Posted by Dave Kroman on March 04, 1998:
| Boot Type: | Midweight Backpacking Boots |
| Make and Model: | Asolo 530 |
| Approximate Weight: | 2 lbs. 12oz? |
| Review: | When I decided to take up day hiking seriously, I tried out many hiking boots: Raichle, Vasque, Danner, etc. But none felt as good as the Asolo 530's I bought. These were the only pair of hiking boots that I have ever owned that were comfortable right out of the box -- I didn't need to break them in. The same observation was later made by one of Backpacker Magazines testers in a review article on boots. While they aren't Gore-Tex, they are full-grain leather and very waterproof. Nikwax will further enhance it. Alas, this model has been discontinued since I bought it; however, it has been replaced by the non-Gore-Tex Asolo 535, and the Gore-Tex model Asolo 520GTX. If these two models are anything like the 530, they're a great deal. And the price is right: About $175 new, I found a pair at the North Face Outlet for $60.00 new. |