Asolo Powermatic 250 Nubuck - First Look
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Price:
£125
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Weight: 1470 grammes (pair size
43)
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Features:
Mountain-walking boot with water-resistant Nubuck leather
uppers, Cambrelle lining, Asoflex 00MR last, Vibram outsole
with triple-density PU mid-sole, Asolo micro-pulley lacing
system. Available in women's specific version and in men's
wide fit as well.
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Comfortable, well-made, great lacing system.
Nowt really.
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What's It For? The enigmatically named Powermatic - one word
or two depending on your inclination - is an all-round mountain
walking boot, the sort of thing that gets labelled 'three-season' in
magazines.
The Powermatic bit refers to the three densities of PU used in the
sole unit which are co-injected and moulded together, it says here,
more in tech bit below, but the idea is maximum support and comfort.
It's also that relatively rare creature, a walking boot without a
waterproof lining, which should make it more useable in hot
conditions. It's rated B0, so not technically suitable for crampon
use, though a beefed up version is on the way for winter, we're told.
The Techy Bits Two main techy bits for you - the Powermatic
sole unit uses different densities of PU cushioning foam in the
midsole. Specially, there's a medium-density area under the heel for
cushioning and shock reduction on heel strike, a high-density area
under the forefoot for stability and a very high-density area under
the arch of the foot for longterm support. There are also four
strategically positioned columns of PU linked through the outsole to
the midsole to increase comfort and cushioning, the round things in
the pic of the sole unit.
The other big tech features is the Micro Pulley lacing system
which uses, you guessed it, tiny pulleys for 'effortless lacing' and
'maximum' durability. It's an all-metal construction and is also
claimed to reduce abrasion to the laces.
How It Works The Asolo Fugitive - see article link below -
proved to be one of our unsung heroes this year so we were cautiously
optimistic about the PM250 from the revamped Italian brand - the
boots, incidenally, are made in Romanian factories.
So far, we haven't been disappointed. There's enough padding for
instant comfort, but not so much that your foot swims around clumsily
and the lacing system is excellent, one of the slickest we've used.
Pull on the laces and they fair zip through the little pullies, very
neat and easy to adjust lace tension to your preference. A lockable
cleat to allow differential lacing would be the icing on the
cake.
Underfoot you get a nice combination of support and comfort. The
soft ankle area is supple and unobtrusive straight from the box and
the soles feel both cushioned, yet stiff enough to absorb sharp edges
underfoot. It's hard to know how much of that is down to the cunning
multi-density PU gizmos in the midsole, but we've found them
comfortable even on hard-baked summer trails.
We're also pleased to see another company producing a boot without
a waterproof lining. Waterproofing's great in certain situations, but
often causes hot, sweaty feet when the going gets scorchio. We prefer
the combination of supple, water-resistant nubuck leather and the
excellent high-wicking Cambrelle liner, particularly in summer
conditions.
We haven't any problems with grip in current summer conditions,
but the outsole tread looks slightly shallow, so we'll see what
happens when things get murky and mucky later in the year.
So far, so good. The Asolo Powermatic 250 Nubuck manages a
great combination of comfort and cushioning but with an underlying
sturdiness that makes it ideal for UK mountain walking in anything
other than snowy conditions. The stiffish sole unit should work well
for backpacking in rocky terrain. too
We're also chuffed to see another good option for those who don't
feel the need for a waterproof / breathable liner and the superslick
Micro Pulley lacing system is a delightful experience if you've ever
struggled with sticky lacing dilemmas.
Some sort of toe protection / rand might be nice in rougher areas,
but we'll see how things go without before drawing any firm
conclisions there.
Fit is medium volume and will suit many British feet, there are
also women's versions and a wider cut edition for wider-cut feet,
though as with all boots it's absolutely essential to try before
buying - the best boot in the world is useless to you if it doesn't
suit your foot shape.
A very nice and instantly comfortable boot despite the slightly
bizarre name. More when we've used it a bit more, which we will.
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
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