[Red Wing, MN, March 5, 2024] – Vasque Footwear, with nearly 60 years of experience delivering functional, durable footwear to millions of outdoor enthusiasts, is excited to announce the availability of the highly anticipated 2024 St. Elias Hiking Boot. Designed to meet the demands of both seasoned adventurers and novice hikers, the St. Elias combines decades of expertise with modern technologies to deliver unparalleled comfort, traction, and support on the trails.
For over ten years, the St. Elias has been a trusted companion for hiking, backpacking, and outdoor living. Built on Vasque’s rich legacy in backpacking, dating back to 1964, this performance boot is a testament to durability and reliability in the wilderness. Since its inception, the St. Elias has been engineered to enhance the outdoor experiences of veteran trailblazers and newcomers alike.
President of Vasque, Bryce Wernsman, reflects on the legacy of the St. Elias, “The St. Elias has been a trusted companion for outdoor enthusiasts for over a decade, and with our all-new 2024 version, we’re proud to deliver consumers an increase in comfort, performance, and durability while reducing weight and break-in time. This new iteration embodies the perfect balance of our rich heritage and cutting-edge technology, that both legacy and new consumers are sure to love.”
The St. Elias sets a new standard for comfort from the moment you lace them up. Constructed with premium full-grain leather, these boots offer easier break-in while providing exceptional foot comfort on both short jaunts and long excursions. The midsole and outsole systems are designed to offer athletic flexibility and cushioning, ensuring a comfortable ride on any terrain.
Updates to the 2024 St. Elias:
- Materials and Sustainability / The 2024 St. Elias boot utilizes premium and sustainable materials, including 1.8-2.0mm full-grain or nubuck leather, along with bio-based collar and tongue foams, recycled content laces, and recycled content toe box + heel counter. In contrast, the previous version primarily featured a 2.2mm waterproof full-grain leather/Nappa leather collar, without emphasizing sustainability.
- Midsole Composition / The 2024 St. Elias boot features a dual-density high-energy return EVA midsole with 20% sugarcane and a 20% recycled content insole board, providing enhanced energy return and stability. The previous version had A.T.C. midsoles with EVA cushioning pods, which offered athletic flexibility and comfort but without the same focus on sustainability and energy return.
- Outsole Design / The outsole of the 2024 St. Elias boot boasts a Vibram® Megagrip compound within a Vasque-exclusive multi-directional + lug system, ensuring optimal grip and traction on the trail. In contrast, the previous version featured Vibram XSTrek rubber compound outsoles.
- Comfort Technology / The 2024 St. Elias boot includes a 20% bio-content polyurethane footbed for added comfort, highlighting a specific comfort feature that was absent in the previous version. Additionally, the 2024 St. Elias delivers noticeably more comfort from the moment you put them on due to improvements in comfort technology and fit.
These differences highlight the evolution of the St. Elias boot towards sustainability, enhanced comfort, and improved traction while maintaining the brand’s commitment to quality and performance in outdoor footwear.
Director of Product Creation, Amy Peck, adds, “The updated St. Elias represents a significant evolution in both performance and sustainability. We’ve meticulously crafted this new iteration to deliver unmatched comfort, traction, and support, while also prioritizing the use of premium and sustainable materials. While we’ve implemented innovative changes to enhance the boot’s performance and sustainability, we’ve also strategically preserved key elements from the previous design. The durable full-grain leather upper, premium hardware, and substantial outsole, which pay homage to Vasque’s rich heritage, remain unchanged. This strategic continuity ensures that the St. Elias maintains its legendary durability and reliability while incorporating modern innovations for today’s outdoor enthusiasts.”
Rooted in Vasque’s rich heritage dating back to 1964, the St. Elias embodies the essence of Vasque’s world-class hiking and backpacking boots. With a full-grain leather upper, premium hardware, and substantial outsole, the St. Elias pays homage to the brand’s legacy while incorporating modern innovations for today’s outdoor enthusiasts. The 2024 St. Elias hiking boot from Vasque is set to redefine outdoor footwear, offering unmatched comfort, traction, and support for your next adventure. It will be available at retailers and Vasque.com in April 2024.
For more information, visit Vasque.com or your nearest authorized retailer.
About Vasque:
Vasque Footwear has delivered functional, durable footwear to millions of outdoor enthusiasts since 1964. We believe that you don’t have to go far to change your perspective. By simply stepping outside we can change how we feel on the inside. When we disconnect, we reconnect. Vasque Footwear – Trail Footwear Since 1964. Visit us at Vasque.com
