A little over 1,000 kilometres on the road. And he didn't spare them one bit. They often forded rivers with him, so they stayed wet for days on end. He climbed sharp rocks in them and squelched through mud. "But there's still tread on the sole, and even on slippery ground they grip like glue," Filip sums up the current state of his Asolo Tahoe GTX boots. "So hats off to how they're made."
Asolo Tahoe GTX are boots designed for moving fast over rugged mountain terrain. They weigh 365 g (half pair), and the GTX in the name means they come with a waterproof GORE-TEX® membrane.
The road to Mordor, however, began half a year earlier in Japan. On the ancient pilgrimage trail Kumano Kodo. "As soon as we landed, we were hit by terrible heat and humidity. Every day it was close to 30 degrees with 100% humidity," Filip recalls the days when every kilometre in the hills was a battle and rivers of sweat poured down his back. "That's where I appreciated that the boots really breathe. Even though they have a membrane, combined with Bridgedale socks they wicked moisture away and my feet didn't overheat."
Still, a problem did crop up. Right at the very start. "My mistake was taking them straight on a long trek. But I honestly didn't have time to break them in." So during the first few days with a heavy pack, several blisters appeared on Filip's feet. "But once everything settled, my feet felt like they were wrapped in cotton wool. The next hundreds of kilometres were free of chafing and blisters."
Asolo created the AS Tech support structure for this type of boot, labelled fastpacking. It limits unwanted twisting and knee misalignment, which means more stability at a brisk pace over rugged terrain.
The real testing, though, came in New Zealand. Half a year, on his feet practically every day – in the mountains and in town. "On loads of treks we had to ford rivers," says Filip, explaining that when he was knee-deep in water, the boots naturally got wet – water poured in from the top. "But they held on slippery rocks in a strong current and luckily I never took a swim. And after fording I was surprised that they dried out during the lunch break."
They performed best, though, in the low-lying wetlands New Zealand has in abundance. "As long as the water stayed below ankle height, the membrane kept it out," Filip gives the boots credit, confirming that even several hours of pushing through waist-high wet grass were no problem. "My socks stayed nice and dry."
For the Tahoe GTX, Asolo developed a special sole with its patented Sigma Grip compound. It grips superbly on wet surfaces, cleans itself well and is extra resistant to wear.
For the past few years, mind you, Filip had worn completely different shoes. Mostly light trail shoes with a wide toe box. So this was a change, and at first Filip was a little wary of stiffer boots with a narrower toe. "But I worried for nothing. The Asolos are comfortable and don't pinch anywhere."
"What pleases me most, though," Filip continues, "is how long they last. Over the past year I've worn through four pairs of shoes, and the Asolos have lasted by far the longest." He particularly appreciates that the inner heel doesn't tear. "That's often my problem, because my heel is a bit sharp and shoes tend to wear through there. But not this time."
The upper of the Asolo Tahoe GTX is made of polyester, reinforced with TPU in the areas that take the most stress and abrasion. The toe also has an extra-tough protective cap.
