REASONS TO BUY
Leather conforms to foot for awesome fit
Outstanding traction
Superior durability
Armor-like foot protection
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Overkill for casual hiking
Slow to dry after full saturation or submerging
Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX Review
A rugged, burly leather workhorse of a boot that will conform to your foot and protect you from sharp sticks and rocks over the roughest terrain
Credit: Chris Maxcer
By Chris Maxcer ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ October 21, 2025
RELATED: The Best Hiking Boots for Men
Our Verdict
The Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX is the most durable hiking boot for dense forests and mountainous terrain. Its thick full-grain leather upper shrugs off sharp sticks and rocks with ease, while the stiff footbed with a forward-rocker anatomical fit makes this heavy boot cruise on trails in surprising comfort. The Gore-Tex liner keeps your feet dry even when the leather gets saturated on rainy days. The most inspiring feature of this boot, however, is the traction. The aggressive lugs bite on the uphill and brake on wicked-steep downhill descents, delivering surefooted confidence when you need it the most. Aside from the premium price point, the biggest drawback is the weight — these boots are heavy. Still, sturdy laces and metal eyelets round out this rugged boot, making it one of the most durable we've ever tested. It's a winner for hikers and backpackers who go hard, explore far off beaten path, and blow out the seams of lesser boots.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Handcrafted in Italy, the Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX handles cushioning quite differently from many of today's newest hiking boots: Instead of offering up a wide and fat cushy foam midsole that tries to absorb all shock, Zamberlan shapes the boot, from the footbed to the upper, to cradle and support the entire foot. The result allows the architecture of the foot to absorb shock — supported by contact throughout the boot. These boots don't feel like marshmallows for your feet, but our feet aren't tired after long, hard days either.
The Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX is easily the best boot we've tested for side-hill traverses in steep forested environments. The traction and support inspires confidence with each step.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Comfort
The Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX leaves the box with an interior anatomical foot-like shape. Most new boots these days seem to err toward vague shapes that easily accommodate many different foot types, making them versatile and offensive to no one. The Vioz, on the other hand, starts out a bit snugger than many boots… and the outstanding fit and comfort come into play once the leather has softened, broken in, and conformed to each foot. For those with slightly differently shaped feet, you might not have to size up in these boots just to give one foot more room — because the leather might conform over time for you.
Overall, the fit is a bit narrow, but Zamberlan does offer a wide version, so if you have wide feet, go with the “ZWL” or “WL,” which represents the Zamberlan Wide Last version.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Support
The 6-inch ankle height of the 996 Vioz GTX is comparatively short to many other mountain-focused boots, but it's a bit taller than many “mid” hiking boot options. The result gives you more agility than taller mountain boots and greater stability than shorter, lighter boots. We think Zamberlan nailed an impressive balance with its ankle height.
Of course, there's more to support than ankle height. The lacing system extends well forward over the forefoot, letting us dial in the snugness throughout. This lockdown kept our foot firmly connected to the stiff sole, letting us navigate steep slopes with surefooted ease. We could step on small rock ledges or exposed roots with just a portion of a sole and find good stability. The stiffness of the sole excelled in forested environments with lots of plant matter to contend with — and even navigating rocky trails — but it felt less agile while smearing along granite slabs or hopping through boulder fields. Meanwhile, the forward-rocker shape of the sole makes this a good boot for knocking out miles on easier trails.
Despite the comparatively stiff leather, the forward rocker footbed eases heel-to-toe transitions. Because of the rocker, this boot is a good option for backpackers who need to pound out the miles under heavy loads.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Traction
The traction of the exclusive Zamberlan Vibram 3D outsoles in thick forests is outstanding — the best of the best. The widely spaced aggressive lugs bite through anything soft while also shedding mud and packed dirt along the way, keeping them clean and ready to work. The stiff footbed makes side-hill traverses a joy, but the 996 Vioz claim to fame comes from its stellar vertical descent traction. These boots feel like they have mountain goat brakes. Very impressive.
Sadly, the traction was just average on slick wet rock, but very few boots do well on wet rock, so we don't hold this against them. One thing to remember is that these boots are not as agile as those with flexible soles, which has pros and cons. Unlike flexible-soled boots that require us to match the angles of slopes, these Zamberlan boots let us attack slopes because we often only need a portion of the sole to bite to give us stable footing. The downside is that the traction is less playful if you like exploring boulders, walking across logs, or scrambling up granite pitches.
The very aggressive heel lugs bit through loose material better than all other boots we tested, giving us surefooted confidence in situations where other boots with flatter soles tended to skid.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Water Resistance
The Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX boots are some of the most water-resistant, waterproof boots we tested. Our flood height was a very tall 6.75 inches, meaning you can cross shallow streams without fear of wetting your socks.
It takes a long time for the leather to become saturated, but once they do, these boots lose what little breathability they had, so they can become kind of muggy due to your own feet producing water vapor. So while they're waterproof, for long-term backpacking in the rain, they'll be slow to dry out overnight, which could be a buying factor for wet trips or constantly wet environments where synthetic boots can dry out faster.
While the leather is water-resistant, the true waterproofing comes from the interior Gore-Tex Performance Comfort membrane.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Weight
Our only issue with the 996 Vioz is the weight. Weighing in at 4.2 pounds per pair in our tester's size 14, these boots weigh twice as much as ultralight hiking boots. Over many miles, that extra weight can contribute to fatigue.
The weight of these boots is only worth it if you need to carry heavy loads backpacking, are hiking through dense, gnarly undergrowth, if you need to climb steep mountains, or you have weak ankles and need the form-fitting support of the full-grain leather uppers.
Unfortunately, all that durable, supportive leather weighs more than synthetics, making these boots nearly twice as heavy as ultralight options.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Durability
The durability of the Zamberlan Vioz leather boots is truly outstanding. The leather upper is ridiculously strong, and the build quality throughout is amazing. The metal eyelets are among the toughest we've ever tested, easily outlasting fabric eyelets in lightweight boots.
The leather doesn't have a rubber toe rand, which means you'll nick it up if you tend to kick alpine rocks a lot; however, we have been surprised at the thickness of the leather and its ability to last, despite some cosmetic scratches.
The nearly one-piece leather upper wraps around the boot, leaving no seams for sticks to attack with each step. The most exposed seams are tucked safely behind the boot, increasing long-term durability.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Our lead tester, Chris, mentions, “Before officially testing this new pair for this review, I wore the 996 as a personal boot for 6 years, logging hundreds of miles in nasty, rugged Idaho terrain. I experienced zero issues. Very impressive.”
These photos show how well the author's first pair of Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX boots have held up after nearly 900 logged miles over difficult terrain in the Northwest.
Should You Buy the Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX?
Choose the 996 Vioz if you want a burly, waterproof boot that can take beating no matter what mountainous terrain you want to explore. It's particularly great in steep forested environments, offers excellent stability for those with weak ankles, is insanely comfortable once the leather breaks in, and it boasts brag-worthy durability. It's a bit much for casual day hikes, though, so choose this boot for more hardcore hiking.
The Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX boots aren't particularly agile for messing around.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
What Other Hiking Boots Should You Consider?
The taller Salomon Quest 4 Gore-Tex offers extra ankle support and costs less while the Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX is a better choice for mountain climbing above the treeline. If you fear the weight and want something supportive but also cushiony, check out the versatile Hoka Kaha 3 GTX.
No matter where you want to go, the long-lasting 996 Vioz GTX can likely get you there.
Credit: Chris Maxcer
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX versus top competing products:
—Chris Maxcer
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