Vasque Boot Fitting

While buying a boot on-line will not allow the same precision fit that trying on the boot could ever do; with the proper fitting information and a little reading you should be able to find the right boot for your foot.

General Fitting Information
When purchasing a boot it is important to know what kind of fit you are looking for. First the boot should be as snug as possible but at the same time still comfortable. If you get a boot that is to big and your foot slides around then you will wind up with blisters. Next your toe should be near the end of the boot but not touching. Having to short of a boot where your toe hits the end when you walk can be quite uncomfortable. One last thing to remember is that if you are not accustomed to wearing a stiff hiking boot that it may feel a bit awkward at first but after some use you will break the boot in and it's comfort will increase.

Variable Fit System
The Vasque Variable Fit System footbed was created to meet the needs of people who have a specific foot width. The V.F.S. footbeds are for use in the Clarion, Vista, and Cascade superlight hiking boots. These styles are patented and built around the fact that thinner or thicker footbeds may be substituted for original "medium" width V.F.S. footbed. There are three different footbeds that are available.

• A. Thinnest-for wide feet
• B. Thicker-for medium feet
• C. Thickest-for narrow feet

The V.F.S. arch lift and designed heel cup fit the contour of the human foot to add support and comfort to each step. Air channels and dimples help move air through the bottom of the boot while perforated air vents increase the air exchange in the front of the insole. Specially designed E.V.A. rubber landing pads located under the ball of the heel of the foot increase shock absorption and ease forward motion and comfort. Woven Sportee top covering absorbs perspiration and dries out quickly.

Gore-Tex Stormsock
The Vasque Stormsock features Gore-Tex waterproof laminate. The unique 3-ply GTX laminate material consists of an outside nylon mesh, the GTX waterproof filament and a woven 3-bar knit material called Sportee that wicks moisture and dries quickly. All three layers are specially laminated to provide absolute protection of the GTX material. A separate die utilized for the cutting of the right and left Stormsock ensure a clean, even fit. Each Vasque Stormsock is graded and sized to match individual boot sizes and widths. A minimum of seams are V-pattern "whip-stitched" then covered with special seam-sealing tape to ensure strength and waterproofness. All Gore-Tex Stormsock linings are vigorously tested for leaks in a clear water bath prior to final boot construction.

Sportee Blanket Lining
Vasque preforms magic by hiding all inside hardware in the Clarion hiking boots. Designed with minimal pieces, the Sportee blanket lining creates a smooth, comfortable inside environment free of hardware backings that can snag and rub. Hidden securely behind the comfortable Sportee are heavy duty hardware anchors covered with dense foam padding. Vasque Sportee lining is a 3-bar knit material that wicks away foot moisture and dries quickly. Sportee is highly abrasion resistant yet is soft and comfortable against the foot.

Percussion Midsole System
This Polyurethane midsole has been custom designed by Vasque to anatomically contour to the bottom of the foot, minimize excessive foot-roll and cushion against body weight impact. Careful attention to the resilient properties of polyurethane and our unique molded designs make this a distinctive outdoor boot. Sculpted side panels save weight and physically help to absorb shock. The contoured arch lift supports the arch area with exaggerated comfort. The exclusive "Post-Hole Support System" throughout the interior of this midsole adds firmness where you need it the most and softness where it can be felt best. Concentric circular "landing pads" are molded directly into the heel and ball area to custom fit the varying positions of individual feet.

Skywalk Tri-V-Lug Oultsole
Secure footing on the trail is the requirement of every hiker. The Skywalk sole provides traction and stability on all terrain due to its unique multi-directional V-lug pattern with stabilizing pins. Specially designed "saw tooth" lugs surround each V-lug for added bite. These "saw tooth" lugs are also placed at the toe for added traction on climbs. Built into the rubber compound is a level of slip-resistance that helps grab on wet, moss covered terrain. The Skywalk "Tri-V-Lug" pattern releases trail debris with each step, including excess water, preventing hydroplaning on smooth areas. To increase wear, a large surface area has been molded at the heel. The Skywalk "Tri-V-Lug" Outsole is a technological enhancement to the multi-Clarion Hiking boot Series.

Vasque Moisture Barrier
A revolutionary new Moisture Barrier enhances the construction of the popular Clarion Impact. The Moisture Barrier is a unique membrane that is placed in the forepart of the boot, beneath the leather and above the Sportee lining. This special barrier helps increase the water repellency of the boot. The membrane allows the boot to breathe naturally but repel outside moisture. The Vasque Moisture Barrier in conjunction with waterproof leathers and special construction processes create an extremely water-repellent boot. This special feature will increase foot comfort while travelling through high grasses, walking in morning dew or jumping puddles of shallow streams.

Vasque Fiberflex Lite Shank System
The exact amount of support and stability of the Clarion hiking boots comes from the new Fiberflex Lite Shank System. This unique design combines two key components into one supportive innersole. The Fiberflex Lite is a combination of fiberglass and polyurethane to provide unparalleled support under the arch and give needed stability to the heel and ankle. The forepart of the Fiberflex Lite is made of polyurethane for the exact amount of graded forward flex. The two parts of the insole are co-molded in an exclusive process that provides maximum strength. One-of-a-kind machinery was designed to produce a product of two unique properties. The outcome: a graded, durable innersole that provides support, torsion rigidity and stability, making the Clarion perfect for all varying terrain.

The Resilion Midsole/Outsole System
While technical hiking boots require stability to accommodate special terrain and climbing conditions, they also require impact absorption for comfort under heavy loads. A specially formulated dual-density rubber is used in our resilion outsole/midsole unit. Hard rubber is positioned on the outsole for gripping abrasion resistance, while a softer rubber midsole is contoured and fit between the outsole and the boot to absorb the impact of heel strike and heavy loads. Our outsole pattern displays a series of "V-lugs" and dimensional stabilizer lugs which grip and release for quick footed traction on multiple terrain surfaces. Denser lugs in the toe and heel areas extend the life of high wear points. The slight heel kick with a specially designed, angulated forward edge, assures a secure path in all down hill directions.

One Piece Leather Construction
Vasque has established a trend in the industry for higher performance technical footwear. This means beginning the construction process with one piece of the highest grade, full-grain leathers available. The single-cut piece of leather extends completely around the foot and is carefully molded to our "combination" last. The leather is "mulled" longer for a softer, more pliable feel. With fewer seams in the construction of these boots, stretching is minimized and the boots flex naturally with each step. Fewer seams also minimize exposure to snags from branches and stone points along the trail.

Tri-Wick Footbed
The Tri-Wick removable footbed is found throughout our technical backpacking boot series. It is significantly firmer than the V.F.S. footbed to accommodate the needs of a stiffer boot. A defined heel cup and arch lift is anatomically shaped for support. A top covering of woven felt materials breathes naturally and absorbs moisture quickly. A sublayer of polypropylene fibers are punched through the body of the polyethylene foam footbed by a process called "needle-staking." This procedure forms a bottom layer of polypropylene connected to the top layer of fibers. As moisture is picked up on the felt top layer, it is passed to the subsurface, and dissipated by the bottom layer of polypropylene with the aid of pre-formed vapor grooves. The result is an extremely "dry" footbed.

Monoflex Insoles
A special element of Vasques technical backpacking boots is the Monoflex insole. Designed of Hytrel an advanced chemical from DuPont, these insoles have been biomechanically shaped and graded to precisely match each individual size and to provide proper foot roll. This ensures the heel placement, flex point and lateral stability remain proportional for all sizes. The edges of the insoles are hard finished to smoothly fit our special GTX construction. The Trailweight Monoflex are utilized in lighter weight backpacking boots such as the Sundowner and the Skywalk. These Monoflex insoles are constructed of thick, heavier graded DuPont Hytrel with an imbedded triple ribbed, Dacron-wrapped, tempered steel shank stabilizer.