With extra weight comes a comfortable and supportive yet hard-wearing full-grain leather walking boot offering good grip.
The Zamberlan Viox GTX has previously appeared on our guide to the best hiking boots, which means it must be good! The Zamberlan Viox GTX is made from full-grain leather, meaning it requires a little more ‘breaking in’ than the other models. It also provides more natural waterproofing than synthetic materials, and is harder-wearing, but this is set against the weight. Part of the weight is due to the thickness of the leather: 2.4-2.6mm across the boot.
Price: £235 | Weight: 1280g per pair (size 39) | Materials: Leather | Features: Gore-Tex Performance Comfort lining, Vibram 3D sole, female-specific fit | Sizes: EU 36-43 with half sizes | Men’s version: Yes
The Vibram sole has a deep and featured tread, with an undercut heel to help grip on steep descents. There is a comfortable feel to the ankle collar, with a nice amount of support from the shaping.
As well as the leather, the boot has a Gore-Tex Performance Comfort lining, which really keeps the bog at bay. The lacing uses metal eyelets and a broad hook at the ankle to cinch in the heel and keep it in place throughout the day, with a couple more cleats to tune the fit higher up.
The female-specific footbed isn’t something that suited my wide feet, with very structured arch support and a slight rise under the forefoot. However, as women generally have narrower feet, I can see it working for others. Overall, this is a solid boot. Once broken in, it should provide many comfortable and dry years of service.
