Asolo Makalu GV (mens US size 11.5)
Saw a nearly new pair of Asolo Makalu GV boots on e-bay while shopping for other climbing items and went ahead and bid on them and won the auction. At first, I was thinking they would likely be a bit too narrow for my semi-wide feet. i normally wear regular shoe and boot sizing but sometimes I've noticed that my feet can be a little too wide for some boots. The Makalu GV's not only fit my feet very well...there was enough toe box room and heel padding to keep my feet from getting any blisters and kept them from cramping up. Took them up the Green Butte Ridge route on Mt. Shasta, Ca and had nothing to complain about. For leather, they kept my feet fairly warm and didn't make my feet sweaty on a July climb. Fantastic boots and I'll be buying more Asolo rigid and semi-rigid boots for alpine and ice climbing in the future!

Customer Service

Haven't had to use, yet.

Similar Products Used:

Salomon Super Mountain 9, Saloman Super Mountain 8

For those of you with wide feet, this boot is for you. After having never ending troubles with other boots in the past, I finally found a boot that has a comfortable width. Just make sure to break these things in thoroughly before giving them extensive use. It took me well over a month to break these things in to the point where I could hike a whole day in them. I highly recommend purchasing a specialized liner to enhance the comfort on these. Aside from that, I have to concur to the previous review of this shoe. Once its broken in, it's an excellent mountaineering boot. The sole is flexible enough when walking, but firm enough that I've used it to ski in and frontpoint on ice climbs.

I bought these for vertical water ice, alpine ice, mixed routes, and general western U.S. mountaineering, and they have delivered in spades! The midsole is quite stiff longitudinally, making them very stable and supportive for frontpointing (anything from strap-on hinged crampons to automatic monopoints would work great on this boot... great heel/toe reinforcement for step-ins), but with a subtle flex while hiking to make the approach enjoyable. These aren''t trekkers thought... I would choose lighter and softer boots, or running shoes, for long trips if I didn''t expect to encounter glacier/gully ice). Laterally the soles are completely rigid and are cut close to the boot for climbing performance, so Annapurnas edge on rock like a dream. The high ankle offers enough flex for effective french and comfortable decents. The yellow plastic "wings" built into the upper do seem to offer a great deal of support and don''t compromise fit or comfort in any way. A high wrap-around rubber rand makes these things bombproof, enhances the excellent waterproofing, and facilitates jamming. While these are not "thinsulated," I found them to be plenty warm during extended periods in conditions ranging from wet snow and ice in Lee Vining Canyon to pre-dawn winter climbing in the Sierras with wind chills down to minus 20F (good gaiters help in the warmth department). In fact, if the sun is bright, these black boots can get a little too warm on glaciers. As for fit, I have a somewhat wide foot with a high-arch, and the Annapurnas fit like a glove... a rare thing in a technical mountaineering boot made in Italy. That being the case, those with narrow and/or flat feet would do better with the La Sportiva Trango Extreme or Scarpa Freney for technical ice and mixed alpine climbing (both too narrow for me). To sum up, Annapurnas offer excellent performance as an ice-climbing/mountaineering boot, good value (fantastic if you find them on sale), and a fitting alternative for the robust of foot.

Customer Service

No problems to report.

Similar Products Used:

Asolo Cliff (decent classic mountaineering boot), Scarpa Alpha (incredible climbing performance and hiking comfort for a double-plastic).