Lowa Ranger vs Asolo Sasslong

[a3dhunter]

Picked up the Asolo Sasslong's from Sierra Trading Post on sale since I have heard a lot of good things about them.
My other most recent boot is the Lowa Ranger so that is what I am comparing them to.

Initial thoughts:
The Asolo show great quality right out of the box. The rubber rand over the toe looks tough and looks like it has a great seal. The tread is deep and aggressive. Once on my feet the arch support felt good for medium to high arch but the heel felt a little low (been wearing the Lowa Ranger's all day). As I started to walk it was apparent that there is a severe curve in the bottom of the shoe with the toe curved up, making it easier to walk with less fatigue trying to make the boot bend. The shank is tough, creating a very stiff sole.
The toe box is roomy, with enough room in the 11 1/2 wide to fit my 4E foot, and enough height that my hammer toes did not contact the top inside the boot.
They are also tough on the inside. Hard to describe, but they are not as "plush" as the Lowa Ranger.
With that being said, they tighten up real nice and the uppers are more flexible that the Lowa's.
Definitely a boot that will take some time to break in, and it looks like an extremely cost effective purchase at $153.00 shipped.

The Lowa Rangers;
I have had the Lowa's for a couple months now and been able to put some time in them.
I pulled them out of the box and noticed the quality and stiffness of the upper part of the boot right away.
Put them on and the felt smooth and plush. They snug to your foot and the center stud on the tongue keeps them centered. The tongue padding doesn't let you feel any seams like you do on the Asolo's. While the boot is stiff, after wearing them 3 days a week to work all day they felt pretty broken in. I did not like the original insole and went with the Superfeet green wide and they have been a great fit.
I did notice some discomfort from the Lowa across the top of my foot during break-in, by altering the lacing of the boot it relieved the pressure and restored the comfort that I expect.

I will add, that with the Lowa's I felt the toe box was wide but not very deep. I can feel the top of the toe box against my toe's and without good wool socks I am sure there would be blisters on the top of my toes.


Some pics:
Asolo on the left, Lowa on the right.

Side by side: top view

The curve in the sole:

The Lowa side view:

 

[luke moffat]

Nice work man. I've always thought those Asolos Sasslongs are a killer deal on STP. My foot seems to blister easy with the Asolo lasts, but my bro got the sasslongs and really likes them.

 

[bearguide]

sounds like you got a great price/ i like to wear one type of boot on one foot and a different one on the other, maybe you could try this with your new boots. i always switch the boots on the next trial so that the right and left feet get to try each boot. i have had asolo boots before and loved them. i need to try the lowa's sometime i hear good stuff about them

 

[diggerson]

I bought a pair of Sassalongs last year from STP as well. In my opinion, great boot for the price. I have always liked Asolos, they seem to fit me well. I'm a bit worried about the sole seperating at the heel, looking at the way it's constructed, but so far, my fear is unfounded. Seem to remember Aron commenting that this happened to a pair he tried some time back. Good comparison, A3D

 

[dotman]

I have had multiple pairs of Asolo boots and they have all been great. I also picked up a pair of the sassalongs over Christmas and love them, only complaint is the insoles have to be replace right away for me, stock ones kill my feet. Wear the fsn 95 daily.

 

[Lawnboi]

i would really like to get a pair of rangers someday

 

[a3dhunter]

So, here I sit wearing the Asolo's today.
Will try to break them in slowly to avoid blistering and get a feel for them.
One thing I noticed this morning while putting them on, the width at the arch and heel is a lot narrower than the Lowa's.
This could be a good thing, only time will tell. Really snugs the foot in and helps with arch support, but the downside is the sole is a lot narrower towards the heel than the Lowa.
They have a good heel cup, time will tell how they break in and feel after a while.

 

[miller1]

thanks for the updates, i was thinking the ranger would be my next boot but i will have to see how the Asolos compare to them.

 

[dotman]

First day i had my sassalongs i took them on a 6 mile hike, not one issue and they still didn't feel any less stiff. Breakin time is taking awhile but i have yet to have any issues.

 

[stonecitysniper]

Seals the deal for me and the Asolo's, I've been looking for a while and it appears the Asolos will be great for what I will be using them for! Thanks for the review!

 

[Wally6886]

As a3dhunter points out, the Sasslongs are fairly narrow. My measurements put me right at the edge for sizing in a medium width and when I received the boots they were too narrow and I was forced to return them for a Wide. Just a heads up for anyone who's looking to order the sasslongs and aren't quite sure which way to go.

 

[a3dhunter]

As a3dhunter points out, the Sasslongs are fairly narrow. My measurements put me right at the edge for sizing in a medium width and when I received the boots they were too narrow and I was forced to return them for a Wide. Just a heads up for anyone who's looking to order the sasslongs and aren't quite sure which way to go.

yep, agree completely. Unless you have a narrow foot, I would recommend the wide.

I actually ended up not switching out of them today, wore them all day and more comfortable at the end of the day than the beginning.

 

[a3dhunter]

Figured I would give a quick update>

I've worn the Lowa Rangers for months now, a very solid boot that I would wear on any hunt. It is a little shallow in the toe box and you can feel the boot really tighten down on the forefoot to keep your foot from slipping forward in the boot on downhills.

I've worn the Asolo Sasslongs' about a week, they are a great boot with a big toe box, great arch support and are able to really cinch down when needed. They have more of a traditional hiker boot feel to them and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Due to the extra room for a full volume foot I find myself grabbing the Asolo more often than the Lowa, but haven't had the Asolo in the mountains yet to see if the extra room could lead to some problems with foot slippage and blisters.

 

[dotman]

In my experience with my other asolo boots we both should be quite pleased with this boot this fall chasing old stinky.

 

[Madnik]

With the usual caveat that not every last is made for every foot; Asolo boots work very well for me. My Sasslongs are my go-to late season boots. They did take longer to break in than I was used to, but the quality is right, the price is right, and so long as they fit you... you could do much worse.

 

[bbrown]

Thanks for the insight A3d - I just ordered a pair of the Sasslongs off STP. I tried on both the Lowas and Asolos at my local REI and while the Lowas felt more comfortable out of the box I felt like the Asolos will wear better over time (the longer they were on my feet the more comfortable they got). Plus picking the Sasslongs up for $159 shipped I don't thik I could find a better boot at that price.

 

[hunting1]

I am a huge fan of Assolo! Boots are a individual deal and they fit me like a glove. Add Sierra Trading to the mix and it is a bonus!

 

[katdaddy2013]

A3d turned me on to sierratrading.com and I orderd a pair. Loe em, ca;nt wait to trek the hills. A3d, you ought to be getting commission from STP.

Thanks for the insight A3d - I just ordered a pair of the Sasslongs off STP. I tried on both the Lowas and Asolos at my local REI and while the Lowas felt more comfortable out of the box I felt like the Asolos will wear better over time (the longer they were on my feet the more comfortable they got). Plus picking the Sasslongs up for $159 shipped I don't thik I could find a better boot at that price.

 

[bbrown]

I got to put some miles on the Sasslongs this weekend and so far so good - they are definitly narrow and pretty stiff but no hot spots or problem areas. Quality is top notch. Thanks again.

 

[bbrown]

I put another 12-13 miles on this weekend doing some scouting and learning the country in a new unit I drew an elk tag in. I really like these boots, fit great, good traction and support. I did end up with a bit of a hot spot on my right heel but I think that is just a lack of break in. Last complaint is they are a bit warm but that is kind of to be expected with a full leather/gortex boot.