Brian,
Thanks for the input. I imagine your shoe needs vary from mine due to the bunionette, but I will happily check out the Asics. And I can relate to the matter of needing a larger size boot (like the old joke goes: "You know what they say about guy with big shoes? Big shoes, big bunions"). I'm up to an 11 1/2, and it annoys me how roomy I feel inside my boots. Years ago I use to wear them tight, which no doubt is terrible for causing bunions, but it always made me feel like it was better for feeling the terrain on x-country. Now I feel really too sloppy in my boots. Walking across a slope, they just sort of turn over on my feet, which really sucks:( It is really a drag. I don't know if you ever have that sort of problem.
I also definitely don't get good mileage like your Asics on my Keen's. One issue that comes up for me, though, is that I wear down disproportionately on my rear outer heel. Otherwise, my boots are in good shape. But I feel like with it worn down in that way, my foot strike becomes turned out, uneven, perhaps putting strain on my knees. I don't have "bad knees", beyond having just over-used them for too many years, but they do seem to give me trouble when I wear worn out-ish boots. Other people don't seem to give up on their boots as soon as I do, but it seems necessary for me. I wish I could get them resoled, like in the old days, but they may be broken down unevenly inside the shoe bed as well, I guess.