I just bought my 2nd pair of Vasques. I had a nylon/suede model in high school and I wore them out fast. My Timberland boots finally died this summer after five years of hard use and I found my new Vasque Cortinas on sale for half price! I love them. They are totally comfortable with virtually no breaking in required. They have great ankle support, and the Pegasus tongue combined with the Gore-tex will undoubtedly keep my feet nice and dry. We like to backpack in back country Ontario, go day hiking and car camping and I plan to have these boots around for a long time. You can't buy "Cortina's" anymore but the rep I talked to said they are virtually the same boot as the Sundowner. It's nice to buy from a company that is dedicated to their product, since hiking shoes/boots is all that Vasque makes. They're worth the extra cash--but I'm thrilled at finding mine for 1/2 price ($150.00 CDN)! Happy Hiking, eh!