Small but Dolo-mighty

Whether you are rough shooting, walking-up or stalking, you need a stout pair of boots. Matt Cross thinks he’s found the perfect pair

Ilove good boots; to be precise, I love a certain type of high-ankle, stiff-soled, full-grain leather boots that can tackle anything short of technical mountaineering. I’ve worn this type of boot since my teens; I have shot in them, stalked in them, beat in them, climbed Skye’s Inaccessible Pinnacle in them. They do take an amount of getting used to — they don’t flex in the sole like most boots do; instead, they rock forward, which feels unnatural at first. They are also heavier and warmer than more flexible boots.

I’ve had eyewateringly expensive Italian ones bought brand new, cheap army surplus ones broken in by the German army’s elite mountain troops — those boots did a season then were thrown out — and all shades in between. For years I have been a fan of the boots made by one of the big German companies, but now I have been won over by the Italians.

Boots like these are much more capable than “trekking” or “hiking” versions. They offer more ankle support, allow you to kick your toe into snow or really steep ground, and they make rocky scrambles and steep traverses much easier. A stiff-soled boot allows you to perch your toe on a rocky ledge and stand up; it is the opposite of how a climbing shoe works but is effective. The stiff soles allow you to traverse steep slopes on the edges of your soles. If you are out on big hills, in the winter, a good pair of mountain boots will make all the difference to your safety and success.

32 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE

Most of the best-quality mountain boots in the world come from Germany and Italy. A small group of companies have the expertise in design, skilled workers and easy access to the kind of terrain necessary to test their boots. One of those companies is the Italian firm Zamberlan, whose factory is at the base of the limestone mountains

“The Piccole Dolomiti are serious mountains and need serious boots to tackle them”

called the Piccole Dolomiti in northern Italy. The Piccole Dolomiti are not as impressive as their larger cousins, the Dolomites, but they are serious mountains nonetheless and need serious boots to tackle them.

Zamberlan is a third-generation family firm that has built a name for superb quality. Touring the factory with Marco Zamberlan, the grandson of the founder, it is easy to see how