Good design, crappy quality, that pretty much summarizes these overadvertized boots. Fits my scandinavian feet like nothing else, but did not last longer than one week in New Zealand trails - after a couple of intensive hikes the leather in boots started sagging and pressing the nerves on my feet resulting in numb toes at the end of the day. NOw the botts are used for dog walking, as they offer no adequate support for actual backpacking. After 3 weeks the outsole on right boot came practically off, glued it back on myself. Why? See below. I guess these are good bots for paved US trails, but not for real hiking.

Customer Service

I bought these boots while still in US, and the Ithaca Wildware people were helpful, although not superknowledgable - they changed the first pair with bad tongue. But the actual Vasque service sucksc: after hike I moved to Europe and tried 5 times (!) contacting Vasque customer support about sagging, collapsed boots with loose outsole. Not a single reply. And why should they bother, they have enough customers, regardless??

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Meindl Scout (superb quality, design not for me), finnish nokia (!) boots.

This boot is a great all-around shoe. Has good quality leather uppers for nice ankle support. The soles (on the MX-2) model are heavy but flexible. The workmanship (pairs made in Italy only-check first) are superior. Mine are now a year old and have held up very well. I expect them to last many years. Liked them so well, bought a pair for the husband!ã

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Tried other mfgs. "light duty" types with fabric/leather upppers. They are cushy, but lack good ankle support. Save the cushiness for street shoes.

God said, let there be light, and there was light. A bit later, He created the Sundowner is His own image. Only as an afterthought did He create man, as he needed something to use the Sundowner.

New owner (~months), used to have Salomon Fronterra? that I loved. Now use Sundowner MX2, made in Italy. Not quite broken in yet, so still a bit uncomfortable. The soles are GREAT!

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Ive had my Sundowners since 1986, and they are awesome! Ive used them nearly every season since, and they have help up to unbelievable use. They are now pretty ugly, and they need to be resoled very badly, but they are still functional, waterproof, incredibly comfortable, and I still use them for all kinds of backpacking, approaches to rock climbs, etc. Fantastic hiking boots, if you can get a pair, do.

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Vasque makes nice mountaineering boots too, as does Scarpa.

The fit of this boot is great (I have wide feet with a narrow heel), and it took me virtually no time to break them in. With a 35 lb backpack, I appreciated the support of the steel shank and my ankles didn't roll once. This boot would get 5 stars if it only had decent traction. I had read on backpacker.com about this boot's lack of traction on slick rock, but I ignored the warnings because of its comfortable fit. But with the kind of hiking I like to do, this boot isn't what I'm quite looking for. If you don't do much boulder-hopping, scrambling, or hiking on steep or wet rock, this boot is for you. If you do, it's best to try another boot.

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I purchased my Sundonwers several months ago. I had no trouble breaking them in. Actually, I barely needed to break them in at all! I just returned from my first trip wearing them - carrying a 40lb pack and covering all kinds of terrain. I had no problems at all! My feet felt great at the end of the day/week.
I was a little skeptical about spending so much money at first but am glad I went for it. Hope they last for many more trips!

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I have really had good luck with these boots. I have a wide small feet and usually cannot find anything that fits right. There is little to no break-in time needed for the boots, when I got mine I went on a trip that same week and had no trouble. As long as I am wear thick socks (smartwool or polypro and wool) my feet don't even get sore or blistered. The Sundowners do a great job at keeping water out and keeping your feet perfectly dry as long as the water isn't too deep. Another inch or so of height on the boot would be great, but I suppose gaiters could do that job too. One other complaint is the boots lack of insulation, they are great for late spring, summer and early fall, but as soon as snow falls you will freeze in these. Although the boots have a few limitations, I really love the fit and durability. I would buy them again and again!

Customer Service

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Great boots. Only ones I could find that came specifically in "narrow". This particular model of Vasque runs a bit big and I bought 1/2 size smaller. The other women's hiking boots that I could find only came in "medium" witdths which were too wide for me. It pays to keep using Vasque NaturSeal to protect the leather. My present boots are my second pair of these and I can tell that taking better care of them will prolong their life.

If only all shoes where this comfortable! I cannot say enough good things about the Vasque Sundowner- but I'll try. It is 100% waterproof (and I have put them to the test!). I did not have to break them in as they were totally comfortable from day one. I have never gotten a blister or even a hot spot in them. I have worn them with crampons (not the best way to wear them, but it can be done) and they held up find. (This is really only recommended when they are newish.) The only thing I wish is that Vasque made plastic boots. If so, I would never consider buying boots from anyone else.

This was my first pair of ""technical"" hiking boots, my previous experience having used lighter HiTecs. Having a very wide foot and high instep, finding a quality women's hiking and backpacking boot in D width was almost impossible. After looking in stores and mail-order for almost a year, Vasque was the only boot readily available to even try on. It took six months of blisters to break in my feet, primarily on the heels. However, I have since realized, based on the condition of a cheap pair of backup boots, I have a prominant heel bone which didn't ""get along"" with the stiff leather of the Sundowner. I finally slapped some moleskin right on heel area of the Vasque itself which mostly corrected the problem. I still get some soreness with long (miles) uphills, but generally I truly like the boot. It's provided wonderful support on rocky, uneven trails and superb traction on slickrock. Snowshoeing and snow-hiking are OK as far as keeping feet dry, but there's very little insulation for warmth. One of the reasons I consider the boots a good value is that I purchased them on sale for about $40 off the MRSP.

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