Asolo Falcon GV Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Out-of-the-box comfort, high top support, lightweight
Cons: Low profile sole pattern, durability concerns
Manufacturer: Asolo
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
![]() This Product
Asolo Falcon GV | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Price | $234.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $229.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $249.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $219.95 at Backcountry | $160.29 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
|||||
Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Out-of-the-box comfort, high top support, lightweight | Comfortable out of the box, fast and nimble, great stability, support, water resistance | Best choice for rock and snow travel, durable, breathes well | Amazing comfort, stable, great traction | Comfort of a trail runner with more support and stability, good all around performance, lightweight |
Cons | Low profile sole pattern, durability concerns | Not as good for warm or hot environments, pricey | Wider fit, not the best lace locking system | Not as capable in off-trail terrain, rockered sole feels unnatural at first | Could be more breathable, not great traction on smooth rock |
Bottom Line | Combining great ankle support with low weight, this waterproof boot is an appealing choice | This boot is a capable beast of stability and protection without weighing you down | For hikers venturing off trail into rocky or snowy terrain, this boot offers stability and traction that no other boot does | The ultimate in comfort for on-trail enjoyment | A proven performer from short walks to intense thru-hikes, with shoe comfort in lightweight boot form |
Rating Categories | Asolo Falcon GV | Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX | Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX | HOKA ONE ONE Kaha GORE-TEX | Salomon X Ultra Mid 3 GTX |
Comfort (25%) | |||||
Stability (20%) | |||||
Traction (15%) | |||||
Weight (15%) | |||||
Water Resistance (15%) | |||||
Durability (10%) | |||||
Specs | Asolo Falcon GV | Salomon Quest 4D 3... | Scarpa Zodiac Plus... | HOKA ONE ONE Kaha... | Salomon X Ultra... |
Weight per Pair (Size 11) | 2.48 lbs | 3.30 lbs | 2.65 lbs | 2.45 lbs | 2.28 lbs |
Boot Type | Lightweight Hiker/Day Hiker | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot |
Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular and Wide |
Waterproof Lining | GORE-TEX extended comfort | Gore-Tex Performance Comfort | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex |
Upper | Water-resistant suede | Nubuck leather and textile | 1.8mm Suede Perwanger | Leather | Waterproof PU coated leather |
Last Board/Shank | Asoloflex 00 SR | 4D Advanced Chassis | BZ last | None | Molded shank |
Midsole | Dual-density EVA | Dual density EVA | PU + 3D EVA-MP | EVA | Injected EVA |
Sole | Vibram MegaGrip | ContaGrip | Vibram Drumlin / Mont | Vibram MegaGrip | Non-marking ContaGrip |
Warranty | 2 years | 2 year | 1 year | 45 day | 2 year |
Sizes Available | 8 - 14 US | 7 - 13 US | 37 - 48 EU | 7 - 14 US | 7 - 13 US |
Color Options | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Falcon GV is a perfect representation of the advances in materials technology which have allowed footwear to maintain the same levels of support and stability while shedding pounds of weight off. While not the lightest boots in our review, they are remarkably protective for their weight, making them a model worth looking at.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
Our lead reviewer pulled these boots out of the box, slipped them on, and took off to guide a 3-day ascent of North Palisade in the Sierra Nevada. While not technically difficult, this route travels through trail and talus, up scree, and over rough passes. He found the Falcon GV to be immediately comfortable, requiring no break-in period, as the outer material is made from a combination of soft suede and nylon mesh.
The toe box is roomy but is still able to be laced securely enough to scramble over boulders confidently, and the TPU toe cap protects your toes. The lacing system is traditional, making it easy to replace the laces once worn out. We tested these boots in both hot and cool conditions and were impressed at how well they breathed even during high-output ascents.
Stability
With a relatively tall ankle collar, the Falcon GV snugly protects us from rolling our ankles while hiking over rough or uneven ground, situations where we are at our most vulnerable as hikers. These boots are more narrow than others, with a forefoot width of 4.25", which is generally speaking a liability, though we found their width to be appropriate and did not feel at any greater risk of rolling our ankles.
Compared to a stiffer model, these boots are soft and pliable in the sole. This translates into better smearing ability on the rock, though more fatigued feet at the end of a hiking day and the ability to feel more pointy objects on the trail.
Traction
The Falcon GV boots showed overall average performance in traction when considering all the terrain types we encountered. This boot features a quality Vibram rubber compound called MegaGrip, which has been used effectively in high-performance approach shoes and is certainly some of the stickiest rubber in this review. The sole uses a lower profile lug pattern than most. This makes these boots quite useful on slabby rock, but limited in usefulness on loose or wet terrain.
Weight
With a verified weight of 2.48 pounds per pair of size 11's (US), the Falcon GV boots are on the light side of average, though this list includes some seriously featherweight models that skew this rating slightly. For their ankle collar height, overall flood height, and waterproofness these boots offer a lot for their weight.
Water Resistance
We picked these boots up and immediately questioned their ability to withstand our 5-minute water submersion test due to the copious nylon used in the outer, but were blown away by how well the Gore-Tex Extended Comfort membrane repels water. Well after the 5 minutes had elapsed, we still had no signs of leakage, and only got out of the mountain stream we used because our feet were getting cold!
With a flood height of 5.75 inches, these boots provide as much protection as big leather boots do. That alone makes these boots an appealing choice for those who encounter lots of stream crossings on their hikes but want to keep the weight on their feet relatively low.
Durability
We didn't put the kid gloves on when we took the Falcon boots for their initial test drive - we plowed them right through endless granite basins and kicked steps up loose scree gullies. Though we would tend to prefer a boot that has a full leather outer in these conditions, we were impressed that the supple suede and nylon upper was in as good of shape as it was at the end of that trip. The high-tenacity nylon showed no abrasion, while the suede around the heel cup was scuffed. These boots will likely last for a few years if treated kindly, and perhaps only a season if worn hard.
Value
These boots are objectively expensive when compared to boots that retail for much less, are lighter, and have better traction performance.
Conclusion
The Asolo Falcon GV is a high-end hiking boot that features lightweight materials. By shedding weight in the upper materials, the boot can extend higher up the ankle than other models and provide top-notch water protection. This is a premium boot that comes with a premium price, however, and so we suggest weighing out your needs, as there exist models with a better overall performance at a lower price.
— Ryan Huetter