You climb into hills that are properly on the boil. Hot springs and bubbling geysers are impossible to miss. You cross several snowfields until a volcanic valley so dark opens up before you that you'd rather be on the other, lush green side already. And to finish? A wrinkly old glacier.
The weather, of course, changes at the wave of a magic wand. From blue skies to a full-blown gale, with raindrops splashing up at your chin. Because here it rains from below, too.
Those were the conditions in which Filip tested the Asolo Space GV low-cut hiking shoes. So how did they do?
"They handled absolutely everything! A steep muddy slope, snow, a glacier, sharp lava rocks and relentless, miserable rain on top of it all. A really great choice for Icelandic conditions!"
Asolo Space GV are light, waterproof hiking shoes you can take just about anywhere. Up Sněžka, Kriváň or onto the odd via ferrata. They weigh 340 g (half pair) and their upper is made of water-repellent leather 1.4–1.6 mm thick.
Filip has been tramping around Iceland for a few months now. Always in these Italian shoes. And the truth is, up north you'd struggle to find easy terrain. "Volcanic rocks, for instance, are very particular and sharp," he describes what he and his Asolos had to deal with. "But they didn't leave a scratch on them. I've done over five hundred kilometres in them and they still look pretty good."
"When we swung up onto the saddle, there was a canyon with huge waterfalls in front of us. But the weather started turning too. The wind picked up and it began to pour," Filip describes the moment when the green hills turned into vast volcanic fields with two new craters, formed during the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull.
The last day of that trek across the Rainbow Mountains, in particular, was a real challenge for the Asolos. "We started in the morning sunshine on a trail through sodden heather. Then the path shot steeply up into muddy hills," Filip recalls the climb to the pass between two glaciers.
But that wasn't the end of the "rainbow show". There was still a short stretch across the glacier. Without microspikes. Just with a fixed rope. And the cherry on top – a run down through squelching mud.
"They held me brilliantly on rock, even when it was wet. And even on steep muddy slopes I was never worried about slipping. In fact, they grip brilliantly on every surface!"
Asolo Space GV have a Vibram® A-Sport outsole with a self-cleaning tread. It grips well on rock and stops sticky mud from clogging the lugs. The soft EVA midsole absorbs impact.
Damp and cold. That's the main theme in Iceland. So, freezing feet on the trek? "If I'd gone for light hiking shoes as usual, I'd probably have been freezing," Filip gives his take. "And with so many rainy days I'd probably have had to think harder about whether to head out or stay in. This way, though, I don't even have to worry about the rain."
"Plus they fit nicely," Filip goes on, explaining that while the Asolo Space GV look fairly narrow from the outside, they're comfortable once on and don't pinch anywhere. "I didn't get a single sore spot or blister. I also often have trouble with the heel lining wearing through, but here it's still as good as new."
On a full day of walking in the rain, water always finds a way in. It wicks up the upper, trickles in from the top... But what about the way out? "They let moisture out well enough. And for waterproof shoes they're surprisingly light, too," Filip sums up this Icelandic-Italian partnership.
Compared with the trail shoes I usually wear, it's great how they support your foot on tough terrain, especially on the way downhill.
The GORE-TEX Extended Comfort membrane is waterproof and breathable at the same time. Asolo Space GV have lacing that runs right down to the toe for a snug fit. And a tough rubber toe cap protects against knocks.
