Asolo boots fell apart after 300 miles, can't find contact info for Asolo

[Little Frog]

I'm having a frustrating time trying to get some help with my boots. I bought a rather expensive pair of full leather Asolo hiking boots a few years ago and have put only about 300 miles of section-hiking on them. Last fall on a 50-mile hike, the soles became detached from the boots halfway thru the hike. Duct tape and some shoe-goo got me home, but it was disappointing to have the boots fail like that after what I spent on them. There is still plenty of tread on them and several fellow hikers who looked at them said that it must be a manufacturer's defect for them to fail after only a few hundred miles and that Asolo should replace them free of charge.

Here is what the boots look like now: http://www.littlefrog.150m.com/asoloboots.html

I went to Asolo's web site at http://www.asolo.com but there is no toll-free number or even a customer service email address listed under the "contacts" link.

Does anyone know how to get ahold of Asolo without me having to make an expensive long-distance call to them? Also, does anyone have experience with their customer service?

[Stoker53]

Suggest you contact the retailer wehre you purchased the boots. They may be able to take care of this for you or at a minimum provide a name/number for Asolo or their Asolo sales rep.

[MOWGLI]

I'm having a frustrating time trying to get some help with my boots. I bought a rather expensive pair of full leather Asolo hiking boots a few years ago and have put only about 300 miles of section-hiking on them. Last fall on a 50-mile hike, the soles became detached from the boots halfway thru the hike.

Were you drying the boots around a camp fire?

[Little Frog]

Were you drying the boots around a camp fire?

Thanks, but no, I know better than to do that. I keep my boots away from campfires and wood stoves.

[MOWGLI]

Thanks, but no, I know better than to do that. I keep my boots away from campfires and wood stoves.

Just checking. A lot of folks don't know better. You see piles of boots around a fire ring all the time at shelters. Especially after a good soaker.

["ME & U"]

ya man! I can help. Go to your local EMS. 100% satisfaction garantee no questions asked!

[JoeHiker]

Just for laughs, try calling collect. You never know, they might accept the charges.

[Little Frog]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

Today I took the boots back to the retailer where I bought them. After hearing the details and examining the boots, the manager agreed that Asolo should replace them or refund the money. He got on the phone to Asolo for me right away. I was pleased, and looking forward to a good resolution to the problem. As the manager made the call, I browsed the new boot section and saw that Asolo has a new lightweight boot out, and kinda excitedly checked it out. I decided I was willing to give their boots another try if I could get a replacement of their new models.

But..the result of the call was disappointing. The store manager put me on the phone eventually. The Asolo customer service rep toed a hard line, quoting "policy" She insisted that since the boots were over a year old that "warranty didn't apply". I said I understood that, but since the boots failed due to a pretty obvious manufacturer's defect and that I only got 300 miles out a pair of boots that cost well over $200, maybe there was something they could do. Nope. No go.

The only option Asolo would do was allow me to purchase their new model at wholesale price, which basically just knocked 50 bucks off the price of their new model. And I could not just purchase them at the store I was at, I had to first pay to ship the old boots to them, then they'd sell and ship the new ones to me. I said that by the time I paid to ship my boots halfway across the country, paid for the new ones, and waited for shipping, I could buy a pair of their competitor's boots online at retail price for less $$ and have them arrrive by this weekend. The rep was polite but all business, didn't seem to care at all that they could lose a customer over this. Hard line all the way.

I realize that a brand-new pair of top-of-the-line (are Asolo's really that good anyway?) boots at wholesale price might be a good deal in another circumstance. But in this case I strongly feel that Asolo should have replaced the boots free of charge. They didn't "wear out", they failed.

Researching other manufacturer's boots now. Won't buy Asolo again.

[weary]

I started the trail with five-year-old Dexters -- mostly because an acquaintence said his pair had lasted two thru hikes.

The penalty was a few extra ounces.

Overall, I sense a good trade off. YMMV.

Weary

[ed bell]

Don't ever give up when dealing with a gear company. Try to contact multiple people until someone lends a sympathetic ear. They usually rely on the fact that 80% plus of the gear they sell will not be tested to the max. If you have an obvious early failure, accept nothing less than your own satisfaction. $200 boots need to act like $200 dollar boots. Delamination of the soles before NOTICEABLE tread wear is unacceptable, even if the boots exceed 1 year old. Remember that gear manufacturers NEVER want experienced, knowledgeable hikers to trash talk them out in the field. Keep on their ass.

[TakeABreak]

Try this contact for ASOLO #603-448-8827-105, I got that number from the online Companion @ www.aldha.com , in the index of the companion. They have phone numbers there for most of the major gear manufacturer's.

[Stoker53]

Don't ever give up when dealing with a gear company. Try to contact multiple people until someone lends a sympathetic ear. They usually rely on the fact that 80% plus of the gear they sell will not be tested to the max. If you have an obvious early failure, accept nothing less than your own satisfaction. $200 boots need to act like $200 dollar boots. Delamination of the soles before NOTICEABLE tread wear is unacceptable, even if the boots exceed 1 year old. Remember that gear manufacturers NEVER want experienced, knowledgeable hikers to trash talk them out in the field. Keep on their ass.

Excellent point Ed !! The "all business" cust service person is NOT THE FINAL authority at Asolo. Keep escalating until you reach a person with the ability to do what is right....for you and Asolo.

[TakeABreak]

I have written more than one letter to a CEO, in my life time. I always start it out as much it bothers me to have a write such a letter, then I tell how much I liked their product and everything, but here is my situation and that I need their immediate assistance in helping me with the matter. Tell how hard it is to contact them, who you talked to when and what was said. Also include in there you have discussed with long disatnce hikers and they agree that the treatment you are getting is wrong.

Be cordial, polite, detailed but keeping the wording to a minimum, include in the end that you and are awaiting the response (this way you put the ball in thier court) also at the end of the letter, state that you friends want to know what they have to correct problem.

remember be direct, polite, professional, give them info of where & when you tried to resolve the issue, but to no avail. Like I said at the top, I have done this many times and you will be surprised how fast a good company and CEO, react, you probably will not get to talk to the CEO, but you get the attention of a lot of people i n the comapny, and if they care about the problem and reputation they will resolve it.

I have gotten many, many freebee's over the years, after getting the point to where no one listen and wrote the CEO, try it and let us know what they say.

[Little Frog]

Thanks everyone. I am working on a letter to Asolo right now, though I still don't have an email address to send it to. I wonder why they don't provide a toll free number or email address on their website? That's very odd.

In the meantime while I am writing the letter and searching for an email address, can anyone recommend some other large well-read forums where I can post about this as well? I am still hoping Asolo will do the right thing, but either way they play it I think the hiker community might like to know what Asolo's customer service is like when a hiker really needs some help from them.

What other large forums are there other than whiteblaze.net?

[Little Frog]

http://www.littlefrog.150m.com/asoloboots.html

(the stuff that looks like dirt stuck to them is just bits of shoe goo and duct tape that I used to repair them on the Trail).

[dougmeredith]

Thanks everyone. I am working on a letter to Asolo right now, though I still don't have an email address to send it to.

You might want to consider sending it by traditional mail. It is much easier to ignore an e-mail message. Also since they know that you went to more effort than sending an e-mail, they may give it more weight.

Doug

[Mags]

You might want to consider sending it by traditional mail. It is much easier to ignore an e-mail message. Also since they know that you went to more effort than sending an e-mail, they may give it more weight.

Doug

Yeo, old fashion snail mail is more effective than an e-mail. E-mail is easy to ignore. A letter , esp. in this day of near instant communication, really stands out.

(Which is also why internet petitions and e-mails seldom work for talking to govt officials. But that's another story).

If it was me, I'd type out a letter, sign it and send it on its way. (Maybe by certified mail?). Do a follow up call.

It is totally unacceptable for $200 boots to laminate after 300 miles. Looking at your pics, it is oviously a defect.

Good luck!

[The Solemates]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

Today I took the boots back to the retailer where I bought them. After hearing the details and examining the boots, the manager agreed that Asolo should replace them or refund the money. He got on the phone to Asolo for me right away. I was pleased, and looking forward to a good resolution to the problem. As the manager made the call, I browsed the new boot section and saw that Asolo has a new lightweight boot out, and kinda excitedly checked it out. I decided I was willing to give their boots another try if I could get a replacement of their new models.

But..the result of the call was disappointing. The store manager put me on the phone eventually. The Asolo customer service rep toed a hard line, quoting "policy" She insisted that since the boots were over a year old that "warranty didn't apply". I said I understood that, but since the boots failed due to a pretty obvious manufacturer's defect and that I only got 300 miles out a pair of boots that cost well over $200, maybe there was something they could do. Nope. No go.

The only option Asolo would do was allow me to purchase their new model at wholesale price, which basically just knocked 50 bucks off the price of their new model. And I could not just purchase them at the store I was at, I had to first pay to ship the old boots to them, then they'd sell and ship the new ones to me. I said that by the time I paid to ship my boots halfway across the country, paid for the new ones, and waited for shipping, I could buy a pair of their competitor's boots online at retail price for less $$ and have them arrrive by this weekend. The rep was polite but all business, didn't seem to care at all that they could lose a customer over this. Hard line all the way.

I realize that a brand-new pair of top-of-the-line (are Asolo's really that good anyway?) boots at wholesale price might be a good deal in another circumstance. But in this case I strongly feel that Asolo should have replaced the boots free of charge. They didn't "wear out", they failed.

Researching other manufacturer's boots now. Won't buy Asolo again.

I had the same type of thing happen to me on my thru with a pair of Garmont lightweight boots. I think they busted after 3 weeks. I talked to 3 different sales reps about it. Now, I refuse to EVER buy ANYTHING from Garmont again as long as I live. Period.

However, I also had the same thing happen to a pair of Montrail's after about 3 weeks as well. Montrail handled it nicely, and I continue to support them.

[Skyline]

Mags & others are right--be persistent. You never know...

Other sites you could post to:

www.trailforums.com
www.backpacker.com (trail talk)

I had a similar issue with Lowa boots once. Obvious mfrs. defect, past the year-long warranty period. My local outfitter got Lowa to agree to a full replacement. I'm generally satisfied with Lowa (now on my 4th pair in 6 years, at least 1,200 mi./yr.) and was thrilled with how they handled my problem.

[Little Frog]

I finally obtained an email address for Asolo and wrote to them. The only positive thing I can say about their response is that it was prompt. Here is their reply:

>I understand your concern with the boots but please remember that Asolo
>has a one year warranty from the date of purchase. 300 miles is a great
>deal to put on boots, I am not sure of any pair on the market that will
>take that much of a beating on a trail especially the AT. What sort of
>mileage were you seeking to get out of them? You have had these boots
>for 3 years so I am not sure what you expect? This is general wear and
>tear on boots. I too am a hiker and have spent lots of money on boots
>but will not expect companies to replace a boot after 3 years of use.
>Christi's offer of a wholesale price on a new pair is very generous, you
>would be saving 50% off retail. So I am not sure where you are getting
>only $50 off a new pair? Again I am sorry about the boots and it looks
>like you have already made up your mind about what to do next.

Am I reading this right? Are they really saying that having the soles come off is "general wear and tear" after only 300 miles on the AT???

Is Asolo actually claiming that having your boots look like this: http://www.littlefrog.150m.com/asoloboots.html is to be expected after only a few years and/or a few hundred miles???