Vasque Men's Mantra 2.0 Hiking Shoe

I haven't owned Vasque boots since a classic leather pair in the late 1970s, and they were terrific, but heavy, of course. Over the years, I graduated to lower profile hiking shoes, and when an especially well-designed pair of Merrill boots that I really liked were phased out last year (nooo!!), I decided to give Vasque another try. The fit was fine with a pair of heavy socks, though the sole felt thin compared to my Merrill's when hiking on rocky terrain or volcanic rock. But the real disappointment has come during the wet winters we have here in the Pacific Northwest.Unfortunately, the toe design lets a lot of water in. This is what they look like after a typical outing, with just the splash from the trail and wet vegetation completely soaking your toes - basically the front 4 inches of the boot. I also had a slight separation in the rubber toe at the very start, but fixed that early on with Shoo Goo, and haven't had glue or seam issues, since..Sigh... as much as I wanted these to work out, I'll be looking for another option when I pick up my next pair of boots.

I am a door to door sales rep for a cable company. I use my Samsung gear watch to count my steps. On an average day I walk 16,000 steps (aprox 6.5 miles). The terain verries greatly and good footwear is an absolute must. I will start bt saying tbat right out of the box I was impressed with the overall build quality. Ankle support is is actually better than expected from a hiking shoe vs boot. These shoes are absolutely a dream to walk in. In over twenty years of 6-10 miles a day walking these are probably the best I have ever used. On more than one occasion I mis-stepped and nearly rolled my ancle, they provided enough support to prevent what could have been a painful injury. My only detraction is durability, after three months the soles are shot and some of of the inside padding is destroyed. I am however impressed enough that I will try to get them re-soled.

Unfortunately I had to return the shoes. The quality and look are great and they feel sturdy when I put them on.However, I bought them because I was looking for a pair of hiking shoes that would fit my duck feet (wide at the front). And these don't, though I bought the wide version.The problem is that the extra space seems to be mostly allotted to the outside of the shoes, and not on the inside.The result is that my big toes are cramped and my little toes have room to spare.This, of course, has nothing to do with the shoe and everything with my particular feet. But I thought it would be useful for other buyers that have similar issues as me.

Best shoe I've ever owned. Seriously. This is my 3rd pair. I usually buy one per year. 2 years ago I bought my last pair and up until about a month ago, it was just fine until I discovered that the seam of the right shoe along the 5th phalanges of my foot, had split wide open along the seam between the leather and the sole of the shoe side. Thereby causing a bit of a draft and moisture problem in the rain due to the hole in the sides of the shoe. I then discovered a week later, the same rip, on the other shoe just starting to form. I honestly didn't think the shoe would last 2 years but it did last that long! So another pair was warranted. Overall over the last 2 pairs, I am *VERY* pleased with the build quality of the shoe and most of all its comfort to keep my foot warm and dry in all weather. They hold up rather well in the snow, as well as the rain, and while the topmost leather does take on a bit of water damage when exposed to snow and rain, that eventually goes away, and you're left with a rugged shoe that handles the elements quite nicely IMO. You'd be a fool not to buy these shoes for their great fit, warmth, and wear and tear qualities.

First off, I'd like to say that my cat peeing on these shoes is not at all a hit against the shoe. It's not really even material to my review, but I figured I'd add it for backstory/flavor.But for real, the shoes are nice. I'd gotten Vasque before and was pretty happy with them, so I picked up another pair, after days of deliberation.I broke them in for a few days on trails near my house, then took them out west to Rocky Mountain National Park and a few parks in Utah.I backpacked about 8 miles with 15 or so pounds of camera gear on my back with no real issues. It handled the uphills and downhills well. I've got an issue where my feet slide around in shoes, sometimes, but after tightening them up well, I had no issues. My feet kept cool and were ventilated enough so as they weren't soaking wet with sweat.In Moab, I walked through a river or two and had no issues drying them off. They're pretty well ventilated - at no point did I really feel like they were hot - although temperatures were mild, so maybe I wasn't able to fully test them in desert conditions.Then I got home and my cat peed on them.Good news is I was able to mostly wash it out. Ran it through a few wash cycles (as much as it pained me, but that was my last resort), and I'm mostly good. They're still comfortable. I'm still mad at my cat, though.

I would wear them to bed, if I could. You remember that feeling when you were a kid and you didn't want to wear your shoes outside because they might get dirty? Well, say hello to your childhood. I love this shoe. Sometime from '99 to 2001, I bought a pair of Vasque Sundowner hiking boots. now those boots were hardcore and, quite possible, the best shoe purchase I have ever made. They lasted for years, unitl I lost them in a move. (Yeah, I cry everytime I think about it.) These shoes may not be as hard core, but they are every bit as comfortable without the long break-in time that the sundowner had. You may think that Merrills are the path to happiness and I say, "NAY!" Stay your wallet. I find myself going through Merrills at a rate of about a pair a year. These shoes show no sign of that. I love them...I love you, Vasque.

I've had, Salomon, Merrel, Patagonia and Keen hiking shoes but I can say that these Vasque Mantra 2.0 are the best hiking shoes I ever had. I have been using them almost daily for a couple of weeks now.The fit is perfect with my feet size. The wraping and lacing of the shoe is very comfortable while very sturdy. The Vibram sole is durable and comfortable to walk with. The only negative point I can see is that they can get a little uncomfortable during very hot summer days, but I understand these don't have large mesh areas for air circulation. Vasque has other products that can answer to that.Overall, this is a very well balanced shoe.

Belle chaussure, le seul défaut est le confort de la semelle au niveau de la plante des pieds qui est un peu trop dur. Pour ce qui est de la largeur, c'est juste un peu plus large qu'une chaussure standard, ce qui me convient parfaitement. Si vous avez besoin d'espace au-dessus des orteils, c'est la chaussure qu'il vous faut.

Only one issue to report on this product. As this was not for myself I learned from my son that the laces are a bit to short.Other than that the fit is good and he is quite satisfied with the product. Hopefully he will get good life out of these shoesas he doesn't drive due to sight impairment, and he has to walk to each of his clients. He usually puts on 40 or more kilometers weekly. His suggestion was; perhaps the manufacturer could offer longer laces.Thank you

It took a few days to appreciate how well they fit. They are good looking, well made, comfortable and supportive. The laces seemed a little short, but they stretched in a few days and are a good length now.

Well made. Nice design. Glad I hit the 12W. The wife is more like medium.