Meindl vs. Vasque

kicker

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Those with experience: What's your field proven opinion on meindl boots vs. the vasque boots. Price not a factor. Just need a waterproof, lightweight (as possible), rugged as the hell i hike over type boot.

If you could include particular series of boot your talking about please.

Kicker
 
Never owned vasque, but my Meindle Denali's are excellent. I like them because they are 8" instead of 10"(don't bother my calves), 200 grams thinsulate, stiff but not so stiff to cramp my feet, excellent ankle support in the steep stuff. Four seasons with 40-50 days a year and still going strong. The only complaint I have is that I can't find any replacement laces and the recommended wax is tough and expensive to get.
 
I had a pair of Vasque Sundowners that I used for five years and got a lot of good miles out of. They did the trick and were very comfortable/provided support and lasted well. I have very narrow heels and the Vasque in BB were perfect. The only complaint I had was they were cut fairly low and debris would build up on top of the tongue without gaitors. I have a new pair of Sundowner II's which are the new model and are 1.5" taller and don't gather debris. In two more years I'll be able to critique them. I am happy so far. They aren't insulated.

You can snow seal an all leather boot for when the goretex wears out and in my experience goretex fails after a few years.

Beanman
 
I have a very high arch, wide foot with a narrow heel. The Vasque and Asolo are the only boots I have found which fit me well. I would love the Meindl but they just don't work for me. The Sundowners are a really nice medium weight hiking/hunting boot for all around use. On sale, you can find them as low as $90-100. I prefer something heavier like the Summits (old style), or newer Asolo's, and spend around $200. They work much better for the sheep/goat/rocks type use I put them through. All Gore-Tex boots seem to leak after a year or two of hard use. I don't count on them being waterproof after 2 years, and just use the leather dressing at hand, and dry them good after use.
 
Kicker,

Have used the Meindle perfekt hunters for 4 years now and like them except for one thing, they squeak. I tried everything to stop it but nothing helped. Also, they dont have the rubber rand and are really chewed up on the toes but they are well built and comfortable.

I haven't used the Vasque but this year I used a pair of uninsulated Asolo with the $30 insole and they were just OK, nothing special.

I'm tired of having big gouges in the toes before they are really broke in, so my next pair has to have the rand and it will probably be the Lowa's Sheep Hunter or Tibet GTX.

http://www.lowaboots.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?category=2

or the Koflach Vertical if I ever get a sheep tag!

http://www.koflachusa.com/products.html

Best to ya,
Oakbuck
 
meindle I got a pait from cabelas, probalby got a size barely to small, cannot wear thick socks or pad sole, solid boot, great ankle support, but bottom is HARD. Makes feet very sore after long hikes, I think with a good footbed it would be ok.
 
Kicker,

Don't want to throw a curveball, but I would not overlook Lowa boots. I've had Danner, Whites, Meindl's and now have the Lowa Sheep Hunter and I think I would give them the nod over the others. I ordered them through the Schnees outfit in Bozeman. I think they ran about $280. If you go online, do a search for Shnees boots, you should get the site in Bozeman and look at their selection of Lowa's. Just my 2 cents.
 
You should definatley check out www.schnees.com I bought my last set of Vasques from them and got a steal. They have a category online called slighly worn merchandise. the Vasques I got had been returned as the wrong size and hadn't been worn on pavement, I got them for 50% off. The new website is not fully functional as of last night.

BeanMan
 
Bean,

Have you compared them to the Meindl? Just curious, I was wondering how comfortable they were by comparison. From the other posts, I am wondering how comfortable the Meindl's are?

It sounds like they are quite durable. I apprecitate the last post, and will definately be looking at the Vasques
 
I have a pair of Vasques that I love. I don't know the model. But they were the best feeling boot I own. I love them. Vasques does not make that model anymore. They were too heavy for warm weather even though I wore them on every hunt. This year I boutht the Vasque Zephyrs and I love them as well.
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-21-05 AT 02:17PM (MST)[p]Oakbuck, thanks for the good input. I will definately check out the Lowa boots. They look to be the real deal.

Alot of good info so far guy's, thanks.

Kicker
 
Woodruff,

To be honest I've never seen a pair of Meindl's much less put a pair on. I've heard good things about them but don't know squat...

I don't know of any Vasques that are insulated, the sundowners and sundowner II's are not.

Beanman
 
Stopped in at lunch today to pick up my new Telemark Skis, looked at a pair of Lowa Banff's. They looked VERY nice...

BeanMan
 
I have the Meindls and would not buy them again. They sole is too stiff, and they took a long time to break in. They also only lasted me a year before they cracked in front of the laces where the shoe bends and flexes.
I wear boots everyday of the year and for day in and day out I wear Danners. I have a hunting partner that let me wear his Lowa sheep hunters, and I would buy them in a heartbeat. They were very comfortable and built tough. I am really tough on boots and I spill a lot of chemicals and salt and other stuff on them so I don't want to spend $300 bucks on a pair of boots just to ruin them. I buy the Danners for around $139 and buy a new pair every year.
If I only hunted in my boots, I would get the Lowa's no question.
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-26-05 AT 10:49AM (MST)[p] I have owned two pair of meindels. The Mt. Ebruss ( no longer availible) and the winter 800's. They are the most cofortable boots I have ever owned and the break in period was nothing. That being said I had both pairs seperate the leather from the sole on the inside seam after 4 years of hard core hunting and hiking( got my moneys worth). The Winter 800's sole seperated from the mid sole at the toe on a wilderness backpack hunt the 2nd season and I had to duck tape it so it wasn't flapping in the breeze. Brought them to two different boot repair shops and they could not find a new sole for them and they ended up glueing them back together(this glue did not hold). I ended up using polyurethane between the sole and midsole and fixed the problem.I am going to give the Lowa Sheep hunters a try this year. I wanted to add that if the soles were stitched instead of glued to the uppers these boots would last a lot longer IMO.
 
Another vote for Lowa. I have the Tibet GTX which is basically the uninsulated version of the sheep hunter (and a little lighter). Great boot! Tough as nails and the break in time was minimal.
Mike
 
i vote for Meindl tho i have not tried Vasque or Lowa.

i use and love to abuse Cabela's Meindl Ibex (i am two yeasr into my 3rd pair in 10 years). they require zero break-in, are reasonably priced, and are super comfortable...this from a guy that routinely puts in 8-10 miles per day off-trail in nasty conditions. the only problem i have had with them is the seam threads wearing thru prematurely and then i have them sewn for $10 down at the boot repair shop...sewing penetrates the gore tex lining and makes them less waterproof.

but i still cheer: meindl meindl meindl!!!
 
I have had the same pair of Vasque Sundowners for almost 5 years now. I've hunted in them all five years and I really put them through hell hunting, hiking the desert, etc. They are hammered and probably have little support left, but they don't leak and are so comfortable that I still wear them regularly. I will get a pair of Sundowner IIs to replace this pair.

Any experience with the Rocky Extreme Light Stalker or Hunter boots? I tried on a Wide pair (wide feet I have) and they felt GREAT on, and they were really light. I need a new pair of boots to break in this spring in prep for next fall.
 

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