Gear: use it or lose it

[Sanbu]

DELAMINATION! So I bought these pricey, heavy Asolo boots in 2009, more a mountaineering than hiking boot. Used them for a couple of trips and put them away in storage. Recently pulled them out for training, as I figured the weight would build me up. But... sole almost immediately delaminated, converting them to useless flip-floppers. I read somewhere that hydrolysis could cause this issue. Uz it or lz it!

 

[Sanbu]

FORGETFULLNESS! I was thinking of buying a new pair of hiking boots, since the tread on my current ones was worn down. Then I happened to do an inventory of all my clothing. Whoa! Discovered a new pair I bought 4 years ago but somehow forgot about. Again, uz it or lz it!

 

[richard]

Did you leave your boots in the attic? The transitions in temperatures and humidity will cause this.

 

[Sanbu]

Yeah, well I thought I was smart to set up this tent beforehand, check for problems, broken poles, etc. Hiked to the campsite and began setting it up, only to discover a pole missing. It was loaned to me, I wasn't familiar with it, but how could I be so dense? My good fortune was that one of my fellows improvised and made good with saplings. Another companion had tape and twine which we used to good effect. He had learned long ago to always caring such for emergencies.

 

[peakbagger]

I have head remarkable luck keeping an old pair of boots with similar failure held together for multiple seasons using Shoe Goo or Barge Cement. Just clean up the two surfaces, abrade them with wire brush and then apply the product and clamp it in place.

 

[Original Woody]

DELAMINATION! So I bought these pricey, heavy Asolo boots in 2009, more a mountaineering than hiking boot. Used them for a couple of trips and put them away in storage. Recently pulled them out for training, as I figured the weight would build me up. But... sole almost immediately delaminated, converting them to useless flip-floppers. I read somewhere that hydrolysis could cause this issue. Uz it or lz it!

That's why I always carry duct tape

 

[wardsgirl]

I once had a pair of the same (or very similar) Asolo boots. The soles looked like yours after only two wet seasons of use. Fortunately, this was back when LL Bean had an open time limit return policy. I exchanged them for a different brand.

 

[Hillwalker]

I Grok this. My 1980 Limmer Standards are my "ankle weights" for my winter treadmill routine.

 

[TomK]

I have head remarkable luck keeping an old pair of boots with similar failure held together for multiple seasons using Shoe Goo or Barge Cement. Just clean up the two surfaces, abrade them with wire brush and then apply the product and clamp it in place.

Second this, I've had good success with Shoe Goo. Even if you don't want to trust them for a hike, you could get some use from them wearing them around the house/yard...

TomK

 

[ChrisB]

Same problem with my pricey Asolos.

The midsole dried out and crumbled and thus the boot could not be repaired in any way. Boots were carefully stored and well cared for. And (only) 8 years old.

No more Asolos after that.

 

[HikesNH]

Midsole deterioration is a common problem with older Asolo boots. If it happens within 5 years of the original purchase, I think Asolo will fix it for free. It can't be fixed with glue since the actual midsole needs to be replaced. A good cobbler that specializes in Asolo boots can easily resole the shoe. Try Dave Page (index). The price is usually worth it if you like the boots and the uppers are in good shape.

 

[John H Swanson]

I standardized on Asolo 535 boots around 2001 when I found them to be durable enough and comfortable enough for my abusive needs. In 2002, I was pleasantly surprized when a colleague and friend started gifting me his slightly used 535s. He gave me 9 pairs over 5 years. I thought I was set for a really really long time. Everything was going well, but I was not using them up as quickly as they arrived. I stock piled them.

Eventually, I had the same issue with complete mid-sole disintegration for the last, oldest 3 pairs. I went onto Asolo's website and there was a statement saying this is normal and not covered by waranty. Tough luck (that's my editorial.) Since the boots were really quite new and well broken in, I sent them out for resoling at $70-80 each. I had some issues with one resole place and ended up with good results from Rocky Mountain Resole in Salida, Colorado.

The resole was the Vibram Bifica sole and I must say I find it to be an exceptional product. My first 7 pairs of 535s with factory soles averaged 896 miles until the sole wore out. I am just about to wear out my first set of Bifica soles with 1600+ miles. There are other factors contributing to my better boot life these days such as less weight and kinder terrain, but nonetheless it's a bunch more milage.

Even with this significant quality issue, when my inventory dropped to 3 pairs, I picked up my 11th pair of 535s on Ebay.

I typed this all out and I see I'm reliving my post from 2014..

Asolo Boot Longevity? – Read This!

• Thread starter@John H Swanson
• Start dateAug 18, 2014

That said I offer this PSA: I once had an EMS boot sole delaminate from toe to arch just below the beckhorn on Dix. That's a bunch of rough trail milage from the car. I tried tape but it pealed off after about 1/2 mile. The solution that made it all the way back was to run a piece of 5mm climbing utility cord wrapped through the lowest set of lace holes and around the sole. pass it two times around and tie it on the top. about 2" of the sole will flap but it is quite managable and the robustness of this cord prevents the abrasion failure. I still carry a small piece of cord for this specific repair.

 

[Ear Drum]

Went through a few pairs of Asolo 520's, going back many years ago to late-80's-ish. My last pair completely delaminated while hiking, with the soles flapping around. You discover that it is hard to carry on walking in this state. Duct tape to the rescue, though it was just on a low-stakes local forest hike. Have avoided the brand since.

 

[Sanbu]

DO YOU TRUST YOUR STERIPEN? I didn’t. I bought one thinking to try it out. Up until then I treated water by boiling or adding chlorine or iodine pills. I gave up on pumps when one got clogged with silt and pebbles.

I charged up the steripen but never got around to using it for real. I couldn’t bring myself to trust a mere light source could sterilize water.

Three years later I found the inner strength to test that old steripen. But by then it was no longer capable of being charged. It was dead, dead, dead.

I never used and I lost.

 

[iAmKrzys]

DO YOU TRUST YOUR STERIPEN? I didn’t. I bought one thinking to try it out. Up until then I treated water by boiling or adding chlorine or iodine pills. I gave up on pumps when one got clogged with silt and pebbles.

I charged up the steripen but never got around to using it for real. I couldn’t bring myself to trust a mere light source could sterilize water.

Three years later I found the inner strength to test that old steripen. But by then it was no longer capable of being charged. It was dead, dead, dead.

I never used and I lost.

I generally feel pretty uneasy about devices that have built-in rechargeable batteries sometimes it is unavoidable, for example, in most recent smartphone models or inReach devices. Hence, when getting a SteriPen I went for "Adventurer" model that uses two Lithium non-rechargeable batteries and it has been working pretty well for me for several years now. I have even recently switched my headlamp to one that uses same battery type, so that I can do away with carrying AAA batteries.

 

[skiguy]

Just a reminder. Asolo boots and the rest of post Norwegian Welted Boots in the era did not come with batteries let alone rechargeable. Sometimes an upgrade can be good but it is also easy to hang on and not let go. Who really needs to twist an ankle over a pair of antique boots.

 

[Remix]

DO YOU TRUST YOUR STERIPEN? I didn’t. I bought one thinking to try it out. Up until then I treated water by boiling or adding chlorine or iodine pills. I gave up on pumps when one got clogged with silt and pebbles.

I charged up the steripen but never got around to using it for real. I couldn’t bring myself to trust a mere light source could sterilize water.

Three years later I found the inner strength to test that old steripen. But by then it was no longer capable of being charged. It was dead, dead, dead.

I never used and I lost.

My MSR Miox failed, and the Steripens would never work in the cold for me. I thought the Miox was the ultimate solution because it would take on viruses....I went back to boiling water.