Asolo boots

“Hey, all. I own three pairs of Asolo "Geo" trail shoes--I liked the first pair and bought the others on sale as eventual replacements. My two oldest pairs squeak when I walk; the sound comes from the insides of the heels and I suspect that there's some Nike-esque air deal in there that's ruptured. I was looking at BP boots today and tried on some Asolo Fugitives (lame name, comfy boot) and I was wondering if the boots have the same air deals that the Geo shoes do. I don't want to squeak over hill and dale. Are there many Asolo boot owners out there, and do your boots squeak?”

“check for mice”

“I have two pairs of asolo trail shoes and neither of mine squeak. Maybe you just wore them out. Mine don't have vibram soles or anything like that. I don't think they'd last as long as some boots; they're more like a trail runner. Probably good for about 600 miles, tops.”

“[b]hey brother, is your 1st name fred?”

“no her name is Sass”

“how do U know its not fred?”

“Cause Sass is a mommy.
last edited: 3/15/05 5:19:46 PM”

“ok peeps, i am ditching my beloved vasque boots. they are falling apart and i am so upset with vasque that i am not even returning them to rei because then i would be taking it out on rei... i am returning them to vasque for a warranty exchange and -then- i am returning them to rei so rei will have a new pair of boots to put on the shelf again... minimize the impact to rei basically.

so where do i go now. i am thinking asolo:

Asolo Power Matic 200
Asolo TPS 520

-or-

Asolo FSN 95 GTX (not sure about a boot this light nor the suede upper).

any comments on asolo boots?

for the record the customer support at vasque was excellent and for all i know the new boots i get back will address the defects in the boots i sent in. i loved my vasque boots so much i am tempted to try the new pair again and see if my experience was unique to me... except that when i went to rei the other day the pair of boots on the shelf was falling apart (brand new!) in the same place... the vibram sole separating from the upper. awful! the sundowner used to be the BEST...”

“I am very happy with my asolo boots.”

“Well this is good to know. My Merrills finally gave way after, ummmmm 7 years I think. I was on the PCT this weekend as you all know and the front sole of the boot folded under my foot. I knew it was going to happen, just not so soon.

So I'll be looking for any help in this respect. Tips? I don't like women's generally because they are narrow, but I'm only a 7 1/2 so I probably don't have a choice anymore. I like my toes to have wriggle room on the sides. Don't know if it's a boot issue, but I am worried about my knees. YES, I know I need to learn to use trekking poles.”

“I wear Asolos as my main pair of boots.

I have the FSN 70 GTX, which I purchased and have worn this year. And decided I wanted to go back to a heavier boot. My original Asolos, worn forever, were something that began with "S" (can't remember).

Now I've gotten the Rusher GTX, but haven't had them out to really try them -- just wearing around the house I **seemed** to like the feel better than the FSN 70. See, I purchase boots on sale through Sierra Trading Post. So I've worn the new boots around my place, but not hiking yet.

As far as Asolos, if you get a good fit, odds are -- unless your feet are narrow -- the toe box is tight on the sides. So now I'm trying a half size larger and putting on an extra pair of socks (either liner or larger) to see how that works. Who knows?? Maybe I'll find I like them fine without extra socks. (My feet appear to be flattening some and getting wider as I get older -- prolly aging + more weight, which I need to lose!)”

“these are the boots I have and they have over 1500 miles on them in two years and they're still working for me. I take them on my most rugged hikes, use them in the winter, scramble with them and they work well with crampons. I love them! They're expensive, but they hold up well and most boots wear out with in a year and I've gotten two plus out, so I feel they have saved me money in the long run. They work well for heavy backpacking, even though they're rated light backpacking / dayhiking boot.

Asolo Fugitive GTX Hiking Boots - Men's


last edited: 2/02/07 11:59:10 AM”

“I hate working in a new pair! I will miss my Merrills, soooo comfy.”

“I tried Asolo's but they didn't work for me. If you have a wide foot they might not fit well. Asolo boots tend to have a narrower foot box than Merril or some others. Once my feet started to swell it was torture.

But I liked the boot itself and hear they are well made.

I also tried Vasque and found them to be inferior.”

“I have the 525's. My feet are so narrow, REI fit me with the women's model.”

“how fitting.....



(j/k - couldn't pass it up)”

“I own a pair of the Asolo FSN 95 GTX.

Broke them in on Isle Royale last August with no issues what so ever.

Beautiful boot. Well-made, comfortable and takes copious amounts of abuse.

Two trekking poles up.”

“thanks earthnsky, i'll make sure to try on the Asolo Fugitive... that looks like a better choice than the three i basically pulled up at random.

The Asolo TPS 535 also caught my eye today.”

“this is my 2nd pair of these Asolo. Fit great and can be worn right away. No need to break them in. http://www.rei.com/product/667406

”

“... suede... i just don't know about that. they have to be a beotch to clean and waterproof/care for aren't they. i have never had suede backpacking boots before.”

“I haven't had any problems with them at all. Easy to clean (when I do) and waterproof already. Never had to apply any waterproofing to them.”

“Second Ewker.

These are great boots, Jimmy. Unless there is something weird with your feet for some reason, these are the boots for you.”

“then i'll prolly give them a spin. when my vasque boots get here i'll take them (new) back to REI for a return and get the asolo FSN 95.”

“I got some Asolo boots this last fall and couldn't be happier.

They are all brown above the sole, cost was $225 and worth EVERY penny. There were no cheaper ones in the store.

I wore these things the very next day after purchasing on a 12 hour mountain hike, much of it on steep off trail duty and through boulder fields. No problems whatsoever and no pain then or ever since.

I had purchased a cheaper boot a few weeks prior which was reputed to be capable of the same duty but the glue began failing the first day so they went back. I still have a lump on my ankle from them 5 months later.

The Asolos didn't need waterproofing when new, and I just apply some conditioner once in awhile.

These are so nice that at the end of the day I'm happy to just keep wearing them they feel so good.

I'll never buy cheap boots again. I have learned my lesson on cheap boots and hiking in sneakers.

I've had foot problems for years and a year ago I thought I might be going to need crutches because of my feet. I can say that my feet are great right now and it's because I'm using top quality footwear.

Find a good store with a knowlegable footwear fitter and stay away from the bargains. I'd rather pay cash than pay by destroying my feet.

Can you tell I'm pretty excitable on this topic?”

“Jimmy San I think you remember the ordeal I had with my Chinese made Vasque Alpine GTX a few months back. They replaced them with a new Pair and so far so good. I'll be snowshoeing in them 2 weeks from now in Colorado and climbing Mt. Elbert with them in April. If they fail I'll write off Vasque for good. I just bought a pair of Romanian made ASOLO Verticle GTX two weeks ago. So far I think they will make good summer boots. They do run small and narrow though. I ordered 1 size larger and got lucky. I get those new boots fitted to be sure of a fit. I think ASOLO generally runs small and narrow.”

“Hey Jimmy San.

I own the 95 GTX's as well....and am on my second pair as is Ewker. I get quite a bit of mileage out of them, (actually still using both pair) but tread eventually wears down.

As far as the suede goes....after having a pair for a long while (i.e. DWR non-existent) I noticed on a Smokies hike that although the inside was of course still gore-tex waterproof, that the outside would get wet and then it promptly froze that night to make sure that my feet stayed nice and chilled, but that being said the boots were a couple of years old by then and the problem could have easily been solved by reapplying 3M or some other DWR.

But as far as comfort they are only second to tennis shoes and quite lightweight.

TN Prime has some ASOLO boots (a different model); you might want to check in with him as well as I know that he likes his as well.”

“Those boots look great Ewker, I don't suppose they come in a woman's? I like men's boots better because they have toe space, but I only wear a 7 1/2 woman' size so I am fairly limited.”

“yeah, the FSN 95 GTX seems like a good match... 10 oz lighter than my current boot or the other ones i was looking at. of course i'll try a pair on and give them a run on the slant board before i buy them but i think this is my next move. i loved my vasque boots so much and i am 1/2 tempted to give the next pair another spin as mr bateauxdriver did.

the leather saturating with water... any leather boot needs to be cleaned and treated on a regular basis, at least I always have. sno-seal works well and there are numerous other products (sno-seal is made from bees-wax). the boots look great when you are done too. i just don't know how this stuff works with suede. i don't want to get a leather boot that can't be treated so i'll look into this.”

“I went up to Desolation Wilderness Lake Aloha this last Sept. One of my long term hiking buddies wore his 8 year old Asolo's, not sure which model after this length of time. On the way in, the heels began to come off the bottom of the boots. We were lucky to make it to camp, where he could change to his light weight camp shoes. Please note that he had not used these boots very often in 8 years, maybe a couple of hundred miles max.

On the way out, the soles and heels finally completely came apart, held out for as long as possible with duct tape. When he contacted Asolo about this, they told him that this was common to "new age" materials, and no new style boots should be expected to last more than about 8 or 9 years. They at least offered him a discount, this one time, on a new pair (Asolos, of course).

Caveat Emptor... find out what kind of materials are being use, and if any way to know, what is the expectation, solely (pun intended) of longevity.

I just went shopping to replace my older Timberlines, which were not fitting well anymore. I did finally settle on Asolo's PowerMatic 400, due to the extremely comfortable fit, and figured that they may be a better midsole than the one's he had, but also they were by far the most comfy boots REI had at this time for my feet. I hope to get LOTS more backpacking in over the next few years, so if they do come apart in another 8 years, will be ready to replace anyway. Nice to at least walk into as important a purchase with eyes wide open.

Davey”

“These boots got the "acid test" last week in the Grand Canyon. Rough conditions and lots of water hiking down Clear Creek. Some comments.

1. These boots are only as "waterproof" as the DWR coating. I reapplied the coating before I left but by the end of the first day of hiking the suede had soaked through. I would not call them "waterproof". They are "water resistant" and then only as long as the DWR coating holds up. Beats me what good the Gore-Tex was. Probably worthless or a hindrance to the boots performance.

2. The fit was tight out of the box but the boots opened up quickly. I doubted the fit in the store but once they stretched out they fit well. If you shop for these boots know that they will fit tight in the store and will loosen up as you break them in. They almost feel like the boot is too narrow for your foot... but like I said, they open up quickly.

3. The boots are not "break in free". They are way too tight out of the box and if you go on a long hike before they break in your feet will swell up and you could have problems. I walked with mine around the town for a good three weeks before I took them on the trail. I think these boots stretched out more than any other pair of boots I have ever worn, probably a property of the suede upper.

4. On the trail there were zero problems. No blisters, hot spots, etc... and this was VERY rugged hiking, some scrambling, boulder hopping, etc, etc. Basically the boots did it all well. The sole are grippy and held well to highly angled surfaces.

5. I question the durability of the nylon straps used to hold the laces. I guess time will tell.

6. I take meticious care of my boots but suede is a new material for me. The boots cleaned off very well and once soaked with water accepted a new DWR treatment easily. They now look "like new" but broken in.

7. The CMI instep crapons fit the bottom of the boot very nicely.

Overall I am pleased, far more so than I was with my Vasque boots that fell apart.
last edited: 3/14/07 1:54:29 PM”

“Hey, check your gmail account.

Also, check the Mammoth Cave Friday Thread for an update.”

“Jimmy san

I put about 200 trail miles on a new pair of Asolo 520 GTX boots (heavy, all-leather with vibram soles) since last mid-Summer, of which about 80 miles was with a 35-40 pound pack. I love them. No break in period at all and no blisters worth mentioning. Full disclosure: I have never tried light boots, so I can't compare. The Asolos replaced boots that I had for ages and after my first hike I never had a regret.”

“my old boots were broke. i had to break my new asolos in this past weekend. ouch. two blisters, one on each heel.”

“I've had a pair of the Asolo Fugitives for two years and love them.

But I would like to add one caveat; on wet rocks and stones, the soles are the slickest I've ever owned.”

“I have a pair of Asolo boots I bought last fall.
They're the brown leathery looking things that cost $225+/-. I can't remember the model.
I wore them the day after I bought them on a 12 hour hike, much of it off trail, much of it very steep, a bunch of it in a boulder field, and took water in from over the tops.
No sore spots and no pain at all.
I've worn them in lots of snow and slush. I don't expect them to be waders and I wear Smartwool Expedition Trekking socks so being soaked in and out doesn't create problems.
Nothing but good reviews here on this boot.
My feet are hard to get a fit for but these work well anyway. I want to wear them all the time they're so nice.

Maybe people will hate me for saying this but I read a book on lightweight backpacking where the guy says all you need is tennie runners and light socks and he has a picture of his tennies all taped with duct tape. I think that's more bad lightweight backpacking information and I've made that determination from experience. Seems like I'm always taping the feet of the lightweight backpackers. With my tape too because they can't have light packs if they bring any.

I say get the best boots!”

“...like I said, the boots stretch a LOT after you wear them about a week. That makes sense given the suede construction. Overall I am very pleased. I have had a few people that told me they did not purchase these boots because their feet were too wide for the boot... so I wanted to point out that if you think the boot is too narrow you might just want to give it a few weeks because they get a lot wider as they stretch out. I was amazed, but that's probably all part of the suede construction. I expect I'll get a lot of good service from them.”

“i got no stinkin mail from you mr knee... :<”

“JS, I haven't had any problems with water soaking through the boot at all. I have waded creeks, walked in trails that looked like creeks and in rain. I make sure I wear these boots if there is any chance of rain so my feet won't get wet. I haven't applied any coating on them either.

For me there was no break-in period. I bought them and was on a hike that weekend.

No problems with the nylon straps for the laces either.

I clean my boots by knocking the bottoms together to get rid of any mud or dirt. I don't do anything else to them.

This is my 2nd pair of these boots and I won't buy any other brand unless they quit making this style.

To me they are one of the best boots out there.”

“how come there's blood in one of my huge heel blisters today?”

“so far i am very pleased. your recommendation was one reason i bought them ewker.”

“wooohooo someone listened to me about something...lol”

“Don't worry bout it. Most od the new info I wanted you to see was posted on the Mammoth trip page.”

“i'm trying to figure out how old my merrells are because i plan to have them resoled again. i had to turn those asolos in; after four months of wearing them they never did break in. they gave me so many quarter and silver dollar sized blisters that my heels are scarred. i guess these old boots are around 11 years old now. i wish i knew what model they were, sure are comfy and were right out of the box too. leather uppers are still in pretty good shape.”

“I was never a fan of Asolos. I have a pair that I keep for light trail walking (usually dog walks) but nothing more than 2 miles or I start to get blisters. M”

“Good morning! :) You still up?! Heh heh. Hey, you know I have that exact pair of Asolo boots.”

“The ones that give you blisters? LOL”

“do they give you blisters? i thought they were horrid! i have never ever found a comfortable pair of boots since this pair that i wear now. i bought erin a pair and i borrowed hers for a time and i didn't like them either; too narrow. my old merrells are the best.”

“I still love my Montrail Torres. They are VERY narrow (Asolos), even the wide pairs.”

“Yeah, honestly, they are not the most comfortable boots I have owned... among the most uncomfortable actually. Never went to the point of blisters, but they seem to require a VERY long break-in. Needless to say they pretty much just take up closet space. I'm not a fan.”

“Different boots for different feet I guess. I've been very happy with my tps 520's over the past 5 years.”