User Review: Asolo Men's Fugitive GTX

Very Comfortable. No break-in period. Stylin'. Lightweight. Great stability. Good breathability (for GTX...). Maintained fit over f'ed up terrain (no: gaps, tight spots, blisters). About as durable as a generic Wal-Mart shoe. NOT made in China! YAY!!!

These boots were so comfortable, I wore them everywhere for ~3 months.

Then the problems started. First, the lip of the sole began detaching from the toe rand. ("Minor flaw," I thought "maybe I can glue it back.") A few weeks later, one of the top lace loops fell off. (I don't even remember it happening - not much force required!) A few days later, 2-3" of sole peeled off the boot (where it started falling off earlier). Time to return...

I never even got to go on a serious hike in them! I really wanted to though. If they hadn't $#!- themselves, I bet they would've been great for mountain backpacking. (Lightweight, stable, breathable, waterproof, good traction...) But I wouldn't even consider taking this boot on any extended trip without a tube of Barge Cement.

I really hope these were a lemon, because I just exchanged them for a pair of Asolo PowerMatic 250's. These seem MUCH more durable, they also fit better (for thick leather boots) and lace to the toe. But I digress...

The Fugitives seemed at first to me durable enough, yet horribly underbuilt in places. Maybe a good boot if you aren't 6'5" and 230 lbs, or if you just need a comfortable, waterproof boot for walking around town (and you have some Barge Cement).

One last thing. I bought these at REI, and when I went to exchange them for the PowerMatics, I had no problems at all! The process couldn't have been easier - I hobbled in with the old pair and strode out with the new (minus the price difference). REI membership was a great investment!