When the hike to the crag is as hard as the climbing itself, we lace up the Asolo Eldo LTH GV Hiking Shoe and start the long approach to the wall. The flexible suede upper and full-wrap polyurethane rand keep our feet protected from loose rocks and low-lying snags on steep, narrow trails, and the GORE-TEX membrane keeps our feet dry as we hop from rock to rock across streams. Sticky, self-cleaning lugs bite down on wet and dry paths for reliable traction, and the cushy midsole and footbed keep our feet feeling strong and fresh as our objective comes into view. As the trees thin out and a field strewn with boulders is all that stands between us and the base of our route, we can rely on the toe's climbing zone rubber to help push us to the base of the cliff.