Vivo Barefoot Magna Forest Esc hiking boots

I am a member of the Come Hike and Cape Peninsula Ramblers hiking groups, as well as participating in the 24in 2024 Peak Challenge. I love my Vivo Barefoot Magna Forest Esc L Bracken Lime Leather hiking boots. I love the way they look. I love the way they perform, and I love their Michelin grip. My shoes have carried me in comfort and style on multiday hikes like the Tsitsikama trail in Nature’s Valley, and many rugged day hikes around Table Mountain, Silvermine and Cape Point, Cape Town. There is, however, a design defect, which radically shortens the life of this tough wearing expensive boot. The sole is stitched to the boot. The stitches are on the outside of the boot where they are exposed to rugged terrain. This is a design defect. A hiking boot is built for hard wearing mountain climbing. These conditions are not suitable for exposed thread. Within 2 months the stitches began to erode, causing the sole to come away from the boot. While the sole may be glued on to the boot, the stitches hold the sides of the sole to the boot. Without the stitches, the sole separates from the boot, creating a gap where little sticks, stones and sand collect, making the gap wider. When walking in wet conditions, water seeps into the gap and compromises the water-resistant quality. Also, this semi-loose sole could prove to be a tripping hazard. Please can you address the design defect in my boots. I tried to address this in person at the Vivo Barefoot Cavendish, Cape Town branch. The response was hostile and unpleasant. Without looking at the purchase date on my slip, I was told I was not within the 6 months warranty period. My slip proves otherwise. The assistant was defensive, and her parting remark was ‘Well, every shoe has it’s flaw’. This is an unfortunate comment to make while working for a high-end, performance and lifestyle shoe brand. Looking forward to your response. With kind regards, Heather