Asolo Yukon

Summary

The rubber tread on both boots delaminated from the leather sole and fell off in the middle of a backpacking trip. If you think these are great boots, you can have mine.

Summary

These boots will need to be put in your will and may need another owner after that.

I'm a geologist and used these boots from North Dakota flat land, the Bear Teeth mountains and in rattlesnake filled canyons south of Lake Havasu, Arizona, and the boots never flinched once.  All aforementioned sites I used these boots to hike off trail and dig enormous craters with a shovel.  

Most well made boots lasted one season and were completely destroyed both uppers and soles. It's been 25 years and these Asolo Yukons are still in excellent shape. I've had them resoled some many times I really don't know if it's 3 or 5 soles that have been walked off of them.

They may have had a tough break-in period but I was 24 years old when they were new and didn't notice blisters or sore feet. When I wear them now they fit perfectly.  

Now that I'm older the insoles are kind of hard and unforgiving to my well used metacarpals. Thus I've given in to using the softer insole version of Asolo boots which will not last a lifetime or two like the Yukons.  

If you're tough, these boots are what you need.

I bought the Asolos about 15 years ago. I've got wide feet and they were sooo stiff that I wore them less than an hour at first. An unanticipated hike in NH Whites back then was so painful I was barely able to manage the final half-mile to the van--these shoes were stronger than my feet.  

I stopped leading hikes about a decade ago and have used the Yukons only occasionally since then. But they're beginning to feel like gloves, except for the heels, which are still a bit too stiff.  

With the exception of one stainless steel rivet on a lace-guide that came loose as I tightening the laces, these Yukons seem nearly indestructible. Excellent ankle support, not overly heavy, slow to break in, they provide excellent stability on steep slopes.  

If I didn't have them, I'd look for a used pair.

I stared out climbing with Galibier 'Puetereys' in the late '70s; when Galibier went out of business I started purchasing Asolo; my first model was the 'Couloir' which I used to climb such things as 'Liberty Ridge' and up to 20,000 feet in South America. When the 'Couloirs' wore out I got a pair of Yukons... I used these guiding in both the Wind Rivers and in the Sierras for a couple of years, and I must admit that they broke in very slowly (a fair amount of heel blisters); clients also had trouble with heel blisters. But this was sort of common back in the days of heavy leather mountain boots... one had to wait for the heels to soften up a bit (my trick was to soak them and then beat the hell out of the heel region with a hammer!). Well, I've had the 'Yukons' resoled once, and now that they are broken in they are super comfortable... I do everything in them from hut to hut trips in the Alps, to moderate snow and ice routes in Peru and Bolivia (up to 21,000 feet with homemade overboots). They are super boots but no longer available. Its getting hard to find Norwegian welt mountain boots; but they are still available if you look a bit on the inter-net.... cobblers prefer to resole them as well.

karl wilcox

Others have obviously had the same problem with the lining leather cracking & falling apart. Mine are now worn out, the second sole is worn out & the welt is worn & stitching going -- but the uppers are in great shape -- the best outer leather on any boot I've had except Galibier Super Guides.

When I had them resoled, they came back about 1/2 size smaller than originally, so needed to change thickness of socks worn -- also had part of lining replaced at that time.

Over-all, I'd buy another pair if I could find them -- but I haven't seen any for sale for several years now. They were very good boots.

I have had the pleasure of being given a used pair of these boots. Didn't have to break them in but they are heavy leather so I'm sure it would take awhile. The word "bulletproof" fits them. they are an old fashioned pair of high quality leather waffle stompers. two piece tongue is soft and protects well from water and they give excellent support when carrying a heavy pack. They are a bit heavy for everyday hiking and wouldn't have minded a lighter insole, but they are comfortable and I would trust them in the most tough and remote situations. Designed to last a lifetime!

These boots have been an incredible piece of equipment. I've had them since 1980 and have worn them for backpacking, snowshoeing, hiking, and as everyday winter-wear in Colorado. They have been effectively completely waterproof (pre-treated with Kiwi ShoeSaver then regularly with Kiwi WetProof) in all but a several hour hike in heavy rain.

I've had no durability problems of any sort with any aspect of the boots, but they need to be resoled soon. I would buy another pair in an instant if the new ones are anything like these.

These boots have never really broken in. Worse yet, after about 6 months (about 1 month actual use) the leather linings began to fall apart, not just in one place, everywhere. This is even with me conditioning them regularly, and never having topped them with water. On the positive side, the outsides have held up. Given my experience, and the experience of my wife and a coworker with lighter weight Asolos, I won't buy from this company again - they fall apart. I think I'll go back to Danner.

LOVE THEM !!!

Ran the hell all over the Whites and every peak 4000' and higher in the East. Then, 15 years later, I took 'em to Israel and ran them all the hell all over the Golan and the mountains surrounding the Salt Sea.

Tough break in. But once broke in they fit like gloves. You can't break them in with less than 60 pounds on your back. After break in you don't need to carry the weight unless you want to.

These boots, purchased in 1980, have outlasted my newer pair of (highly-touted) AFX530s, as well as other newer boots. They still have the original soles and replacement yellow laces). Too heavy for the Costa Rica/Nicaragua trip, tho'. I had to wear something else *sigh*. But my feet thanked me.

These boots will live longer than I will. I've beat on them off trail in the Sierra, Cascades, North Cascades, Wind Rivers and Beartooths in rain, snow, ice and dry. They are not nice to the feet for while, but once broken in they are bulletproof. My problem is that my feet have spread as I have aged and the boots that once fit are now too small.

Ten years and still going strong. The original soles have a lot of life yet. These boots are extremely durable. The best boots I have owned. Worth every penny. I have climbed and hiked many mountains in them. They work well with crampons. Ten years, how many boots work for that long? Let me know.

I've had these boots for over 20 years now, and I suspect they will last a lifetime. They fit like gloves from day 1, and provide fantastic support. I had them resoled once, and may have to again soon, but they are the most incredible boots I've ever had, and I do have others.

The leather lining disintegrated before the boots were even broken in. They didn't even last as long as a cheap pair of light weight boots. Anyone have an address for Asolo so I can send them back?

These boots are quite stable and with their half steel shank, they only flex at the toes. Not made for the high volume or wide foot. Try with a bouncy insole for comfort