Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Asolo Fusion 95 GTX Boots > Owner Review by Eric Palmer

November17, 2005

Name: Eric Palmer

Age: 25 years old

Gender: Male

Height: 5' 8'' (173 cm)

Weight: 180 lb (82 kg)

Email address: ericj_palmer@yahoo.com

City, state, country: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Backpacking background: I started backpacking when I was seven years old, on family summer vacations to Estes Park, Colorado, which my dad took my brother and me hiking on. Since then I have moved to Colorado and have been hiking hardcore for five years now. I completed a Hikemaster’s Course in the Rocky Mountain National Park and have led numerous groups on hikes, both short and long, dispensing information on the various ecosystems in the area. My backpacking style is mostly ultralight or light.

Manufacturer: Asolo

Model FSN 95 GTX

Made in: Romania

Manufacturer URL: http://www.asolo.com/

From my specific pair:

Size: 11 (USA)

Weight as measured: 3 lb (1.36 kg)

Height: 4.5” (11.43 cm)

Length: 12" (30.5 cm)

Fit: ML (Men’s Large)

From the Manufacturer’s Website:
Fit: MM - ML - MW
Size: Men (6-13.5 UK) Women (3.5-9.5 UK)
Average weight: 2 lb 13 oz (1.28 kg) (Average weight specification is per pair, based on size 9)

Upper: Suede/Cordura nylon

Lining: Gore-Tex

Midsole: Polyurethane

Support: Asoflex thermoplastic insole

Outsole: Rubber

“The upper part of the boot features water-resistant suede leather for support and durability, plus Cordura nylon for reduced weight and enhanced breathability. Air-injected polyurethane midsoles sit on top of Asogrip rubber outsoles for nimble stability and cushioning. Asoflex thermoplastic insoles provide stability and control while protecting against impact and bruises on rocks and uneven terrain. Reinforced toe boxes and heel enhance durability.

Product description: The Asolo FSN 95 GTX are meant to be used for moderate on-trail and off-trail hiking. The sole is very thick and made of rubber with very deep treads. The boots are outfitted with a speed lacing system. The laces are first brought through a wide cloth loop located in the bottom center of the tongue. Then they are brought through metal loops, through another set of wide cloth loops, then two pairs of metal loops, a wide cloth loop on the tongue, another set of wide cloth loops, finally two pairs of L-shaped metal loops. The tongue is very large and cushioned. Attached to the back of the boot is a cloth loop intended to be used when hanging up the boots. The metal loops are attached to the boot with metal rivets. For me, the manufacturer's standard lacing provided optimal heel/foot stability and secure comfort.

Colors: wool/sand with yellow accents; black sole, heel, and toe; and yellow/black laces

I feel these boots make not just my feet, but my whole body more comfortable. After breaking the boots in, I began to receive blisters on the back of my ankles. At first, I thought it was just loose laces. I went back to the store where I purchased the boots and they gave me some options for tying the laces into different patterns. I hiked two more weeks with the boots laced in different patterns and was still dissatisfied. After a second trip to the store I purchased a pair of Superfeet sole inserts at the recommendation of a salesperson and my problem was solved. I do believe that the problem with the boots was that my foot did not fit properly into them and needed to be elevated a bit more to ensure blister-free hiking. I have a low-volume foot, and the Asolos (which are middle to high volume) were a poor match without adding some volume with Superfeet. I also have a narrow heel and I wear thick wool socks to alleviate the problem. In the past, I have had boots that caused rubbing on my heels, but I did not add inserts with those boots and I did not wear wool socks. These two additions to my boots have been worth the purchase and have made for comfortable and painless hiking. The shape of the boot now conforms to my feet and ankles very snuggly.

Walking up steep and/or slippery surfaces proved easier with the deep treads. I've found that the good ankle support makes traversing on side-hills easy. The boots give me extra stability on uneven ground.

These boots feel the most comfortable while hiking on flat, level ground and while hiking uphill. They are the least comfortable when descending because there is movement of the foot towards the toe. While walking in snow, my feet stay warm as long as they are covered with thick wool socks. The socks do tend to get sweaty sometimes (even wicking socks). My boots have never frozen on overnight trips, due to the fact that I keep them in my tent near my body. The boots do allow for most of the heat to escape, but feet do tend to get warm during a strenuous hike. I have walked through one foot-deep streams with these boots and only experienced minimal sock wetness. The books dry very quickly; usually within a few minutes of hiking. I continued to hike in the boots with very little change in the comfort level. When using these boots with snowshoes, I have not had any problems with the snowshoe binding conforming to the boot. The fit of the boot has not changed as a result of using them while snowshoeing.

The lack of wear and tear on this boot is amazing in my opinion. I am still on the original set of laces and they are not even close to needing replacement. As far as tread is concerned, I have lost no more than 20% of it. I can still read the manufacturer’s logo on the bottom of the shoe.

Locations used: I have had these boots for five years and have hiked in them for more than 1,200 miles ( 1,931 km), mostly in Rocky Mountain National Park between 8,000 ft (2,750 m) and 11,000 ft (3,350 m). I have also traveled up some trails in the Cache La Poudre River Canyon between 9,000 ft (2,740 m) and 10,000 ft (3,000 m). On-trail and off-trail hiking, rocky terrain, steep terrain, slippery ice. The boots have been used on short day hikes and long, multiple-day backpacking trips. I have also used these boots with my snowshoes in the winter.

Weather conditions: Dry to wet ground, temperatures of use range from -10 F to 90 F (-23 C to 32 C). Clear to overcast skies.

Comments: The boots have performed well in all of the seasons and weather conditions that I have used them in.

In my experience with trying different boots, the durability of these boots is by far the best feature. The boots have provided me dry feet for miles upon miles of backpacking. When backpacking with others, I am one of the few that does not receive blisters from footwear. Double-knotting the laces will also allow for less stops to re-tie. The boots, if tied correctly, can provide hours upon hours of uninterrupted hiking.

Poor fit for low volume feet with manufacturer's insoles.

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Asolo Fusion 95 GTX Boots > Owner Review by Eric Palmer