On Peru and Proper Hiking Boots

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My brother just got back from a trip to Peru, here’s an email he sent about his hiking boots:

Dear Vasque,
I absolutely hate hiking. I don’t like walking when bikes or cars can do the job better and rarely see the value in walking up a hill or through the dirt.
I also hate hiking boots. I find them big and clunky and brown and boring.
For these reasons, when my girlfriend booked us to walk the four-day Lares Trail to Machupichu, I was extremely apprehensive. I considered Faking the flu or Ebola to get out of it. And once I realized I was locked in, considered hiking it in flip flops, in Tom’s, in Walmart boots, and, finally, in the cheapest boots REI had.
After chatting with a million hikers and a dozen poor salespeople at REI, I was convinced to break the $150 limit and get a pair of Vasque Ultradry’s.
The hike ended up as terrible as expected. We walked past llamas and alpacas, through rivers and mud and quicksand and over rocks and llama poop and sometimes it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and sometimes it was 40.
We woke up at 5:00 each day, had zero wifi access, had no house to hide in when it rained and no heaters in the tents at night.
One day we past 1,500 feet in altitude and I got such a bad headache, I considered cutting my own head off. Another day, I had such bad diarrhea, I considered hiking at the end of the pack without pants.
Through all of this, however, my feet felt absolutely perfect! They were never too hot not too cold. I confidently stomped in the streams and on the llama poop. I was the only hiker to escape without a single blister. I never slipped on set rocks and never once regretted my purchase.
I absolutely love these boots and will tolerate hiking now just to bring that joy back to my proud little feet.
I am a Vasque owner for life and want to commend you on an excellent product. You provide happy feet when every other part of life is negative.
Hats off to you friends!

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