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Owner Review: Asolo Odyssey GTX Hiking Boots
Report Date: 5 August 06
Personal Biographical Information:
Full Name: Karl Daniel Fuderer aka Buzz Lightyear
Age: 23 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 175 cm (5' 7")
Weight: 85 kg (187 lbs)
Email: zkyf@yahoo.com
Region: Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Background:
I started backpacking almost a year ago, after converting from cycle touring. I’ve experienced lightweight and middleweight backpacking, with my carried weight ranging from 25 kg (55 lb) when very remote for 2+ weeks, to 14 kg (37 lb) when food is accessible every few days. I sleep in a 2-man tent, unless shelter is provided such as on the Bibbulmun Track where I carry a mosquito head net and ground sheet. I like to hike in as wide a variety of locations and terrains as possible, from desert to forest to mountain, using an extraordinary range of equipment.
Product Specifics:
Manufacturer: Asolo
Product: Odyssey GTX
Year of manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.asolo.com/
Listed Weight: 570 gm each
Measured weight: Left boot = 805 gm (28.395 oz); Right boot = 795 gm
(28.042 oz); Both boots = 1.6 kg (3.527 lb)
Size: US/Aus 10
Upper: Suede mm 1.6 mm - 1.8 mm water-resistant + Cordura
Lining: Gore-Tex (Sierra)
Lasting Board: Duo Asoflex man/woman
Anatomic Footbed: Lite 2
Sole: Asolo Syncro rubber - PU
Fit: MM/ML
Colour: Tundra (365)
MSRP: Not Listed
Product Description:
Asolo Odyssey GTX Boots are an ultra light hiking boot
boasting astounding comfort, durability, breathability, water resistance and
affordability. In a world of such diverse ranging variety of hiking footwear,
this product stands out with its style and aesthetic appearance. The Italian company Asolo have achieved footwear
excellence with this uniquely developed pair of technologically advanced gear,
incorporating parts supplied by such reputable companies as Invista and Gore. The sole is trademark Asolo design, using similar materials and
moulding as those by companies like Vibram.
As with all good footwear, they
are developed with a particular foot shape in mind. While it will not cater for
all foot shapes, for the feet it is designed for it will fit "like a
glove". Particular attention has been placed on providing a wide toe box, while allowing the lacing to tighten the top of the
boot over the foot and around the ankle. This design wears the inner sole a tiny
bit faster than other boots would, due to the improved lateral movement which
leads to rubbing, however the comfort level is improved
enormously making it all worthwhile in my opinion. The upper has all the necessary
trimmings for durability, breathability, and support, including small venting
holes that access the waterproof Gore-Tex lining directly, and larger mesh covered
vents for the upper foot. Support is complemented by fast draw lacing that
includes 5 pairs of pivoting, self-locking aluminium loops, plus another 2 pairs
of open ended hooks up the ankle. The use of these lace hooks straps the tongue down, pulls the neck in around the lower shin and makes spraining the ankle and
straining the outer ligaments very difficult.
Testing Environment:
My Odyssey boots have travelled over 1500 km (932 mi) of trekking on terrain including sand dunes, swamp, mountain elevations to 1095 m (3592 ft), and very dense subtropical rainforest. Most of their life has been spent between 100 and 600 m (300 to 2000 ft) above sea level, on well-defined tracks in SW Western Australia surrounded by sparse trees and semi-dense low-lying shrub. Temperatures range from –14 C (7 F) on the coldest night to 35 C (95 F) on the hottest day, with averages ranging from 0 C (32 F) at night to 23 C (73 F) in daylight. I
also use them for working, casual walking around town, and any other situation
that would require comfortable footwear to be worn long term. When I am not wearing them
it's because either I have been wearing them all day and I need a change, or the
circumstances recommend something different. Some examples of this are sleeping,
crossing deep water, swimming, etc.
In addition to this I have used them extensively in town because they are so
comfortable. Currently my only other form of transport besides walking is bicycle,
and I prefer to wear my boots over other options for several reasons. I can
estimate I have cycled about 500 km (310 mi) in them. I also work
in them, on all my working hours except those that require steel capped boots for
safety. My work often involves a great deal of standing and walking, and I
estimate I've walked about 1000 km (621 mi) on the job in them since February. I replaced the
inner sole about mid-February due to unusual progressive discomfort from the
lack of cushioning on the balls, and under the arch, of my feet.
Field Review:
Introduction:
A pair of Asolo Odyssey GTX boots are indispensable to my hiking
experience. I observe in disbelief when people walk great distances barefoot on
rough terrain. I've been told it is a pleasurable experience to feel the ground
underfoot. My soles are not yet callous enough to try it, but my
boots' soles wear well yet they are extremely comfortable on my soles. They
therefore allow for a long trek with minimal pain or discomfort. They feel as though
they are tight around all the areas of my foot that have limited sensory feeling, such as a tightening around
the sides of the feet. They also feel spacious enough to move all the
extremities freely, and really stretch around while in the boot. This provides a feeling of freedom inside the boot, while
simultaneously a feeling of safety. The only potentially painful areas remaining
are the balls and heel of the feet, solved by a new inner sole and a
little weight loss.
Treatment Received:
In all the travelling I have done around Western Australia, I have not spent a single night at an outback campsite without having worn my
Odyssey boots.
- They have been used to wade through rivers, swamps, ocean inlets, and muddy
crossings, among the terrain involving water. The only time water ever affected
the inside of the boot and thus my sock and foot, was when I waded though water
I believed was shallow, and water came in over the neck. On this occasion I
believed my foot was wet when it wasn't. I have discerned that this was due to
the suede outside the Gore-Tex membrane soaking up the water and some water
vapour making it through the membrane to the sock. After I tested this
phenomenon, I took the boot off to find the inner cushioning and sock to be bone
dry. I do not understand what happened on that particular occasion.
- They have been one of my favourite choices of beach walking footwear.
On soft, deep, and particularly steep beaches having the support of a
braced ankle allowed me to trek faster than I otherwise would have. When ascending off
the beach the sand dunes are notoriously deep and soft, and with very steep
inclines it is often a case of each step forward includes half a step sliding
backward. When descending to the beach one step can often slide me three or four steps down,
with a mini sand avalanche behind my feet. In both cases, if gaiters are worn to
keep sand out of the boot, it is very effective to trek this way.
- I greatly
appreciated the solid, dense grip when walking on slippery gravel, especially
when on a steep downward slope. I wore them while in or around camp to do logistical
duties of cleaning, set up, pack up, cooking, and fire building. They are the
only thing I would dare use to bush bash while looking for wood for the fire.
-
Above all, they have been the most helpful when climbing, as I have done several
intense climbs of both hill and mountain without fault or fail. Their ability to
grip stone, even that which was slippery, never ceased to amaze. On many an
occasion I was absolutely convinced my feet would trip out from under me, and
they held.
Despite all this walking, both in and out of camp, The boots still
look almost new, with an exceptional abrasion on the tongue. I have never experienced any injuries to my feet
or ankles while wearing my
Odyssey boots.
Maintenance:
Average. Many things over the year I've owned them have affected their
appearance, and almost every blemish has been removable. Some of those blemishes
took considerable time to remove, however. The most effective
cleaning method I know of to clean the outer boot of foreign objects is with a
nail brush, available at most chemists. The thin, stiff bristles work
effectively to scrub away dirt, grime and scum, and if used in conjunction with
an abrasive soap, will get away just about anything.
Sometimes small stones, sharp prickles, glass, metal, and other small objects
can get stuck between the grooves of the sole, or penetrated the sole material
itself. The best way I've found to remove these is to take the footwear off, don
a pair of thick gloves, and remove it by hand or with needle nose pliers in
extreme circumstances.
Summary:
Asolo Odyssey GTX are the ideal boot for me, as a distance walker in often harsh
terrain. The support provided I would not trade for the weight saving of trail
runners. The rigidity of the shape provides
additional safety given my propensity to stubbing my toe on door frames. The
water resistance is excellent, and while not flawless it provides enough
protection to stand or walk indefinitely in water that submerges the whole foot
below the ankle without getting wet feet. The grip is superior to a high
percentage of non-Vibram soles available, and has just the right mix of wear and
rigidity for the intended use of most wearers of the boot. Most of all in my
opinion is its affordability. The price, while not cheap, it is fair and well worth
it.
Pros:
Lightweight
Comfortable
Durable
Rigid
Safe
Supportive
High tech
Grips well
Ventilating
Water resistant
Easy to put on and remove
Dificult to dirty / appropriate colour
Competitively affordable
Lots of sizes
Cons:
None
Read more reviews of Asolo gear
Read more gear reviews by Karl Daniel Fuderer
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