The Gear You Need: Mountain Trekking in Peru

Peruvian Pachamanca Photo Gallery

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The Hiking Shoe: Five Ten Camp Four
These shoes gloriously defy the standard rule of breaking 'em in before going on your trip. The first time I wore them—other than to check that they were the right size—was the first day of the hike. Not only did they fit perfectly over the next five days, with nary a hit of a blister, bulge, or sore spot, the shoes performed, clinging to the varied terrain (rocks, dusty trails, grass, roots, water, and ancient Mayan stone structure) as if I'd lined my feet with the business side of duct tape. Much of that can be attributed to Five Ten's proprietary Stealth sole, a sticky rubber that clings to surfaces the way you'd expect from a company that made its rep manufacturing climbing shoes. Other hiking-specific design elements include soft-to-the-touch nubuck leather uppers, a hard rubber toe, a bulky external rubber heel cage for added stability, and near-to-toe lacing for a tight fit—all nice details, to be certain. But the mere fact that I took 'em out of the box, tossed them on my feet, and hiked for five hours by midday, up to elevation that exceeded 15,000 feet, while weathering a debilitating stomach virus—and never once thought about the shoes on my feet...well, that inspires a definite affinity for the Camp Four.
$115, fiveten.com

The Casual Shoe: Blundstone 500
That said, as most trekkers agree, nothing beats taking off those hiking shoes at the end of a long day. The second-best feeling? Slipping my feet back into the Blundstone 500s. This Aussie-originated shoe company has been making their trademark boots since 1870, and they still get it right. Supple, waterproof leather outers; a removable, shaped, and contoured footbed; a polyurethane sole with solid grip; and a classic look all adds up to shoewear simplicity whether you're post trail, stomping the cobblestones of Cuzco, or fighting the crowds in Lima. Easy on-and-off also makes the 500s an absolute dream for airport security lines.
$140, blundstone.com