Vasque Velocity VST XCR

I bought these on impulse from the bargain table at MEC Vancouver. This was before I read somewhere that this model had some problems.

I bought a 1/2 size bigger than usual as they felt a bit tight at the front end, and that turned out to be true. I had a great pair of Vasque Velocity trail runners for years and have bought several pairs since but none as wide at the toe box or as comfortable as the first pair.

I heated these on an oil filled radiator, jammed in a couple of golf balls and laced tightly to stretch the front space and then wore them, still warm, a couple of times and they are starting to feel more comfortable now. Almost all these trail shoes are plastic nowadays and respond to this kind of adjustment for width. I've also changed the insoles to gel, to improve comfort and avoid plantar fasciitis.

Boots are now broken in and no problems in sight. They seem watertight in light usage so far and have a grippy sole, which is better than the original Velocity sole for grip and likely for wear. They are stiffer and feel more solid than a trail shoe IMHO, and are more like a light hiker.

Good buy so far with no problems other than narrow toe box. If they do show some problems I'll post back but I think this model has already been replaced with a new Velocity XCR model.