The Asolo Tribe GV is marketed as being a year-round hiking boot, and seemingly offers all the features you'd need to tackle technical terrain below the snowline. Its leather upper combines with a waterproof breathable membrane and an aggressive sole design to make good on those promises.
First of all, it's worth pointing out that Asolo is an Italian firm, where lasts tend to be made for a narrower fit. If that's your foot style then great, otherwise you may want to look for a broader boot, perhaps from a British brand, as they tend to be good for this.
Luckily for us, the GTX is a superb fit straight out the box. With an impressive level of cushioning (partly thanks to the EVA midsole) and sparing but effective design of the ankle cuff, we'd rate the Tribe GV very highly for comfort.
In use the neatly judged profile makes precise toe placement easy and communicates a nimble feeling on the end of the foot. A fairly impressive weight rating of 720g per boot no doubt adds to this. We were extremely impressed by the technical Vibram sole too, which offers a good climbing zone at the toe for scrambling, nice deep lugs for grip and a very sizeable heel brake for descending steep ground. It's been dubbed the 'Radial', in case you're interested.
The upper is a single piece of 2.4mm leather. It's not the smoothest and in fact has quite a coarse feel to it, but it does offer a classic styling and excellent weather proofing thanks to the Gore-Tex membrane which lines the inside of the boot.
The lacing system is standard and effective, while the rand extends just around the front portion of the boot, making a tough and effective toe box, but not offering any protection to the rest of the boot.
In conclusion: Asolo makes excellent - and often underrated - boots, and the Tribe GV is no exception. If you want some efficiently designed, impressively technical and effortlessly comfy boots that you can put on and forget about for all manner of mountain adventures... this is a top choice.
