Best Italian Hiking Boot Brands: List of Top 10

The Alps — the greatest mountain range in Europe — runs through most of northern Italy. Because of this, the country has a rich tradition of mountaineering, hiking, and trekking. If you’re planning to conquer any height or walk any sort of terrain, you can count on these Italian hiking boot brands to keep your feet safe and warm.

There are 10 of them in total, each with different price points and individual characteristics. Nevertheless, they’re all the best that the market has to offer.

See for yourself!

Top 10 Best Italian Hiking Boot Brands to Consider for Your Next Hiking Trip

1. SCARPA (1938)

SCARPA hiking boots

SCARPA – an acronym of “Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima” – is one of the most storied brand in the hiking boot scene. It was founded in 1938 at the foot of the great Dolomites by Edward Cecil Lee Guinness.

In 1956, the Parisotto family purchased SCARPA. It’s through their leadership that the brand has reached the level of prestige it enjoys today.

SCARPA’s products – both before and today – are known for their superior lightness and comfort. The materials used in their products are high-quality and have been engineered to be as light as possible without compromising strength.

Their boots also have ample paddings, making them a great choice for long-range hikes.

If you care about the environment, you’ll also like SCARPA, too. They’re quite environmentally conscious and have done a decent job at disposing of waste in their factories.

2. Zamberlan (1929)

Zamberlan hiking boots

Zamberlan is the company for you if you want a multi-functional pair of Italian hiking shoes. Their products always have a great blend between functionalism and style. So, your shoes won’t end up in a closet somewhere if you’re not going hiking. You can rock them with style in your day-to-day life, too!

The secret? Leather. Zamberlan’s boots are mostly constructed from premium leather and their shine will definitely get you a compliment or two.

But boots themselves aren’t the only thing that defines the brand. The company’s also famous for its Hydrobloc® leather condition cream. Spray a bit on your shoes every once in a while and the cream can keep the leather in good condition while warding off the water.

Zamberlan was founded in 1929 by Giuseppe Zamberlan — a cobbler with a dream of his footwear being the first choice for hikers. He clearly succeeded.

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3. AKU (1990s)

AKU hiking boots

In the 80s, Galliano Bordin created “DINSPORT” in Montebelluna, Italy. Since he later found the name of the company to be a little bit difficult for people to remember, it eventually changed to “AKU”.

AKU is a fairly traditional company at heart. Being a fairly traditional company, AKU puts a strong emphasis on craftsmanship — a good thing. Every boot model has been raved on by professional reviewers and hikers alike, praising them for having good ergonomics and durability.

AKU works well with other brands. They incorporate technologies like Gore-Tex coating, Vibram sole, and PrimaLoft insulation to give their boots a better edge against competitors. Despite these techs being fairly common in the industry, they further improve the already excellent quality of AKU’s boots.

4. La Sportiva (1928)

La Sportiva hiking boots

Narciso Delladio — an Italian shoemaker — founded “Calzoleria Sportiva” in 1928. Its business was building leather boots and wooden clogs for farmers.

These days, La Sportiva still produces work boots. However, they have long switched their focus toward producing footwear designed specifically for mountain sports.

But they don’t just manufacture footwear alone. La Sportiva’s catalog also consists of clothing, accessories, and many other items that a hiker will need on the trail, as well. You’ll find products in various budget ranges, styles, and for all ages and genders.

Basically, La Sportiva is a one-stop shop for all of your mountain-climbing needs!

5. Garmont (1964)

Garmont hiking boots

Similar to Zamberlan, Garmont is a footwear manufacturer that makes multi-purpose shoes and boots. You can wear their boots on the trail as well as in daily life. Their catalog is quite diverse with a variety of models. Each one is available in different colors and patterns.

Garmont gives you the choice to scale mountains in style, which is pretty rare for a mountain sports footwear company. Most just offer boots in bare leather or traditional colorings such as olive drab, tan, or black. Obviously, these aren’t the most flattering of colors.

Garmont’s motto encompasses its dedication towards bringing professional-level mountain sports footwear to the everyday folks very well: “No need to be extraordinary, to do extraordinary things.”

As a company, Garmont was founded in 1964 in Montebelluna.

6. Asolo (1975)

Asolo hiking boots

If you love traveling as much as you love mountaineering, take Asolo into consideration.

Asolo’s focus lies not just in mountain sport, but also in urban environments, as well. Wearing their shoes and walking boots, you can traverse any kind of terrain from the rocky ground of the Alps to the paved asphalt of Rome.

Asolo does a great job at innovating their products both in terms of design and performance. Each model has a different look than the last and typically has a good blend between modern-style shoes and more traditional ones.

Performance-wise, Asolo often incorporates new techs like Vibram to their products for greater quality.

7. Gronell (1957)

Gronell hiking boots

If you’re a professional mountain climber looking for a reliable pair of boots, then Gronell is a good Italian hiking boot maker to check out. The company instantly shows where its focus lies with the term “Technical mountain boots” underneath its logo.

Many of the company’s designs are worn and favored by technical climbers around the world. That’s all thanks to their boots’ nice blend between functionality and aesthetics. They’re comfortable to wear and have excellent durability. Their designs are often elegant and eye-catching, as well.

Gronell’s story began in 1957 with Nello Grossule. Today, the company is headed by Mario Grossule, who is Nello’s son.

8. Crispi (1975)

Crispi hiking boots

Maximum safety for the wearer is the foremost mantra of Crispi. They produce a wide range of boots for hiking, mountain-climbing, hunting to simple outdoor shoes and snow boots.

Every model is built to be as durable and protective as they can. The materials are shock-absorbing and can protect your feet from the dangers of the trail. Outsoles are often designed to be grippy on all manners of terrains to prevent you from slipping and falling. For cold-weather boots, extra insulation is added to safeguard you from hypothermia or frostbite.

Overall, the innovation and dedication that Crispi puts into their boots are the things that have made it shine.

Crispi began as a small artisan workshop in Veneto, founded by Alessandro Marcolin in 1975.

9. Diemme (1992)

Diemme hiking boots

Functional, but no less stylish, Diemme is the best Italian boot brand for low to medium-intensity outdoor expeditions.

In its portfolio are heavy mountain boots as well as lightweight sneakers. Designers at Diemme often combine the two types of footwear together to create some very shoes and boots.

You’ll find models that are comfortable to wear but have the performance and durability to keep up with you on the most treacherous of trails.

Diemme has been around since the 90s and was founded by the two brothers Dennis and Maico Signor.

10. Fitwell (1979)

Fitwell hiking boots

Fitwell, like other brands on this list, produces some of the best made-in Italy shoes and boots for mountain sport out there. The company has led the pack on several occasions with some truly creative and unique designs.

The Fitwell Backcountry is a good example of this. It combines the ruggedness of mountaineering boots and the comfort and insulation of snowboarding boots. The result is an excellent pair of boots that mountaineers and snowboarders alike can use (and love!)

Fitwell’s catalog has many more designs that are just as great. Reviews for every boot model — new and old —have always been high since its founding in 1979.

Final Words

A decent pair of boots is essential for any hiker, trail runner, or anyone who wishes to venture off the beaten path. These 10 Italian hiking boot brands are all great places to start the search for a pair of your own.

Tell us in the comment which brand is your favorite! Plus, have you ever had any experience with them? We’d love to hear your stories in the comment section down below!

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