The Asolo Reston WP boot

Asolo Reston WP boots
Weight: 1,026g a pair of (size 44/9½)
Price: £145
Colour: grey/graphite
Material: uppers, water-resistant suede 1.6-1.8mm/
polyester; sole, rubber/EVA
Country of manufacture: Romania
Crampon rating: B0 (not crampon compatible)

The Asolo Reston is part of a range using the brand’s Natural Shape last and sole, which it says more accurately mirrors the foot’s shape.

The Italian company is aiming for the lightweight hiking sector with this boot, which tips the scales at a little over a kilogram a pair.

The construction uses a combination of suede and fabric in the upper and the front section has a reinforced toe box to protect against knocks. The whole boot has a very pared-down feel, with weight-saving evident in lots of areas without, thankfully, compromising comfort.

There is adequate padding on the tongue and around the ankle, without it being over thick.

There is waterproofing from a Gore-Tex lining, and Asolo says it has knocked 30 per cent off the weight of a typical boot in this class.

Get the lacing right and the Reston is a very comfortable boot

But it’s the shape of the boot that marks it out from most others. The forefoot is definitely wider. Asolo says it has designed the area around the metatarsal bones, in other words the long middle section of the foot between heel and toe, to cradle the foot anatomically and, combined with a specific Asolo sole from Vibram, support the foot as it changes shape as you walk.

The company says it also gives an enhanced feel for the terrain underfoot. The EVA midsole and the outsole are designed around four sections with stabilising pads, an area of impact and two separate propulsive areas.

The insole itself has very little padding, so impact absorption is all down to the outsole and midsole.

All in all, Asolo says the design gives a performance that feels more natural when walking, hence the Natural Shape designation.

Boots have come a long way since walkers were expected to endure a crippling period of ‘breaking in’.

The Reston has Gore-Tex lining for waterproofing

So how did the Reston perform in the field and on the hill?

At first I thought I wasn’t going to get on with the boot. As with all fairly pliant fabric boots, getting the lacing right is crucial and initially I made the mistake of overtightening.

Once adjusted to the right tightness the Restons were very comfortable. There was no slipping forward on downhill sections and no heel lift going uphill.

Performance on hard tracks was good and the boots coped well with gravel and rocky sections, thought there is not a lot of protection for the foot in fabric areas. We wouldn’t recommend going scree running in the Restons.

Traction on wet mud was disappointing, with quite a lot of slipping. The outsole is designed with fairly tightly spaced lugs in a distinctive pattern, presumably for support in those four vital areas. But the pay-off is lack of grip in mud, where more space between lugs would provide better performance.

Where the Restons come into their own is on good surfaces on a long-distance walk. These boots are very comfortable and most of the time feel more like a pair of trainers or approach shoes, though there is ankle support too.

The Asolo Reston's outsole uses a specially developed NS Vibram sole

Coupled with the light weight, this makes them great for extended routes though pushing them on hard mountain terrain or off-path routes for any distance is not a great idea. Asolo recommends these boots for light hiking, but they coped with a brief foray up our test hill quite admirably, with the proviso that they’re not great in gloopy mud.

As with all fabric boots, care should be taken not to damage the waterproof membrane. Keep those toenails clipped!

On a good seven-hour walk, there was little fatigue and the boots coped well with impact to the bottom of the foot.

If you’re looking for a lightweight boot that you can slip on and forget, the Reston is a great choice for the trails.

The Athena is the women’s version of the Reston and has the same Vibram Natural Shape sole.

grough rating:
Performance 25/35
Comfort 32/35
Quality 7/10
Value for money 15/20
Total score: 79/100

More details are on the Asolo website. Asolo provided grough with the test boots.