Zamberlan

Great looking, very comfortable. Stylish alternative to sneakers. Excellent traction as well. I wear them all day and my feet are glad at bed time.

I got these for my boyfriend, who is very outdoors-y, and he absolutely loves them. He said they are extremely comfortable, and are durable for when he is hiking or working on house projects.

I have had these boots for over five years...all I can say is they still look and feel great. I wear them year round and they can take it. Buy these boots.

These are by far the best boots I've ever owned. Possibly the best pair of shoes I've ever worn. I only buy the best shoes, and these are the top in quality. That they are hand made in Italy only makes them an incredible value. As I get older I've learned to buy once and enjoy for years. Don't be lured by flashy brand names and fashion. There is no substitute for true quality.

I just recieved these boots. They are very sturdy and comfortable. Overall they just seem like big boots. They are very cushy on the feet. I hope I still like them as time goes by, otherwise they were a very exspensive mistake.

These boots are made very well and are very comfortable right out of the box. My issue with them is that they are so stiff and un-flexible that after wearing them for a few hours, my feet began to hurt in ways that they never have before, which I assume is from how stiff they are in certain areas. However, they don't rub or feel uncomfortable on the foot, so I am hopeful that they just need a decent break-in period. Other reviews mention that they do take a while to break in.Overall, you can definitely tell this is a quality boot. My only advice would be to NOT rely on these for a long day at work on your feet, or a hiking trip, until you've given them some time to break in. I gave them 4 stars because I totally expect them to be perfect once broken in, but I have not had them long enough to say for sure.

I didn't think it would be so easy to find the perfect replacement for my 13 year old One Sport boots. I was prepared to use the free return shipping as many times as necessary but was so happy that these boots felt better than my old ones right out of the box. I wore them around the house at first, half-expecting to experience some kind of discomfort, but after just one day I knew they were 'keepers.' I've worn them a lot since then from short dog walks to long day hikes. Even after being on my feet dawn 'til dusk, they were still comfortable. I've had no problems with the waterproofing, though they are still relatively new. Buying footwear and hiking boots in particular is a very subjective and often tricky experience but I felt the sheer volume of positive reviews and the reputation of Zamberlan was a good place to start. I was right! It's not easy to find a good-looking, well-made, full-grain leather boot these days but this one is up there with the best, I think. You can tell the quality of the leather is first-rate right away and the sole is what you'd expect from Vibram. It has performed well in wet, dry, rocky, steep and swampy conditions. All in all, a very comfortable boot that lives up to its impressive reputation.

This is one solid boot. Love the Italian craftsmanship and the quality materials. The leather lining will form fit to your foot and will be very comfortable. The one piece upper makes for a very waterproof boot provided that you use Sno Seal or another similar product.

I really like these boots because they required absolutely no break-in period before a hiking trip of approximately 50 miles. This was the first purchase from Zamberlan and I am impressed. The second trail day I wore them was the day I climbed Katahdin in Maine while it was raining. My only surprise was that the boots took longer than expected to dry out even though my feet were never wet. I did not have any of the traction issues that others have had. The rest of my recent trip was spent in a variety of rocky and root filled terrain. My feet stayed dry and comfortable during the entire trip. Now that I have finally read the care instructions and learned that the soles are replaceable makes them even better since I went through the soles of four pairs of my previous favorite boots.

Purchased a pair of Panthers in October of 2010. By June of 2011 both boots had separated from the sole near the toes. I had called Zappos to see when I had purchased these, explained my issue, they offered to replace them on the spot. Incredible customer service! I have been breaking my 2nd pair in for the past week. Zappos felt the original boots were defective and gladly replaced them. I do believe this was a fluke as I've owned other hiking boots from Zamberlan which have many miles on them and they are in perfect condition. Very comfortable as it seems the original pair took longer to break in. This is possibly because I'm already used to this model. I love them, just hope they last.

I only put these on once and walked around the house a little to realize they were a bit more boot than I really need. They feel very comfy and cushy going on, the calf skin lining should prevent any wear from the inside out, but makes these a little bit heavy and warm. They're also very high, lots of protection if you need it! They kind of feel like big, puffy moon boots. They look OK, the dark brown color isn't especially pretty. My feet are a little wider than average, not much, but sometimes it's an issue but not with these boots.

I have owned these boots 6-9 months and they are the best boots ever. Pricey but worth every penny. You can walk for hours and no foot fatigue.

Very good boot. I'm a bit of a Zamberlan whore but these boots justify it. I also have the Panther's and while I love those, they are not so good for true off trail hiking in tall grass or brush (seeds and burs get into the boot due to their low height). Very comfortable right out of the box. The soles are a soft-ish sticky rubber which gave me critical grip of some very steep, dusty, loose rock terrain. I like to hike steep terrain and needed a pair of boots that I could count on and these proved themselves worthy. You just cannot beat Italian craftsmanship.

Great boots! No break in, and very comfortable,and stable. Wore them non-stop last year on the Montana rocky mountain front hunting elk, and mule deer. Perfect for medium to heavy packs in on, or off trail conditions.

Amazing boot. These are the most comfortable, best supporting middle weight boot I've ever worn. The foot bed actually seems to spring you forward when walking. I've owned Asolo, Merrell, and Lowa boots and these are the hands down winner. I'm going to buy more Zamberlan's and hope they feel as good as these.

I read about these boots in Backpacker Magazine's review. It came highly recommended. I was concerned because they come in medium width only, and I am usually a 9EE. I ordered the 9.5 and have hiked in them a few miles, and they are comfortable right out of the box without any hot spots so far. They give good support and when crossing streams, the water just falls off of the surface and keeps my feet dry. Good support in rocky terrain and both during a climb and descent. Recommend them highly.

I read about these boots in Backpacker Magazine's review. It came highly recommended. I was concerned because they come in medium width only, and I am usually a 9EE. I ordered the 9.5 and have hiked in them a few miles, and they are comfortable right out of the box without any hot spots so far. They give good support and when crossing streams, the water just falls off of the surface and keeps my feet dry. Good support in rocky terrain and both during a climb and descent. Recommend them highly.

Zamberlan VIOZ GT vs the Asolo TPS 520 - my review. Okay, as far as heavy duty backpacking boots made of leather there is not a huge selection out there for us girls. I purchased both of these boots (The Asolo's from REI with my dividend - yeah! and the Zamberlan Vioz from Zappos). I took days deciding and wearing them around my house (on carpet of course!). Let me compare the two. Comfort: Zamberlan VIOZ - Feel custom made as soon as your slip your foot in. From toe to heel, they feel awesome. The Asolo's felt great at the heel, not so great at the ball of my foot. Zamberlan wins hands down for comfort. Sole: Zamberlan has a much more aggressive sole than the Asolo's. And also have a rocker sole that helps propel you forward a tad. Zamberlan wins here. Lacing system: Asolo wins. I felt I could lace them up better than the Zamberlans but it was not a huge difference. The hooks are bigger on the Asolo's too. Height: The Asolo's are about 1/2" higher up the ankle than the Zamberlans so this didn't make much difference. The Zamberlan has a little notch at the achilles, the Asolo does not. I did not notice a difference. I do feel that the Asolo felt slightly better around the ankle, but just slightly. Leather: Both felt the same. Nice quality. Both do not have a toe guard. Oh well, if you backpack they will get messed up anyways. Arch support: Zamberlan has better arch support period. But I plan on using my Superfeet inserts no matter what. Conclusion: I kept the Zamberlan's and returned the Asolo's. I went half size down to size 8 - I wear a liner and a thick hiking sock and it is perfect. Size 8.5 were way to big! Hope this helps you backpackers out there! I needed a sturdy boot to help me carry my 40 lb pack! Previous boots were Montrails (now Columbia) but sole is worn out and not enough support for week long trips in the backcountry.

Update - May 16, 2011 (See original posting below): I have been wearing these boots now for 13 1/2 months, on twice-a-week mountain hikes (6-9 miles each) with the neighborhood hiking club and doing yard work. Besides being a little dirty, they are as good as new, with very little sole wear. They remain solid and very comfortable. I was afraid Zamberlan might discontinue this boot, so I just purchased a second pair (the brown color this time). During the year, I have also purchased two pairs of Zamberlan low-top shoes and they are equally as comfortable and solid as the boots. Bottom line: Zamberlan footwear reflect Italian old-world quality...no cheap Chinese imports in their product line. And, Zappos rocks...great products and ultra-fast shipping! Posted: 4/16/10 Reviewer: Bill M from Hendersonville, NC Overall: Rated:5 stars! Comfort: Rated:5 stars! Style: Rated:5 stars! Shoe Size: Felt true to size Shoe Arch: Excellent arch support Shoe Width: Felt true to width When my old hiking boots began showing signs of impending demise, I was filled with dread. Finding shoes that fit well is difficult for me. Finding boots that fit correctly is almost impossible. Then, I read about these boots in the April 2010 issue of Backpacker magazine (they had awarded the 760 Steep their 2010 Editor's Choice Award). I was unfamiliar with the Zamberlan brand, but decided to give this boot a try; even though I wasn't particularly fond of the gray and red color (Zamberlan calls it "gray and amaranto"). That turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I wore the boots around the house for a couple of afternoons and that's all it took to break them in. On the third day, I wore the boots for 14 hours, in total comfort. The boots are amazingly comfortable on our western North Carolina mountain trails, which are steep and rocky. The boots offer great support and are as comfortable as house slippers! I used to come back from hikes and the first thing I wanted to do was take off my boots. Now, many times I just leave them on until time to go to bed. They are also totally waterproof, allowing water crossings almost up to the top of the boot. On a recent hike, I intentionally stood in flowing water for about 5 minutes, just to put the waterproofing to the test. I emerged perfectly dry. One of the Backpacker magazine testers put a pair of these boots on, right out of the box, and went on a two-week expedition in an Alaskan mountain range. He crossed glaciers, climbed in crampons and hiked 50 miles across soggy tundra with a 70 pound pack. His conclusion: "This boot delivers tank-like support and stability, with Cadillac comfort". The magazine review said, "It's not the lightest or most affordable new mid weight (boot), just the best...spend a little extra on this boot. Your feet will thank us later." I definitely concur with that statement! By the way, these boots are handcrafted in Italy...and it shows. And, oh yes, the bright read color becomes much more muted, after a few stream crossings and trips down the trail! I would give this boot six stars, if I could!

After breaking my foot last year, I needed a boot that gave great support. I got it with great comfort too.