Vasque Juxt Men’s Review

Analysis and Test Results

Vasque are a long-established US company, and their Juxt hiking shoes are understandably popular – even the US military uses them. They are comfortable, tough, breathable and reasonably priced. However, they have no waterproof membrane to speak of, so, if you get caught in the rain, your feet will get wet quickly. As such, whilst these are a great choice if you hike, say, in the desert, there are better options out there if you live somewhere with a more wet climate. None the less, within their niche, the Vasque Juxt ticks a lot of the right boxes and this makes them well worth considering if you hike in conditions appropriate for these shoes.

Performance Comparison

Traction

The Vasque Juxt features a Vibram sole with a deep thread pattern. This gives excellent traction – provided you’re hiking in dry conditions, that is! The Vibram sole will lose traction on wet grass, mud and (of course!) ice. However, for desert hiking and running these soles fit the bill perfectly and allow you to keep a sure footing over the terrain.

Breathability

Whilst not as absolutely well ventilated as some other options, the Vasque Juxt still have vented sections in their upper allowing for good breathability. These shoes are really at home in warm, dry places, so that breathability is important. Remember that your choice of socks can also have a big impact on how warm or sweaty your feet get on a hike and naturally moisture wicking materials like Merino Wool are a good choice when hiking in the heat.

Ankle Support

The Vasque Juxt are low top shoes, so they don’t offer any direct ankle support. For many hikers and trail runners, the trade-off between the ankle support offered by boots and the lighter weight and greater foot mobility offered by shoes is more than acceptable.

Arch Support

The Vasque Juxt offers fairly neutral arch support – in line with what most other brands offer. For most, this will be absolutely fine, but, if you need additional arch support, remember that the insoles in these shoes can easily be swapped out for something that’s more heavily shaped.

Fit

The Vasque Juxt is available in a wide range of sizes – from US 7/UK 6/EU 39 to US 15/UK 14/EU 49 – and is offered in both standard and wide fit. It’s generally regarded as fitting true to size.

Materials

The upper section of the Vasque Juxt is made from thick suede leather (Vasque claim the suede is between 1.8mm and 2mm thick) with a few panels of synthetic material. Whilst synthetic materials are becoming more popular in hiking shoes – and certainly so in those that target the lightweight end of the market – leather is still regarded by many as a more durable option, and we think the leather upper will be a big factor in many people’s purchase decision.

Appearance

The Vasque Juxt is a modern looking hiking shoe. It’s available in three color options – full black and two earthy, neutral options. The upper section is largely suede leather and Vasque contrast the texture of this with panels of synthetic material. These shoes have a fairly restrained look – they certainly are not as style-focused as some of the other shoes we’ve assessed, and this may be either a good or a bad thing depending on your preferences.

Durability

Vasque have a reputation for rugged build quality, and this is certainly true of the Juxt hiking shoe. These shoes are made from thick suede leather and coupled with the chunky sole and rubber rand on the toe, they are built to withstand some abuse. We certainly don’t see any major reason why these shoes shouldn’t last a long time indeed. One possible weak point is the wide stitching used on some panels of the shoe – this appears to have been a styling choice and these stitches could, in theory get snagged and rip if you spend a lot of time scrambling over rocks. It wasn’t an issue for us, but certainly something to be aware of.

Sustainability

Like most outdoor brands, Vasque is making a push towards sustainability and the brand is on the record about integrating materials made from recycled plastic and natural byproducts into its range. However, there’s no specific information published on the sustainability credentials of each shoe in their range, so we have no way of knowing how much recycled material, if any is incorporated into these shoes.

Water Resistance

This is one area where the Vasque Juxt comes up very poorly. These shoes have no integrated waterproof membrane. Competitors integrate material like Gore-Tex or their own in-house alternative (for example, the North Face has Futurelight) that allows their shoes to resist water whilst still being breathable. The upshot of this is that if you get caught in all but the lightest rain in the Juxts, your feet are likely to get wet. We see the Juxts as being intended for hiking in hot and dry places and, in this regard, they are great. However, if you live somewhere with a more changeable climate, this lack of waterproofing is a serious negative mark against these shoes and would be enough to put us off buying a pair for ourselves.

Weight

The Vasque Juxt weigh in at 822g/ 1lb 13oz for a pair. We have assessed some substantially lighter shoes in our round up – including some much lighter shoes that also incorporate a waterproof membrane – but one key difference with these lighter shoes is that they are all fully synthetic. The Juxts have a suede leather upper section. Whilst the use of leather certainly contributes to the weight of the Juxts, many still consider leather to be a harder-wearing, more durable material and will be more than happy to make the trade-off. If you are absolutely set on getting a pair of leather shoes, the Juxts are actually relatively light.

Insoles

The Vasque Juxt comes with a pair of cushioned insoles. These are not very remarkable, but for most buyers, they’ll also be absolutely fine. Changing out the insole is a great way to fine tune the fit and comfort of your shoes. So, if you are between sizes or need extra cushioning or arch support, swapping out the insole either for an off the shelf alternative, or having a pair custom made by a foot specialist, can make an enormous difference.

Break-in Period

The Vasque Juxt is comfortable straight out of the box and indeed this is one of the things you’ll hear over and over about them if you do any sort of research on them. Now, we don’t think that any shoes are totally without a breaking in period and it’s always wise to wear new shoe son a few shorter walks before wearing them out on a long hike or run. However, the Juxts are a world away from the heavy hiking boots that needed days of breaking in that were still a common sight up until just a few years ago.

Lacing System

The Vasque Juxt uses regular laces. Laces are actually a very versatile way of adjusting the fit of your shoes and the Juxt has lace eyelets that run close to the toe allowing even more adjustment than most of the other shoes we’ve assessed. If you find you get pain or pressure points on your feet during hikes, changing the way your laces are tensioned – or even changing the lacing pattern entirely – is a great place to start in terms of adjusting your shoes.

Toe Protection

The Vasque Juxt had a rubberized section, or rand, around the toe section and the sole also extends up at the front to form a small toe cap. These shoes won’t give you the same level of toe protection you would expect to find on more heavy-weight mountaineering boots, but, the combo of the thick leather upper, rand and toe cap do provide a good level of protection and certainly soak up some of the bumps and knocks you’ll experience if you kick into a rock or trip up on the trail.

Conclusion

The Vasque Juxt has a lot going for it: it’s tough, breathable and very light weight for a leather shoe. All of these things make them an appealing choice, but there is one big qualification here that stops us from whole-heartedly recommending them: they lack waterproofing. To us, this limits their usability. If you live and hike somewhere that’s largely warm and dry, then these shoes are an excellent choice, but if you don’t, then we think an alternative hiking shoe that integrates a waterproof membrane of some sort would make much more sense to the majority of hikers. The Juxt is an excellent shoe, but it is not an all-rounder. For many potential buyers, the lack of waterproofing will be a non-issue, but having experience the misery of a long hike with wet feet several times, we can’t recommend these for those who live in more varied climates.