There's a lot to be said for a classic leather walking boot but you don't often find one as light as Zamberlan's full grain leather Ultra Lite GT RR. True to the name, the Ultra Lite RR is only a tad over a kilo a pair (1090g) which is pretty appealing for this quality of boot, built not in the far east but right in Zamberlan's home country of Italy.
Durability is superb thanks to top notch build quality, premium leather and a full wrap rubber rand which protects the lower portion of the boot from scuffs. The leather is specifically picked by Zamberlan for its high abrasion resistance too.
Fit is mid width and there's a bit of volume to cater for a range of foot shapes. The lacing opens right down to the lower portion of your foot but you have five closely spaced eyelets here to contend with when cinching up so you still need to grab the laces lower down the foot to tighten that area.
Up the top of the boot the ankle and tongue are only lightly cushioned, so comfort takes a knock but still sits in line with other lightweight walking boots. The mid stiff sole is suitable for countryside walks, coastal walks and UK hill walking and offers a stable platform with little trail feel through the bottom of the boot.
Over rocky ground we found the boots slightly lacking in stability, we think a boot sitting at the stiff or soft extremes would do much better here so as to either contour around the rocks or offer a plank like platform to walk over them.
The sole unit feels quite lively, the forefoot takes on a convex shape so you roll out of the step and into toe off. This is an acquired taste, but we find it helps maintain pace when you're walking, if you're more of a plodder a flatter profile will offer more stability.
Ankle height is a smidgen lower than most mid boots so if you're looking for weather protection to take you into the winter months then you might find the Ultra Lite GT RR lacking slightly in that regard.
Under foot, the Vibram sole inspires confidence but isn't quite as sticky as the soles on the similar Scarpa Terra GTX on slick surfaces. A decent heel brake helps control grip on descents and the lug depth is above average for lightweight boots at 5mm.
Overall, a classic three season hill and fell walking boot that screams quality and performs well given the right conditions.
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