Boots made in China just don't have the same feel to me. Leather is softer than it used to be, flexing easy and cutting into the top of your foot as you walk. Not the boots I remember.

I have the 9.5 in black. the fit is pretty good. I usually wear a 9.5 in most brands. I maybe should have gone a half size smaller because the one piece leather did stretch quite a bit. Took a while to break in but now they feel like a tennis shoe. I have used these a lot. Climbed all over mountains and even snowshoed in them. I find that my feet have never hurt in these even after a long day. Really like the support and sturdy feeling these boots have. Oh, and the waterproofing has never let me down even after 2 years of abuse.

The Italians were wonderful. If I would have know they were going to start making them in China I would have bought as many pairs as I could have in the 1990's. If Redwing reads this think about having a high end sundowner made in Italy. You had a cult following and you sold out to the all mighty dollar. Shameful.

I'm severely disappointed that Vasque chose long ago to move production of this boot from Italy to China. I owned a pair of the Italian-made sundowners and they were great. In the day of the sundowner and the skywalk, Vasque was THE boot to have. Sundowners are a legendary name on the trail and I think anyone purchasing a pair now will feel disappointed, to say the least. You can tell the difference between the old and new by simply looking at them. I give them two stars only for the memories I have of the better days. I now own a pair of Sundowner MX2's (made in Italy) and I am once again in love!

I have owned four pairs of these in my life. The earliest two were made in Italy. The last two--China. There is a noticeable difference between the two that were made in Italy, and the two that were made in China. The ones made in Italy, I will re-sole and wear as long as I possibly can. The two from China will sit on my shoe-shelf and gather dust. What does this mean? Well, I will probably never buy another pair of Sundowners--too bad since they were my all-time favorite boot. I'll stick with the brands that care more for quality, than cheaper mass-reproduction.

Well, I've always liked Vasque products. I've gone through two pairs of the Sundowner back in my college/NOLS trip days and really loved them. I lost the last pair about 5 years ago and never had the chance to replace them until I bought a pair for an upcoming med-school hiking trip. I'm not sure what, if anything has changed at Vasque but these boots aren't the same as the ones I had in the past. The leather feels cheaper and the stitching seems much less precise. The style of the top of the boot also seems much less clean than I remember it. It looks much more like a generic knock-off than the real thing... if that makes any sense. The details just don't seem as nice/careful as they were on my old pairs. Maybe I'm just getting old. The boot wears about as well, which I suppose is all that really matters. Anyway, I have no idea if this is a reflection of their boots generally but I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Probably will try something else next time.

These boot were used for 8 days at work, only walking about 3 miles each day.
1. Felt comfortable but then by afternoon above my right ankle became sore, top of leather just where the padding stitched was chafing my ankle. Used medium and heavy hiking socks with no change felt.

2. Top of padding compared to a sundowner II is 1 3/4 inch shorter and with a lot less padding.
Wore out my sundowner II but still use an alpine GTX which is heavy but causes no pains even after 12 hours or more.

I have had 6 pairs of Sundowners over the years. The Italian ones all did thousands of miles each. The first Chinese pair I purchased only did 600 miles before the heels were 100% through to the under-layer, and needed a $60 resole.

I bought my first pair several years ago. The only downside is that, as my sons grew into men, they alternately would abscond with the Vasques. The other posters are right. Incredibly comfortable out of the box and very handsome.

Years ago I attended a formal affair. It snowed that day so I planned to wear the boots to park the car and walk through the icy parking lot, changing into dress shoes later. The Vasque boots were so comfortable I continued to wear them with my tux for the entire evening. If you plan on wearing these with a tux, get the black ones. The burgundy ones are a little too casual with formal attire.

My first pair of hiking boots ever was my dad's pair, size 12, and they were 13 years old. They performed AMAZINGLY even with hardly any tread left on the sole. They had soul. I now work for the park service (2 years later) and got a pair of sundowners when I was hired. I'm wearing them right now. They suck! When Vasque moved to Chinese production, everything stayed the same except the QUALITY OF THE LEATHER. Whereas before it was typical, flat, non glossy genuine leather that skuffe up, it's now (supposedly genuine) leather that looks and feels like plastic or suede. It squeaks and is thin and is so much like plastic that it doesn't even absorb shoe polish/protectant. It's the epitomy of a small local company selling out for more profit, less quality, and no intrinsic value. Sorry, but I'd go for some Asolo's instead, they're the new Vasque....

I bought the 'Made in Italy' originals about 5 years ago and they are still going strong. The new ones were for my son who is going to hike in India. He's been breaking them in on short trips so far and they seem to compare well to mine in terms of wear and comfort. Certainly no signs of any difference in quality, although it is early days. It is easy to be snobbish about the 'Italy' label, but it maybe no more than that. Fact is the cleating and sealing is done by machine anywhere in the world, and as an industrialist with manufacturing experience in China, I can tell you that 'Made in China' is often as good as it gets these days. Ask Dell, GE, Philips, Sony and Nikon to name just a few. I'll be the first to write in if I'm let down. These should be the last boots you ever need.

My Vasques were made in China. But they are great. Over 8 years of AT hiking, 500+ miles and now I am on the second set of soles. Thanks to http://www.resole.com/Vasque-Repair.aspx You have to break them in, but once you do they are best boot, make sure you have wool socks. I trust my feet to them and I would walk anywhere with these on my feet.

I bought these and returned them. The sole of the boot was comfortable, but the upper of the boot dug into my ankle. This is not something that will go away with breaking these boots in. I have had much experience breaking in boots in the military, so I know this problem would not have went away. This may have been a problem with my pair only, but I'm not sure. Also, the first day the shoestring broke. It seems that I missed out on a good boot though, when these were made in Italy. I hope this helps.

I bought these boots to replace my 8 or 9 year old sundowners that I now wear to work everyday. These boots endured 6 years of trail use before I replaced them with ultralight hikers. The ultralights are shot after 2 years, and so I am back to these durable and very waterproof boots. I only wish the soles were replaceable since the uppers outlast them.

I wear an orthotic on my left leg due to a traumatic brain injury I suffered more than 18 years ago. In that time I have worn many hiking boots and none has performed as well for as long as my Sundowners! I have worn them at least 4 days per week for the last 4 years and they are just now wearing-out. I initially purchased the boots because I could have them resoled, but the tread has lasted longer than any other boot I have owned. It has lasted even longer than other Vasque boots I purchased.
I plan to purchase another pair in the next few months and plan to gain some expertise on the care of the leather so that my next pair will last long enough that I can resole them. I have kept this pair polished and looking great since I purchased them, but ordinary shoe polish is not enough to keep the leather strong s long as the soles last.

I first bought a pair of Vasque Sundowners in 1996 and immediately fell in love with them. After I had abused the boots for 5 years, I decided to get a new pair. My first pair was made in Italy, but Vasque had moved their production to China. I was disappointed by the second pair. I don't think I used them more than 10 times, and ended up giving them way. I loved my first pair so much I decided to give these another try. This time I have been very pleased with the quality and comfort of the boot. They are just like my first pair. Great for light hikes or just wearing around town. They keep my feet dry and clean up very well. I highly recommend these boots.

I bought these boots about a year ago and they defiantly haven't let me down. I hiked in New Mexico for 10 days and they were prefect. I love the comfort of the boots. The upper is so soft. It’s amazing. You also have a lot of toe room, and they don't slip around on your feet. When I bought them I was told they would last a lifetime, and I defiantly can't prove that wrong yet, and it looks like I will not be able to for decades to come.

This is my 2nd pair of sundowners. I have fitted and sold boots for years, and thus have sampled dozens! For me, the sundowner is just the right balance of stiffness and flexibility. My old pair (just retired after a 133-mile Northville-Lake Placid trek) will be missed, but graces my bookshelf.

Since I was a kid I've always had big problems with blisters on hiking/backpacking trips. This is the first boot I've ever had work with my foot well enough that blisters aren't a problem. I've taken them on several long, challenging hikes with hardly any issues.

The only thing that might be improved is the insole, but everything else is great.

I wish these had not been closeouts. They’re the most comfortable boots I’ve ever used, for general walking as well as for light hiking. This is my 3rd pair over about a decade. When these wear out, I’d happily buy another one.

These are outstanding boots. I have been wearing them almost daily for over 20 years and buy nothing else when it comes to hiking boots.

I don't know if this will help or not, But I brought my first pair Seven years ago. I have a real bad back, an neck problem. I have tried every type of boot there is, then my mother-in-law brought my first pair. It's been the best thing that that has happened to me in years. I run a farm and I don't know what I would do with out my Vasques. I just brought a new pair after SEVEN YEARS, and I will keep on buying them as long as they make them. THANK YOU!!!

Harder to break in than my Red Wing hunting shoes. Good waterproofing.
Comfy once used for a while (2 weeks or more).

I love these pair of boots. They are the most comfortable boots on the planet. Plus they look good too!

My mother bought me my first pair of sundowners for my college graduation. It's the best present she could have ever bought me. After ten years of wear, not a lot of hiking but they have been everywhere else, they are still comfortable. I will be buying a new pair soon. Thank Vasque.

Love, love, love these boots. Whether you're going out in the backcountry or just tooling around town, they're great. Comfortable without looking like the clunky, mesh-ridden boots most companies are making, this boot kicks some major arse.

Great boot! I love putting these boots on. They are very comfortable and are great for just about any use from the trail to around town. I wear mine almost daily in the winter and quite often in the summer on hikes and at work (I'm actually wearing them now). They're a great looking boot too. Look good with jeans, pants, or just about anything thing if you're interested in that. I would advise that they do take a little breaking in. It took me a few days but they're well worth it once they're broken in. So suck up some of the pain and just do some short hikes until they're good to go. While these guys aren’t the most super heavy duty hikers they’re still awesome and good on the trails! Great boots and I plan on wearing them for a long time with a resole in the future once these get worn down. A can of Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative is some really good stuff to put on them to make sure they stay in great shape. Buy em' cause you'll definitely thank yourself later. Enjoy!

These boots rock! Only downfall is that I wish Vasques were made exclusivley in Italy like they used to be.

I bought a pair of chocolate brown Vasque Sundowners in March of '96 and wore the heel down over a 1/2 inch on both boots. I just got them re-soled and I keep 4-5 pairs of brown Pro Alpine Boot Laces on hand at all times. A can of Kiwi and they still look great. Guaranteed I'll keep em' another 13 years. Best boots on the planet. I also wish they were still made eclusively in Italy.

I have used Vasque Sundowner boots for twenty years, until now. My last pair was not holding up well. The front of the leather seemed very weak and was excessively frayed by a week in the White Mountains. The leather was cracking in a lot of places. The bad feature was that after a hike in a local park one day, I noticed a crack in the sole, about 1 or 2 inches long, that went clear through. I had had the boots for only a little over a year then, and returned them. The replacement pair came with some cracks in the leather, so I returned them also. This is a very comfortable boot, and I am sorry that I had to switch to another manufacturer.

Simply put: I LOVE THIS BOOT!!!! It is the most comfortable footware for hiking that I have ever worn. It's warm in the winter, cool in the summer, fits well over the thickest socks, and is straight up all around excellent.

My only regret is that they seem to have discontinued it in my size, men's 9.5 narrow. I would buy a pair right now since both pairs I have are worn out.

I highly recommend this product.

i've had these boots for five years now and have no complaints. While they do take some time to break in, once that is done i don't think there is a better pair of boots on the market. As marketed they are completely water proof and stand up to the harshest of weather. They are a heavy boot so if hiking during spring/summer probably not the bet boot, but i haven't needed to look around for a new boot in a while and don't plan on it any time soon.

This is my second pair of sundowners. the first pair was Italian, but i can't tell a difference. i love them and will have lots of good times with my new boots

In the late '80s, I wore a pair of flip flops and Vasque Sundowner Boots on a one-year sojourn around the globe, that included treks in the Himalayas, a climb of Kilmanjaro, slogs through Rwandan rain forests, and countless trudges between train station and dive hotels. These boots are not heavy-duty backpackers, and they aren't crampon compatible. But they are sturdy enough for lugging a 25kg pack for a week or so. But the cool thing about this boots is how comfortable they are on a long bus ride. Eventually I wore my first pair out. So I bought a new pair for a recent trip to Washington DC in December, because I didn't have a decent pair of walking shoes that would stand up to miles of museum hallways and still look good enough (get the maroon ones) for an evening out. My new pair didn't disappoint. Perfectly comfortable, right out of the box. For light backpacking, or cold urban streets, Vasque Sundowners are as good as it gets.

I out grew my first pair. Love the boot! They take a while to break in but it's worth it. They provide great ankle support and seem to mold to your feet. I have a narrow foot and it fits great. I prefer to use a mid weight sock and wear my normal street shoe size. They're a little heavy but handle the most rugged terrain/wear without getting damaged.

I used the Sundowner for years in Eastern Europe, slogging through everything from deep mud to wet, rutted city streets. The comfort is remarkable and the Gore-Tex performs as expected. It even looks decent, in a pinch! Classic bulletproof boot.

I've been wanting to get these boots for several years now, and my girlfriend bought them for me as a gift. I was very excited, but once putting them quite disappointed that they were definately not as comfortable as I expected. My main issue is the ankle support which does not seem that it has enough cushion and leaves my ankles extremely sore after wearing. Initially I thought it was just a matter of breaking them in, but I've worn them now coming on about 3 months and they still are not as comfortable as my last pair of boots which are HHBrowns.

I recently purchased new Sundowner GTX Boots. My last pair lasted from January '94 until December '06. My first pair had been in many a foreign land and seen many a mile. The new pair, much to my dismay, were made in China, rather than Italy. So far, they seem as good as my last pair, but only time will tell.

I bought mine in 1983 and now after numerous trips to Colorado they are still going strong. Could not believe how they felt right out of the box, wore them on a 7 day backpacking trip along the Colorado trail...keep up the good work

I am very impressed with the quality. The wide size very ample for my foot. One I made sure the boot was laced tight the fatigue on my foot went away. From the moment I got them they were beautiful and my foot slipped right into them like a glove. Great review I read, spent lots of time looking, felt that I made a great decision.