Asolo  TPS 520 GV Hiking Boots - Men's

I bought these for a backpacking trip to Colorado and wore them on four or five training hikes for break-in. Once in CO. and under pack (40 lbs), the boots performed well. The boots were very comfortable and I didn't experience any blisters or hot spots on my feet. However, after one week the soles started delaminating. I had to use duct-tape to hold the heel of the sole on the left boot, and the sole of the right boot started coming loose on each side at the fore foot. These boots were literally purchased within one month of this happening. I've exchanged them for a new pair and hope that this was a fluke.

I've used these from Chile, to Washington, to California. Mostly backpacking or wet hiking trips. Or if I know the terrain is going to be rough. My feet are pretty hot, but I didn't feel overly hot in these. They always kept the water out and never any ankle problems or blisters, even with the 50 lb pack. Used them on a 90 mile trek in Chile, my buddy had blisters on the second day, I was walking in the clouds the whole trip. They were so comfortable, I only go blisters on my last trip after 10 years. That trip was a 50 mile in Kings Canyon and the sole fell off on the last day. I prefer leather to synthetic because of durability. I had a synthetic pair of Mountaineering boots and the rocks tore right through them.

This is an update on my review of 2013 Jan 22 where I gave 3 stars. I have downgraded my rating to one star because the boots have completely failed with separation of the sole from the boot, as other reviewers have noted. Attempts at regluing the sole did not last due to the continuing breakdown of the intermediate layer between sole and uppers. Repair is impossible according to a cobbler. This failure is after about 4 years of hiking. Overall, I feel these boots are doomed to failure and should not be considered a good buy for their price.

I bought these Asolo 520 some years ago These are 520;s but they are an older version. At the time I was preparing for an epic hike and wanted the best footwear around. As it turned out I couldn't make the trip and ended up putting the boots in a closet and not even looking at them again until recently. The boots were like new with less that 5 miles on them Last week, I put them on for a little 6 mile hike and the soles literally fell off of both shoes. The warranty is long since expired and I don't have any receipts etc. Asolo says the warranty is not valid. I have had the boots a long time but they have been stored in a climate controlled area and not even used at all. So I was surprised to see the soles fall off. It sounds like, from some of the posts, that this is still an issue. Just wanted to share the information with you.

I've had the TPS 520s and they fell apart (delaminated sole) after three main hikes ~ 104 miles over 3 years. Sadly all Asolo could offer was a free "re-sole" giving me no confidence in taking these or any other Asolo hikers out very far. Thesae new GVs are no different in design. New design changes DO NOT address the root cause issues. I'm done with this overpriced, lack luster customer response, low quality and over rated Italian brand. Reminds me of a similar Italian car or two. what a shame and a waste of US$.

I received the Asolo TPS 520 GV boots as a Christmas present last year. I wore them doing yard work around the house after realizing they are too heavy for hiking! "A pound on your feet equals five pounds on your back." They feel a half size too big. After a year my boots still look new and the trade mark imprints are still visible on the bottom of the treads.I never wore these boots with weight on my back. They have great quality leather and water resistance. Bottom line, my boots have less than 100 miles use, I weigh 178 LBS,and the tread is coming off the bottom of the boot! A lot of people are experiencing this same problem with these Asolo boots. I have never owned a boot that fell apart this quickly. Avoid Asolo boots, they do not quality attach the soles/tread. This is a known issue.

Do not buy Asolo boots. I've owned 6 or 7 pairs since the early 1990s and in the last dozen years or so I've had soles detach from these boots on three different pairs. On two of them it was after several years of wear, but on the last pair it was on the second day, though the boots had been on a shelf in my house for 5 years. They have cut some corners, while maintaining their high price, and I will no longer consider owning these boots. I hope REI will no longer sell them.

I own two pairs of these boots. I purchased them at REI approximately five years ago. The soles on three out of four boots have come unglued at the heel. I do not hike with these boots nor do they receive abuse. I simply wear them to keep my feet warm and dry during the winter, which they do very well. They are comfortable boots; However, there is a serious flaw in their construction.

I bought my first pair of these 9 years ago (2004). The soles are now flat, but the boots are still in one piece. I put many, many miles on them as well as several seasons of trail work while working for the National Park Service. Before these I could go through two cheaper boots in a summer by comparison. About the only consideration is being GoreTex they can get pretty warm during the summer. That being said, it's a small trade off when carrying heavy loads or hiking over rocky terrain. Wish the price didn't keep going up (almost a third more now than when I bought my first pair) but I will be replacing them with the same none-the-less.

On the recommendation at a local footwear shop, I picked up a pair of these in 2011. I had the store cap the toe with a rubber top and that has gone a long ways in protecting the front of the boot from damage over the years. I also put new insoles in right away that fit my feet a bit better and they have proven to be among the most comfortable boots I have used. Since then, I have logged a lot of miles covering some of the biggest backpack trips in the Canadian Rockies, as well as a lot of hiking throughout BC and the Western US and these boots have not failed to perform. Still completely waterproof to this day which I tested just weeks ago by standing in a stream up to my ankles for several minutes. I clean them a couple of times a year and treat them with Nikwax when I do so to keep them in good shape. Granted, they are showing a lot of wear and tear at this point but they just keep performing. The only thing I need to address now is that the tread is wearing out, so I am hoping the store I bought them from can retread them for me. It's too bad that some others have found the sole to be a problem but for me, this boot is still in excellent shape after years of hard and heavy use.