I don't normally do reviews

By Reece Price Ranked #655 - Men's Hiking Boots October 18, 2009

I never do reviews but since I depend on them for my online purchases, I figured it was time to give back to the online community. I’m picky about my foot comfort. I moved from running to hiking because of my age, 63. I’ve learned with some dismay that your feet grow as you age. I wore a 12 as a young adult and a 13 as a mature adult. My first hiking boots were Timberline size 13 but I suffered from black toenails. I felt like I needed a larger size but 13 was the limit at sporting goods stores. I did some research and visited an REI store to try on some real boots for a change. Everything pointed to a 14. I liked the Vasque Breeze GTX the best but it just seemed like too much boot for my use. I hike mainly in the Chihuahuan Desert of the Big Bend area, usually 2-3 days with a 35 lb. pack. I looked at REI online and found the Vasque Breeze LT GTX. It’s a little lower on the ankle and a little lighter so I decided to give it a try. I bought them online and had them delivered to the local store for a tryout so I could return them right there. This morning was my first break-in hike. I did the five-mile loop around Allen Parkway in Houston and my feet felt so good at the end, I kept walking for another hour. The size 14 was a little big across the instep so I just added a Dr. Scholl’s Sport Gel insole on top of the original and it laced up nice and snug. The roominess of the toe box is wonderful. It’s almost euphoric to traipse straight down a hill without banging my toes. I’m looking forward to the breath-ability of the Gore-Tex, much better in the desert than all leather boots.

View Details: Vasque Breeze Lite GTX Hiking Boot - Men's

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