: Vasque Clarion GTX

Vasque Clarion GTX
Above: The current Clarion GTX, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 17, 1997 by an anonymous hiker

Rating:
Materials: leather
Use: trail hiking (not backpacking!)
Break-in Period: none
Weight: ??
Price Paid: on sale: $120 Can.

First off, these are great day hikers. They are light weight, supportive, flexible, and extremely comfortable. I love them for wearing around campus, and day hikes on all sorts of terrain. That said, these are *not* backpacking boots! They are only slightly more than a glorified solid sneaker. The uppers are too flexible and low for support on anything but completely flat terrain when carrying a substantial pack. And the soles have far too much flex -- it's very easy to bend them almost full circle with your hands. Supposedly they have steel shanks -- but it must be awfully thin steel. I have the model just before the black rubber toe cap came out -- that's why I got them at such a good price.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm really pleased with these boots -- but I see too many people using them as backpacking boots. Go with something a little more substantial. And made of one or several pieces of leather, and not little bits of nubuck and cloth sewn together. Assuming they'll only be used as day hikers, my only complaints are toe abrasion, which could easily be fixed with a bumper on the front of the sole, instead of the toe cap on the newer models, and the goretex liner. The liner is an option, so I shouldn't complain. But it impedes breathability, and my big toe quickly wore a hole through it (on top of the nail).

Anyway, overall I'm pretty pleased. Fit, incidentally, is relatively narrow, although it can be adjusted with Vasque's sized footbeds.

Where to Buy

Buy Online We found the Clarion GTX at 4 online stores:

Store

Product Description

Price

Moosejaw 3 purchase options:	Men's Clarion GTX Wide Shoe (Spring 2007)	$140.00	Buy Now
	Men's Clarion GTX Boot (Spring 2008)	$150.00	Buy Now
	Men's Clarion GTX Shoe (Spring 2007)	$180.00	Buy Now