Zamberlan's Sequoia boots scream quality from the first outing. They have been designed for durability in the rough and tumble of outdoor life and Zamberlan claim that they're ideal for outdoor work applications where extended hiking is involved so they should be good for a mile or two. Despite being built to last they've got a light feeling on the foot and a half pair weighs in at 725g in a size 10, not super light but a reasonable weight for a fully featured leather boot. And that leather has classic good looks and is of a great quality, being full grain soft tumbled with a Hydrobloc treatment as a first defence. If water creeps beyond the leather outer, then the Gore-Tex comfort liner deals with the onset of wetness and you can gleefully dance through puddles and mud without worrying about squelchy toes. The ankle is mid rise and the boot is fairly slim fitting so when you cinch the laces up it feels like a second skin rather than an uncomfortable hoof. The tongue and ankle detailing, stitching and cushioning is particularly good making for a very comfortable wear in that area. We chose a size EU45 for the Sequoia which makes them a UK10.5 or thereabouts and should have sized up, as the narrow, tapered toe box didn't allow for much wiggle room eventually leading to hot spots around the extents of the little and big toes. Sizing up might well alleviate the pressure on this area. The boot feels pretty neutral to walk in without the pronounced roll of some hiking footwear but still with some good energy in the mid sole and easy toe off. They are equally as average on the stiffness front and are quickly and easily broken in. Stability is good along the outsole from the heel strike through to toe off and the sole itself deals with forestry tracks, muddy trails and grass well but isn't so proficient on slippery rocks and tree roots.
The resounding feeling after a full day hiking in the Sequoia is one of a genuinely high-quality footwear product that's been built to eat up the miles and last. If you're usually between sizes we'd recommend picking the larger size to cater for the narrow Italian last.
