Review: Vasque Breeze LT GTX

Lightweight comfort for all-day outings. 

When it comes to hiking boots, I've long been brand loyal. I got my first serious hikers over 15 years ago and they're still my go-to boot. Those were Vasques, and since that inaugural pair, I've stuck by the brand. They've given me no reason to jump ship with their latest lightweight offering, the Breeze LT GTX.

When I say lightweight, think cold-smoke pow lightweight. I haven't broken out the scale to officially weigh them, but in unscientific comparisons to my running shoes, these boots make it too close to call. This translates into less trail fatigue, meaning I can go deeper into the backcountry faster and more often. And that's what it's all about—gear getting you where you need to go. On a recent outing into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, I was begging to push on at about the same time that others from my group wanted to turn around. I could have gone on for miles.

Now, these aren't trekkers, so don't load up your pack for a multi-day and expect them to stack up to stiffer boot models. They're designed for dayhikes, so less weight in the pack and fewer consecutive days on the trail is the Breeze LT's sweet spot. They do, however, offer more support than the sneaker-style hikers that have become so popular. If you're like me and still want your boots to be boots, these are a great option.

As far as other performance features go, the GTX in the Breeze's name stands for Gore-Tex, meaning they're waterproof, great for the backcountry creek crossings that abound in southwest Montana. At $170, they ain't cheap, but like I mentioned earlier, I've had a pair of Vasques for the better part of two decades—the brand's quality speaks for itself. $170; vasque.com.