Vasque Talus XT Review – Robust and Supportive Hiking Shoes

The Vasque Talus XT are a waterproof leather hiking shoe that offers a lot of protection and grip for hiking and backpacking. There is a GoreTex version of these as well (Nicole Doty did that review here).

Vasque Talus XT Review

The Talus is a more traditional hiking or backpacking shoe.  They feature waterproof leather construction (note, these are not the GoreTex version) that will withstand a lot of use and abuse.  Vibram Mega Nuasi with Megagrip traction provides excellent grip on dirt, mud, and light snow.

I have been testing a lot of the Vasque shoes and boots the last year. The Talus XT strikes me as the kind of hiking shoe that would appeal to the person who likes to have a lot of foot protection. I prefer a lighter hiking shoe or boot for most of the adventures I go on.  So, my take is going to be slightly different than others.

For the lighter hiking shoes and boots I mentioned above, my two favorites are the Vasque Breeze LT GTX boot and low. Below are the video reviews for both:

As you can see, I am quite a fan of the Breeze LT!

Now that I gave you a few reasons why I gravitate towards the lighter hiking shoes and boots, let’s go into what I do like about the Talus XT.

Traction

As you can see in the video, this shoe has some major traction! Vibram Mega Nuasi with Megagrip traction is no joke.  I used this when we did the review on the GTX version of the boot and was impressed.  That tread is still going strong. Great for all kinds of conditions.

Robust build

The burly 2.0mm leather is really tough.  This is the kind of leather that will last years of use.  The high-top pair we started testing over a year ago is still going strong.  Definitely a solid hiking shoe!

Bottom line – these are well-built hiking or backpacking shoes for the person that prefers durability and protection over lightweight and pliable construction.