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The thing about having problem feet is that the thought of gear testing brand-new boots on a multi-day glacier expedition is terrifying.
Yes, I broke them in. I wore my Asolo Broad Peak GV MLs (part of Asolo’s alpine/climbing collection; $360) around the office with whatever I happened to have thrown on for clothing that day (it felt like IÂ was wearing rollerblades). And I wore them on a test hike through the Colorado foothills. But obviously IÂ couldn’t recreate glacial conditions in August in my backyard, so there were a lot of unknowns when IÂ boarded the plane for Anchorage.
On the ground the boots were put to the test right away. The first day of hiking was a rainy mess and the terrain was boulder hell with wet alder and willow branches not only plastering my face but plastering the rocks that I couldn’t see but had to walk over anyway.
The mountaineering boots held up perfectly. I was thankful for their hefty ankle support (the upper is made of polyamide fabric and microfiber), which IÂ thought might have been a bit over-the-top for the early parts of our trip. IÂ never slipped; IÂ never rolled an ankle; and IÂ only teetered a few times but I blame my collapsing trekking poles which did not like the rainy conditions.
The soles, made of Asolo/Vibram Everest dual-density rubber, were grippy and my feet stayed dry (hallelujah). Plus, this was aerobic hiking of the back-and-forth, up-and-down, ‘are we lost?’ kind. I usually wear lightweight trail shoes and IÂ thought the added heft of these uber boots would tire out my legs, but no such problem. Day 1, A+.
Over the next few days these boots saw what they were made for. I strapped on crampons without a problem for a potentially treacherous ice field crossing; scrambled up (and then down) a 35 degree talus slope; hopped over (and occasionally landed in) glacial mud and glacial streams; spent hours along a rocky medial morraine; and even (don’t tell my mother) hitchiked along the highway.
Throughout it all I only had praise for my boots. IÂ never got a blister, my bunion didn’t scream, and although my narrow heel was a bit loose in the back of the boots, the snug ankle fit and tight laces held the boots on securely. IÂ always wore two pairs of socks, one heavy and one light, and my feet were miraculously never cold and never wet, no doubt thanks to the Gore-Tex lining.
Entire Trip, A+.