Like quite a lot of outdoors-minded males, I like to consider myself as a sensible man. The form of man who travels mild. The form of man who owns one pair of trainers to cowl all of the bases. However in actuality, like quite a lot of outdoors-minded males, I’ve a pair of trainers for rucking… a pair of trainers for warm-weather mucking round within the marsh… a pair of trainers for cold-weather mucking round within the marsh, or sitting within the deer stand or ATV using 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 Primary 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 fabricated from Vibram, a reputation that’s acquainted throughout the outside trade. The midsole is molded EVA materials, with an inside TPU shank offering help whereas remaining comfy.
There’s a set of three fast-lace eyes on the high of the boot; the remainder of the eyelets are normal hole-type.
Nothing revolutionary, however at first look, what I believe the Talus AT (the AT stands for All-Terrain) does finest is present quite a lot of helpful technical options whereas not trying too goofy. Apart from some yellow highlights on the only real, these don’t have any vivid 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 positive how they’d deal with the Appalachian Path, however I can say that for the rocky clambers alongside the shorelines of my dwelling on Canada’s east coast, the Talus AT boots had been glorious all-round footwear. They supplied glorious grip on moist seaside rocks; I spent hours fishing stripers in these boots, operating 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 mild packs; that they had enough 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 seaside lined in bubbleweed. And when climbing within the bush checking cameras in deer looking season, I discovered they did an excellent job of conserving twigs and leaves out of the collar.
I’d have preferred to do extra rucking in these boots, however a brutal 1-2 combo of a again damage adopted by a rib damage this summer time saved me on mild obligation till September. Nonetheless, I’ll say that with the smaller packs I carried, the boots had been nonetheless super-comfortable, significantly 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 open air lovers 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 crucial, and it’s uncommon to seek 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 should you weren’t cautious whenever you tied them. Other than that, I’m very impressed with these boots. However there’s an issue. Vasque is a lifeless model, for now.
A couple of weeks again, the Pink Wing Shoe Firm mentioned they had been going to discontinue the Vasque model. There will likely be extra footwear produced within the coming months, however by mid-2o25, they’ll not be making Vasque merchandise.
It’s unlucky. Vasque has been making footwear for American open air lovers since 1964. However in a press release, Pink Wing’s media relations staff mentioned “Collectively, now we have completed exceptional issues throughout the outside trade. However, this market has modified dramatically, significantly during the last a number of years. What shoppers search and the way they wish to each store and purchase has modified dramatically … We have now, due to this fact, made the troublesome resolution to sundown the Vasque model and our outside enterprise as we all know it right now.”
Administration mentioned this wasn’t a choice they took evenly: “We evaluated many potential strategic paths. In the long run, nevertheless, we don’t consider that there’s a viable path ahead. With restricted sources, we consider it’s best for us to give attention to the unbelievable alternatives we see in our core enterprise and types at Pink Wing Shoe Firm.”
It’s unlucky, as Vasque was lengthy a model that in-the-know patrons may rely on. Going ahead, they should finally store elsewhere—however for now, you possibly can nonetheless purchase the Vasque Talus AT Ultradry boots for $160, and I’m telling you that they’re effectively value trying out.
