I know there are some elk hunters out there somewhere who have tried these boots!

 

Hey Caligator,
Thats a good looking boot. I havent used it specifically but have used similar. It will be a little heavier than the synthetic counterparts, but thats not a knock. I've been running with the Garmont Synchro for the last 4 years. Its a very similar boot. It should be a bit stiffer initially than some boots, but once you break in a leather boot like that they can be very comfortable. The garmonts run wide in the toe box which is good for me and I've heard that the asolos can be a little bit shorter when you are fitting them, so check the fit. But no question thats a quality boot. Try em on and put many many miles on them before heading into the backcountry! Good Luck & GitSum!

 

They're fantastic. I now have the Powermatic version which is similar, but my last pair was close to the 520s. I bought them in 1994 and they lasted until 2008. 14 years of abuse.

Asolo's are a first rate boot.

 

The most critical thing is proper fit. But if they fit They are the best boot out there. completely waterproof and great support. I have abused them for several years now and they have done everything asked of them and they still look good. my only complaint is they have finally developed a slight squeak, but that is after hundreds of miles.

 

just got a pair of the same boots,so far there great,50 or so miles on them and they are just now starting to break in a little,there very stif so make sure you have time to wear them enough to break em in.i have been wearing mine all the time and look like an idiot walking around in 100 degree temps with boots on,but i have even done some sprints while trining on the tread mill with them and wearing them while lifting weights.ultimately when you get into these high end boots you have to get the ones that fit you best.i was at cabelas and rei for probably a combine three hours before buying this boot,do nat buy any boots without wearing them in the store with the proper socks for at least ten mintues and testing them on a slant board.

 

Yup, its all about the fit...and you can't beat REI return policy. [seems to me though I saw them much cheaper online about 3 weeks ago]

I'm wearing the Asolo lighter cordura/leather version in wide- the reg was too tight for me. Just put 50 miles on them [but little rain] and all is well.

I can tell you the insoles in mine were junk, but made much better with Spenco gel insoles. The gel insole takes up alot of volume in the boot so make this will work for you.

 

Loved mine. They run narrow though. I now have a pair of sassalongs as well but got them in a wide. My 520s are still comfy but after 4 years they aren't very waterproof anymore. I run superfeet green liners in mine.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys! :thumbs_up I picked up a pair tonight.

I went to REI since they had a 13 and they seemed to fit really well. They had a 13 wide, which like a dummy I didn't even try on. I don't really have wide feet, and with a fairly thin wool sock on, they are pretty comfortable. I tried a medium weight wool sock on over my thin ones and they still fit really well. But, after reading some of these comments, I'm going to head back up there tomorrow with a thin liner and a pair of my THICK wool socks and see how they compare. I don't know that I'll ever even wear the really thick ones with these boots, but better to cover all my bases now than wish I'd bought the wides while up in the mountains in Oct.

Walked the dogs around the neighborhood tonight, and I must say they are very comfortable, so once I check out the wide pair just in case, I think I'm going to be happy with them. It will be strange having a GOOD pair of boots, everyone you talk to that spends the dough on the good ones says their worth it, I'm guessing I'll be one of the people soon too.

 

Anyone else want to chime in on these?

 

I headed back up to REI and tried on the wide. I took my various socks with me and with my really thick socks, the wides fit good, but with a light hiker, they were too big. I'm able to loosen up the laces enough with the standard width boots to make them comfortable with thick socks, so I'm just going to stick with them. I think I'll be wearing a light/medium hiking socks most the time anyway, so getting a boot to fit with thick socks would be a bad idea.

For reference, they measured my foot and I'm like a C width, the standard width boots are a D and wides are an EE.

 

I too have the TPS 520 and they are a fantastic, repeat FANTASTIC boot. I returned a pair of meindle perfect hikers and went to the asolo about 2 years ago. I too got them at REI and was sure glad that I did when I broke off one of the quick laces. I took them down to find a cobler they recommended ......... not the case, they took them back and handed me a new pair.

(only bad part about that was that they needed to be broken in again.

You'll make a great purchase. Great boots but I wish I also had the non gore-tex asolo's as well. The gore-tex boots are really hot in warm weather.

Best

 

Bought a pair of Asolo boots for a New Mexico backpacking trip back in '04. By the time I had them resoled last spring they had well over 100 miles on them. Wore them caving one time in more water than I expected and the soles started breaking loose. Asolo customer service offered me a new pair of similar priced boots (mine were around $150 new) at a 40% discount, or free resoling if I paid shipping. Went with the resoling route.

Cannot go wrong with those boots.

 

Well...I wore the boots to a 2 day 3D shoot this past weekend and put probably 5-10 miles on them. I really have no idea how far I walked, but I was pulling arrows for a 60 target shoot so they got some use.

I do have one concern right now though, the left boot is feeling AWESOME, but the right boot is pinching the first joint on my right foot when I flex the toe of the boot. It's like the lace eyelet circled below presses into my foot right at the toe joint:

It didn't even bother me until I'd had the boots on for about 6 hours and had several miles on them. I've tried loosening up the toe some and it helps, but doesn't eliminate the pressure. Do you guys think the leather will loosen up and they'll be fine, or do you think they're going to be bothersome forever and I should search for a new boot?

 

I have a backpacking Asolo boot. Called the flame. Love them! They are stiff at first though. Wore them on a Appalachian Trail section hike. Awesome!

 

after ample break in mine are great,but i tell you its shocking how much differance a sock can make,i have some cabelas x static socks and they are absolutely perfect,my smartwools are good but i have to lace the boots a little differant with them,and the bass pro sock i have are very thin and work very well when i add coolmax liner socks with them.the thicker smart wools will probably be great with a little more break in,but im going to get some more of the cabelas sock in the light and mid weight.

 

Do you think they'll soften up for the pressure point on my toe to go away? I wore them again tonight when I took my pup to the dog park and if that right boot doesn't stop pressing on my foot I'll probably have to take them back. :angry:

 

I bought a pair right after I chimed in- 14 wide, a rare find.

That same eyelet gives me a little pressure on left foot but not right. Its ok though, I always wear a liner sock and then wool sock.

I changed out the std insole for the New Balance after mkt insoles, a big improvement with either those or the Spenco insoles.

The 520 is just a tich bigger than my cordura Asolos, which is weird but better for downhilling.

 

Thanks for chiming in! :thumbs_up I'll have to look into those insoles if I end up keeping these. I wouldn't mind a little pressure on my foot, but I think my toe is actually getting bruised from these. It's sore even after I take the boots off. I'll not wear them the rest of the week and then give them a try when I go coyote hunting on Saturday and see how they hold up.

Oh, and I am wearing a cool-max liner under a wool sock, which I'm a FIRM believer in.

 

mine did not loosen up at all till i wore them a bunch,and not just hiking,i wear them to the gym so there on while working on the stairs treadmill and elyptical,also while lifting they really get some flex while doing declined leg presses and sprints on the treadmill.but they are a really stiff boot and take some abuse to break in at all.

 

The insole and sock combo can be adjusted to change the pressure points in a boot and the way it flexes. I think these boots do 'bunch' a bit on the top of the boot in larger sizes due to Asolo trying to keep the weight of the boot down by using less material in that area.

 

I tried a pair of those, I had the same pinch point. I spent 4 hrs at REI trying on everything, really wanted the high $ zamberlan to be the "boot" for me. The boots without the protective rubber toe gaurd seem to flex like your problem.
In the End the vasque wasatch fit me great, I mean like a running shoe.
I think being every foot is so different trying on all choices is a must.
Im guessing you arent close to a store huh?

 

I am close to a store, but it's a "micro" store, so the selection wasn't that good. I drove up to a "big" store and their selection wasn't much better, plus, 3 out of 4 boots I wanted to try on they didn't have in my size.

It's frustrating to try and find a boot when nobody carries enough inventory. :angry:

 

Have any of you guys tried the sassalong or its bigger counterpart( I cant remember its name) They seem to look like a stiffer boot, I am thinking about ordering some and maybe that is what you are looking for. There on sale right now for some great deals.

 

I bought the 520's about 3 weeks ago and I'm still breaking them in. I'm wearing them to work everyday which isn't real tough on them, but enough to start to get some flex in the leather.

When I get home each night, I'm packing some weight up and down a large ridge behind my place with the Asolo's on..they are finally starting to conform to my feet nicely, but the first week or so they were uncomfortable, simply because the leather was so stiff. I'm also putting Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather conditioner / preservative on them each day before I wear them. A heavy coat near any flex points is aiding a little in the break in, and I notice everyday that they are more comfortable going up and down the ridge.

The support they have is unreal, and once fully broken in I'm guessing these boots will be a favorite of mine for years to come. I would have liked to have purchased them earlier this year to break them in, but I've been going through boots and hiking boots like crazy trying to find a good fit with stability. My first big test for them is going to be an elk hunt in New Mexico (leaving Sep 10th), so I'm putting as much time into these boots as I can before we leave.

I have tried Danner Pronghorns, a pair of uninsulated Columbia's, and some Lowa hiking boots. All of them felt worse after wearing over a period of time and the stability wasn't there so they all went back. The Asolo's seem to be getting better each day, and from what I can tell so far, seem to be the best constructed out of all of the boots I have tried. I used to love me some Danner's, until all of the tags started reading...made in China. If they don't up their quality a little, I doubt I will ever buy another pair of Danner's.

Anyway, give them a shot and break them in hard, use some conditioner, and I think you'll get them fitting nicely. With that said, if you think it's a severe pinch though, I would just exchange them for the identical model and try them so you don't waste time breaking in a pair that has an issue. Either way, I read a lot of the reviews from REI and many said no break in needed, but I've personally found that these boots are built tough, but need some serious break in time to conform to your foot and become comfortable. These are made to both hike, and carry a load, so they aren't going to be nearly as comfortable out of the box as say a pair of Merril's or something. Hopefully I'll have a good experience with them out in the mountains of New Mexico, especially while I'm drawing down on a 350" screaming bull!!! :darkbeer:

Good luck

 

I ended up taking the 520s back to REI. It was clear that the pinch point above my big toe wasn't going to go away. I tried on some other pairs, but I think it's clear that Asolos just aren't made for my feet.