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This afternoon, Red Wing Shoe Company sent out a press release announcing that its popular subsidiary shoe and boot brand, Vasque, would cease operations. “We have…made the difficult decision to sunset the Vasque brand and our outdoor business as we know it today,” said Red Wing in a statement. “In the end, we do not believe that there is a viable path forward.”
Vasque boots have been around since 1964 and regularly graced the pages of Backpacker magazine’s gear guides, earning several coveted editor’s choice awards. The Breeze, in particular, which has existed in several lines and iterations, often led our lists for its out-of-the-box comfort and breathability. The Satoru Moc quickly became a cult-favorite camp shoe after its release in 2021. Vasque’s Re:Connect Here Mid is currently at the top of Backpacker’s hiking boots rankings, earning its spot after a long season of testing through the summer of 2024.
“This market has changed dramatically, particularly over the last several years. What consumers seek and how they want to both shop and buy has changed dramatically,” explained representatives from Red Wing. “These changes have forced us to re-evaluate our business proposition and opportunity.”
The announcement marks the end of a turbulent period for Vasque’s business. In 2020, Red Wing named Bryce Wernsman president of the brand, and in subsequent years, Vasque embarked on an attempt to simplify its inventory and boost sales. In 2022, Wernsman told Footwear News that Vasque planned to slash the number of models it offered by 60 percent, saying that the company was “extending equity on really good products to try to sell new products that just weren’t really hitting.” The brand, however, never truly pulled out of that slump. In 2023, Vasque told The Daily that while it was still growing its distribution network, its sales were down as retailers worked to move the inventory they already had.