I have used my Asolo FSN 95 boots, which I purchased in December of 2004, in a very wide range of conditions. These have become my preferred three-season hiking footwear (unless, as noted in the introduction, I'm going to be in exceedingly demanding terrain). I have even used them in winter when snowshoeing, on milder days. The lowest temperature at which I'm comfortable wearing the Asolos is around 20 F (7 C), and I've worn them up to about 85 F (29 C). This pair has been used almost entirely in mountainous terrain, on outings between 500 ft (152 m) and 5000 ft (1520 m), in the Catskills and Adirondacks. I estimate that this pair has seen somewhere in excess of 75 days of hiking and backpacking, in rain, snow and shine, both on-trail and off.
When I first saw these boots, I had serious doubts about their durability. They didn't look particularly sturdy to me. They have many panels of various materials (including a rubberized toe), all of which have double lines of stitching, the better to let water in, or so I thought then. In use, though, they have proved to be fairly dry, despite the fact that I've not ever waterproofed them. (I am fanatic about waterproofing my leather boots, but a bit lackadaisical where cloth/leather composites are concerned.) Unfortunately, when these boots do wet out, in wet brush for example, they can be very slow to dry. This is probably due to the Gore-Tex linings, which prevent air reaching the inners, keeping the leather wet longer. As a consequence, I've had occasional boot odor problems, which I have addressed by soaking the interior with an enzyme solution (Mirazyme) when they have become too stinky to tolerate. This maintenance has kept them smelling fairly sweet, most of the time.
The construction of the boot is pretty straightforward. The scree collar is well padded, as is the top of the tongue, which ascends about 1" (2.5 cm) above the rim of the boot. Gussets extend on either side to the rim of the boot, providing good protection when wading shallow streams. The collar and gusset are attached to the Gore-Tex liner by sewing.
The bootlaces pass through a series of five pairs of loops on each boot, three of which are brass and two of which are fabric tape. The latter seem to be strategically placed to control tension at critical flex points. Above this section of lacing there are two pairs of standard brass speed hooks. There's also a central tape on the tongue, sewn through into loops, and it's possible to pass the laces through this to keep the tongue centered, and I in fact I do this, and it works well. The laces are round, and have a tendency to fray at the ends. I have flame-whipped mine by melting the ends and rolling them smooth. The laces hold fairly well using a special knotting that I learned some while ago, but a conventional lacing knot soon comes undone, a common problem with round laces, I've found. My preference is always for flat laces, which I feel hold any knot very much better, and I'd certainly have been happier with these, but what is supplied isn't so bad that I've gone hunting for replacements.
The toe has a textured "rubberized" covering. I have no idea if this is indeed rubber or a plastic, but it helps create a solid toe box. It's quite stiff and abrasion-resistant. There is a contoured rand around the circumference of each boot. On the sides, above this rand, is a panel of a material that looks like nothing so much as heavy cardboard. What this actually is, I don't know. It has a slightly fabric-like appearance, but seems to be impregnated with some kind of flexible resin. Whatever it is made of, it is very strong, and has largely resisted wear. The stitching is starting to fail on the outside panel on each boot, right at the flex point above the toes, a common point for stitch failure on any shoe or boot. There is the beginning of an opening there, although the panel is backed with suede and seems to be glued on as well as stitched, so this failure isn't by any means critical. I have recently glued the opening shut with a rubber cement (Barge). Other than this one problem region, the stitching is in excellent condition on both boots.
Breaking in the new boots was a fast process. I was almost immediately comfortable in them, although I did not take on any longer hikes until I had at least a week's light use, just as a general precaution. I don't believe any boot worthy of the name instantly breaks in. I've not experienced any significant problems with hot spots or blisters at all while wearing these. I usually wear merino wool socks without liners, and I'll often use a pair of heavyweight hiking socks, even in summer, in part to protect the soles of my feet, but also because I find that this improves the overall comfort of the boot. Wearing such socks and custom insoles I've had little trouble with heel slip on long descents. I lace and tie my boots carefully, usually using—at minimum—the so-called "runner's knot" over the speed hooks to keep my heel locked in place. In consequence my toes rarely connect with the interior of the boot, and I mostly avoid the dreaded hiker's "boot bang" i.e. the discomfort that occurs when the toes hit the inside of the boot on descents. Given my foot problems, this is a big plus.
One of the few serious reservations I have regarding this product is the soles. On the positive side of the ledger, they have resisted wear quite well, especially given the level of use. Compared to the soles on a new pair, they are worn down perhaps half-way at this point. They still provide excellent traction on both wet and dry trails, and dry rock. They are even OK on wet rock, up to a point. Ultimately there's no footwear that grips the algae-covered rock of the Catskills terribly well. This pair still appears to have enough tread to see me through this year (2006). They will, if that occurs, have survived two years of hard hiking.
If nothing else on the boot fails, I'd love to have these resoled, assuming that the one stitching problem noted can be fixed, and no others develop in the interim. Unfortunately, because the soles are a proprietary design, there is only one cobbler in the U.S. that Asolo recommends for the job (the firm of Dave Page, in Seattle). Having to ship them out is both expensive and inconvenient, especially when I have a local cobbler who does a grand job on standard Vibram soles in a week or less. When these appear on sale, I have found that it's only slightly more expensive to buy a new pair than to resole the old ones. I do wish Asolo had used a standard Vibram sole, but (to give them their due) what they have used is of pretty good quality.
These boots have Gore-Tex linings. I have very mixed feelings about such linings in boots. On one hand, as I don't usually waterproof them (fabric-suede boots are far harder to get properly waterproofed than a good leather boot), the Gore-Tex does help keep external water away from my feet. Such dampness can contribute to blistering, and since I haven't blistered, the Gore-Tex must be doing a decent job. I rarely see significant evidence of water seeping into the footbed. Still, I'm not at all convinced that the lining breathes (especially after a few months of use has coated the Gore-Tex with dust and mud), and the result is sometimes a slightly sweat-soaked sock. The socks I favor do tend to transport moisture away from the footbed to the ankle, which helps in this regard. Another serious issue with Gore-Tex is the extended boot drying time that it creates. I weighed the various pros and cons, and ultimately I have decided that there's an overall benefit to the Gore-Tex lining, at least for me.
I recently ordered a replacement pair of these boots on sale. I have not not yet worn them, but they appear identical except in color. Sad to say, they are no longer available in 13.5; the sizing now jumps from 13 to 14, though half sizes are available for less than size 12, and Asolo, to their credit, offers both regular and wide widths. Oddly, the size 14 appears identical to the 13.5 when I hold the soles together and align the tread.
A minor annoyance relating to the liners is a small metal tag worded "Gore-Tex" that's affixed to both boots. It's a bit ironic, but hardly surprising, given the exposed location of the label: one of these pulled out, leaving a tiny, neat hole through which water can seep. I feel this is a silly design mistake that should have been avoided. No big deal, but...
Image from side, showing panels, failed stitching and hole
The boots' internal construction provides a good balance between stiffness and flexibility. The soles are stiff enough that I can edge my feet on thin protrusions of rock when scrambling, but they also flex comfortably when walking. They are sufficiently well shanked and padded to provide adequate protection for the soles of my feet when I'm negotiating boulder fields or rocky trails, with which the Catskills in particular are overly well endowed. I've carried loads well over 30 lb (14 kg) on occasion while wearing the Asolos, and the support and protection they provide is fine at such weights, although I can't speak to the boots' effectiveness when backpacking with much higher pack weights (this is, for me, a heavier than usual load). All in all, I've found these to be good all-rounders. While they clearly don't have the lifespan of good leather boots, this is partly offset by the fast break-in and the considerably lighter weight.
Summary
These are good general-purpose hiking and backpacking boots for a wide range of three-season conditions (and they are even occasionally handy in winter). While they are not likely to prove durable enough to be in intensive use for years (at least, not without occasional resoling and some repair) they are, on my feet at least, comfortable. They are also well over two pounds (0.9 kg) lighter than my favorite leather mountain boots, a pair of Scarpa Rios; indeed, one of those boots is about the same weight as the pair of the Asolos. The Gore-Tex lining is generally helpful in keeping my feet dry, although if the boots wet out the results can be unpleasantly malodorous if they are not promptly dried.
