Asolo Hunter Boots: Extreme & GV

[Oregonmuley]

after a good amount of miles in all types of mountain terrain from steep side hilling in collapsing scree, to mucky wet mud soup, and everything in between, for the price they can't be beat... the uppers did take a few days, but not bad

my boots do show wear, but i did wear them several days in really steep rocky country, so the rand is dinged up and the leather is too.

i do want to restate your criticism, because i agree, wet rocks, wet barkless sticks, they are pretty slick, for that reason, i'm leaving them as work boots, but i like them a lot and think they are a great option for the price... they are really light for what they are too, which is awesome.

they are a slightly stiff boot for my preference, but not mountaineering stiff, just not soft soled.... slightly more stiff than a crispi nevada.... nothing like a kenetrek hardscrabble

Dang it, I was all ready to get a new pair of Crispi Thor II's which I recently tried on and they seemed to fit just right but now seeing the reviews on this boot makes me want to give them a try. Are they discontinued though?? When looking at the Asolo website I can't seem to find any mention of them and it looks like only STP sells them.

Anyway, appreciate all the reviews here on this boot, from the pictures I have found it looks like a nicely built boot.

 

[Bcrawford]

Dang it, I was all ready to get a new pair of Crispi Thor II's which I recently tried on and they seemed to fit just right but now seeing the reviews on this boot makes me want to give them a try. Are they discontinued though?? When looking at the Asolo website I can't seem to find any mention of them and it looks like only STP sells them.

Anyway, appreciate all the reviews here on this boot, from the pictures I have found it looks like a nicely built boot.

For what it’s worth, I have both the Hunter GV and the Crispi Thor 2. Crispi breathes somewhat better and is lighter weight. One thing that attributes to the light weight of the Thor is the depth of the lugs (or lack thereof) in the sole. In dry conditions, no big deal, but if it’s wet, I’m sticking with the Asolo as I find my self slipping and sliding more in the Crispi. The Asolo is also a bit narrower and fits my foot slightly better. For now, the Thor 2 is my everyday warm weather boot. The Asolo is my hunting boot and everyday cold weather boot.

 

[Oregonmuley]

For what it’s worth, I have both the Hunter GV and the Crispi Thor 2. Crispi breathes somewhat better and is lighter weight. One thing that attributes to the light weight of the Thor is the depth of the lugs (or lack thereof) in the sole. In dry conditions, no big deal, but if it’s wet, I’m sticking with the Asolo as I find my self slipping and sliding more in the Crispi. The Asolo is also a bit narrower and fits my foot slightly better. For now, the Thor 2 is my everyday warm weather boot. The Asolo is my hunting boot and everyday cold weather boot.

Great info much appreciated! My foot is kind of normal I suppose, I think I have a bit narrower heal but a pretty normal width forefoot and more flat foot with no super high arch. The heal in most boots is what gets me, I have been using Kayland boots the past 10 or so years but my last pair is finally about dead so need a good boot for this year, found out today I drew a pretty good elk tag so need something for that hunt. And here in Oregon you can pretty much figure we will be hunting in the rain more than not

 

[roosiebull]

Great info much appreciated! My foot is kind of normal I suppose, I think I have a bit narrower heal but a pretty normal width forefoot and more flat foot with no super high arch. The heal in most boots is what gets me, I have been using Kayland boots the past 10 or so years but my last pair is finally about dead so need a good boot for this year, found out today I drew a pretty good elk tag so need something for that hunt. And here in Oregon you can pretty much figure we will be hunting in the rain more than not

You can easily return stuff from Sierra, maybe order some and see if they fit your foot well, they are a perfect fit for me, but most asolo boots have lacked there.

For what the hunter gv is, it’s a damn nice boot for the price especially… for an all leather boot they are light, for an all leather boot, they breath really well… the Thor should breath even better being synthetic, so not a great apples to apples comparison, so that’s tough to really explain through text

They have a roomier toe box than the couple pairs of kayland boots I had in the past, but the room is above your toes rather than wide (I don’t like a wide toe box)

I was wearing my summits at work, and the asolos, and the asolos left me with drier feet in hot weather, that surprised me…

I have been beating up the asolos, and they are doing well… like I have mentioned, asolos have been among the most waterproof boots I have owned, them and zamberlan are the 2 that last in that regard..

They seem to be a very versatile boot… I will be buying them again, at least for work, they are comfortable to be in all day even when we are working on pavement, and are great in the mountains as well, good support and good traction besides wet rocks and buckskin (most boots suck there)

I would spend about 300 days per year in the asolos if they had a sole like xtra tuffs, I have not had boots that compare in traction with xtra tuffs in all different terrain… I wish a hunting boot company would use their soles, would be the perfect boot

 

[Oregonmuley]

So I ended up ordering these yesterday, went ahead and ordered them in 10 1/2 and 11 to make sure I end up with the right size. Will let you know when they get here, excited to give them a try.

 

[roosiebull]

i was switching back and forth last week between the asolo, crispi summits, and altra lonepeak at work, temps in the 90's, and the summit is the hottest boot, the asolos really are a great breathing boot for being all leather, the altras are the coolest (of course) but not by that much.... still hard to believe an all leather boot is substantially better than the summit in hot weather.

more impressed all of the time with the hunter gv, for the price even more.

 

[Oregonmuley]

The boots showed up yesterday and first impression is that are a really nice boot! I had ordered both a 10 1/2 and a 11. In the box from Sierra they sent me a 11 in the GV Hunters but sent a 10 1/2 Neutron STP?? Which also appears to be a nice boot but not what I ordered. And now their website shows the GV out in the 10 1/2. I think the 11's will work but I sure would of liked to try on the GV 10 1/2 to make sure.

But like everyone has mentioned its a really nicely built boot, great feeling and not overly heavy. So will need to decide if the 11's will work.

 

[roosiebull]

The boots showed up yesterday and first impression is that are a really nice boot! I had ordered both a 10 1/2 and a 11. In the box from Sierra they sent me a 11 in the GV Hunters but sent a 10 1/2 Neutron STP?? Which also appears to be a nice boot but not what I ordered. And now their website shows the GV out in the 10 1/2. I think the 11's will work but I sure would of liked to try on the GV 10 1/2 to make sure.

But like everyone has mentioned its a really nicely built boot, great feeling and not overly heavy. So will need to decide if the 11's will work.

ugh... that sucks. don't compromise on fit! you know you'll be happier waiting on the right size, but i hope the 11's work.

these boots continue to impress me in the heat, was 103 today and my feet were probably the only relatively comfortable part of my body all day, haha.... wore altras yesterday, and not much difference which is crazy to me.... supposed to be 104-110 degrees for my work week next week, so another level of heat testing...yuk

 

[Oregonmuley]

Update - ended up keeping the 11's. I'm 99.9% sure they are the right size. I actually tried the finger in behind the heel method of checking to see if the size is right and based on that they should be fine. Was also in a store this weekend that had one of those metal foot size guides and I am just a hair short of size 11 so anyway I might actually have them sized right this time versus mashing my toes due to being too small.

As far as the boots themselves I really like them, I'm used to wearing a pretty stiff boot so these don't bother me at all. Had them on yesterday in the 90+ degrees and they seemed OK, really like the ankle support they give me versus my old Kaylands. Looking forward to putting a few miles on them and see how it goes.

 

[roosiebull]

Update - ended up keeping the 11's. I'm 99.9% sure they are the right size. I actually tried the finger in behind the heel method of checking to see if the size is right and based on that they should be fine. Was also in a store this weekend that had one of those metal foot size guides and I am just a hair short of size 11 so anyway I might actually have them sized right this time versus mashing my toes due to being too small.

As far as the boots themselves I really like them, I'm used to wearing a pretty stiff boot so these don't bother me at all. Had them on yesterday in the 90+ degrees and they seemed OK, really like the ankle support they give me versus my old Kaylands. Looking forward to putting a few miles on them and see how it goes.

i have been wearing them at work every day, and the coolest day this week at work was 107*, i can't believe how well they breath for an all leather boot.... they are not far off my altras in the heat, like not enough to make me wear the altras, i have just been wearing the asolos because they are better in steep stuff and keep the fox tails out a lot better.... seriously impressed in how well they breath and manage heat.... they are the best boots i have had in that regard, including synthetic boots.... they were fine in the cold too, and fit my feet well.

the uppers took some breaking in, but after that, they have been extremely comfortable. i am for sure getting more, and this pair i'm going to continue to torture test and do zero maintenance just to see... for the price, they are an awesome boot so far, almost doesn't make sense they are just over 200$.... basically the same price as danner pronghorns, which are pretty useless imo

 

[LostArra]

Impressive breathability for an all leather boot with these too

Pardon the interruption but could you confirm that the Hunter GV model (not Extreme) has lacing hooks at the top of the boot and not eyelets that the laces must be threaded through?

 

[Oregonmuley]

Pardon the interruption but could you confirm that the Hunter GV model (not Extreme) has lacing hooks at the top of the boot and not eyelets that the laces must be threaded through?

Yes, the top two on the boot are hooks not loops - see attached:

Asolo Made in Europe Hunter Gore-Tex® Hunting Boots (For Men) 47HJC - Save 49%

Asolo Made in Europe Hunter Gore-Tex® Hunting Boots (For Men) 47HJC at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

 

[roosiebull]

Pardon the interruption but could you confirm that the Hunter GV model (not Extreme) has lacing hooks at the top of the boot and not eyelets that the laces must be threaded through?

that seems to be the big design flaw of the extremes, but like Oregonmuley pointed out, the GV do have hooks above the lace lock loops... the lacing system on the GV is plenty functional, and actually quite good.

so far, the only thing i could complain about the GV is the soles are slick on wet rocks and buckskin wood, not much worse than most similar boots, i just think the outsole could be a little softer.... if you were in a lot of dry rock and scree, they are probably preferred, they should hold up well, but i would prefer a little softer/stickier soles here on the coast, soles have it easy around here, walking closed gravel roads is about the worst thing for soles for me, which isn't that hard on soles.... i have never trashed the soles on a pair of boots where the boots are still in usable shape..... it would be the opposite in really rocky terrain, so take that for what it's worth

 

[BGnight]

I have an older model of GV's I've done a ton of hunting/shed hunting in. They're amazing for the price. A great reason not to spend $500 on crispis or schnees. Perfect stiffness. Only issue I don't like with the new ones is the nylon eyelet where on mine it's a metal locking eyelet. Don't understand why they'd do away with that. The tongue can sit a little wonky. It's an issue I've noticed with Asolos, but it doesn't really bother me much.

 

[roosiebull]

They changed the sole on the GV, I’m looking forward to trying the new version… the only complaint, which isn’t a big on one, with the GV is traction on certain wet surfaces… if the new soles are better, I will be pretty damn happy with them for the price especially

 

[Bcrawford]

Is it just me, or does the new version look like the sole on the TPS 520 evo? I personally think the original GV sole gets better traction. Fortunately I ordered a backup pair before the switch.

 

[Oregonmuley]

They changed the sole on the GV, I’m looking forward to trying the new version… the only complaint, which isn’t a big on one, with the GV is traction on certain wet surfaces… if the new soles are better, I will be pretty damn happy with them for the price especially

Was just looking on STP for these - do they now have 2 versions of this boot?? It looks like they have the older one with the more aggressive sole and a newer one that looks a little different?? I really like the ones I got a few months back, they will be getting a workout next week for 1st season elk over east

 

[Bcrawford]

Was just looking on STP for these - do they now have 2 versions of this boot?? It looks like they have the older one with the more aggressive sole and a newer one that looks a little different?? I really like the ones I got a few months back, they will be getting a workout next week for 1st season elk over east

I saw that as well. For me personally, the old style has better traction. As far as comfort and durability, I can not pick one over the other.

 

[roosiebull]

Was just looking on STP for these - do they now have 2 versions of this boot?? It looks like they have the older one with the more aggressive sole and a newer one that looks a little different?? I really like the ones I got a few months back, they will be getting a workout next week for 1st season elk over east

yeah, looks like the GV and now GV evo is the newer version. they had my size of the GV for 150$ recently, almost got them, but decided to wait until i need a new pair and get the EVO to see if the rubber compound is a little softer in the sole.... i don't wear soles out on boots, the coast is easy on soles, so i like a little stickier sole when possible.... regardless, i'll always have a pair i wear often until they quit making them... incredible boot for the price.

i have beat the hell out of mine, and have not put anything on them period, i wanted to see how they hold up worst case scenario, and they are really impressing me.... completely bone dry still, and only cosmetic wear, still one of the most breathable boots i have owned.... in really hot weather, they are better than crispi summits, which doesn't make sense being all leather, but i like it.

i have always had great luck with asolo boots being really durable, but the hunter gv is also extremely comfortable, the fit has always been the problem i had with their boots, the hunter is on point (for me)

i'm hoping they revamp the extremes, and change the lacing system

 

[Kentucky]

I just bought a pair… see how it goes