I have a pair of Merrell Moabs, and while I like how breathable they are for hot day hikes, they are basically a tennis shoe. Very soft boot.

For the heavy duty stuff, I'm still wearing a Cabela's Brand hunting boot (IIRC, they called it the Switchback - don't see it on their site anymore). They've been impressive given their cost.

Again, I thought the Asolos were really well built, they just didn't fit me right. Kinda like motorcycle helmets - you either have a Shoei head or a Arai head. One will fit great, the other will make you nuts.