Well those lovely folk at Asolo responded to my email regarding ‘professional field testing arrse style’ and got their UK distributor to sort me out with a pair of boots! Having spoken to Brendan, I opted for the PW Matic 200 GV’s.
The PW is sadly not an abbreviation for the Pennine Way, but it is for ‘Power Matics’, at which point Wallace shouts ‘Power Matics hey lad, they sound cracking boots Grommit’! And they do look cracking it must be said and easily a boot you could wear with jeans sans beard/scratchy arrse white Aaron sweater to go down the local. The stuff I have seen on the web about them shows an incredible level of ‘waterproof-abilty’ which was my main reason for opting for them, what with the boggy sections of the PW.
They are also leather and don’t need some fancy-bollocks cleaning product; simple polish, black, for the use of will do. As they are of an all in one leather construction they will need breaking in, and so it was:
Out the box and on the feet (two pair of socks; normal cotton and a Merino wool hiking sock that have a padded sole/heel): Getting ones trotters in them was really easy, a damn site easier than my working/casual boot’s. The bottom lacing ‘system’ at the front of the boot regulates itself under strain and it is an excellent system for quick lacing-up as well as preventing pressure build-up to the bridge of the foot. Also, this makes getting them off when you are jiggered actually a piece of perfection! The 3 top hooks are standard design (though still only 3 mind) and no big drama.
Laced up and orf I walked, on pavements, beach, mud and dune grass. 2 hour walk in all, though cut short due to heel rub and with a big walk coming up, it was wise to cut short the walk and return home. Now the front part of the boot is really comfy, no issues; wriggle room for toes as well as impact space. The bridge area, which I have forever had issues with, none at all, total comfort. But the heel! The heel is not planted in the rear of the boot and the rubbing obviously needs addressing. The other noticeable thing was how hot my feet were after just two hours! But that said, these are not designed for a seaside town tab on a very mild February day.
Having done some research on the web my observation regarding ‘heel rub’ are fairly common. After all, my feet are not as goping as, well yours! Basically we all have different feet, so some just strike lucky regarding perfect boot fit.
So insoles would seem the remedy with ‘Superfeet’ Green/Blue the go-to product but at £36 a pop! Anyone tried these insoles and are they worth 36 quid? Perhaps ‘Sofsole Men’s Athletes Insole’ which are a tenner a go?
After further research I have opted for the Sorbothane – Shock Stopper Double Strike Insole, which have yet to arrive, so update to follow, but I have to say that I like these boots.
The PW is sadly not an abbreviation for the Pennine Way, but it is for ‘Power Matics’, at which point Wallace shouts ‘Power Matics hey lad, they sound cracking boots Grommit’! And they do look cracking it must be said and easily a boot you could wear with jeans sans beard/scratchy arrse white Aaron sweater to go down the local. The stuff I have seen on the web about them shows an incredible level of ‘waterproof-abilty’ which was my main reason for opting for them, what with the boggy sections of the PW.
They are also leather and don’t need some fancy-bollocks cleaning product; simple polish, black, for the use of will do. As they are of an all in one leather construction they will need breaking in, and so it was:
Out the box and on the feet (two pair of socks; normal cotton and a Merino wool hiking sock that have a padded sole/heel): Getting ones trotters in them was really easy, a damn site easier than my working/casual boot’s. The bottom lacing ‘system’ at the front of the boot regulates itself under strain and it is an excellent system for quick lacing-up as well as preventing pressure build-up to the bridge of the foot. Also, this makes getting them off when you are jiggered actually a piece of perfection! The 3 top hooks are standard design (though still only 3 mind) and no big drama.
Laced up and orf I walked, on pavements, beach, mud and dune grass. 2 hour walk in all, though cut short due to heel rub and with a big walk coming up, it was wise to cut short the walk and return home. Now the front part of the boot is really comfy, no issues; wriggle room for toes as well as impact space. The bridge area, which I have forever had issues with, none at all, total comfort. But the heel! The heel is not planted in the rear of the boot and the rubbing obviously needs addressing. The other noticeable thing was how hot my feet were after just two hours! But that said, these are not designed for a seaside town tab on a very mild February day.
Having done some research on the web my observation regarding ‘heel rub’ are fairly common. After all, my feet are not as goping as, well yours! Basically we all have different feet, so some just strike lucky regarding perfect boot fit.
So insoles would seem the remedy with ‘Superfeet’ Green/Blue the go-to product but at £36 a pop! Anyone tried these insoles and are they worth 36 quid? Perhaps ‘Sofsole Men’s Athletes Insole’ which are a tenner a go?
After further research I have opted for the Sorbothane – Shock Stopper Double Strike Insole, which have yet to arrive, so update to follow, but I have to say that I like these boots.
