Velasca Resegott Review: The Ultimate Italian Alpine Hiking Boot

I’m not a huge hiker. But I’m a big fan of boots. 

Most hiking boots available today look super technical and boast all sorts of fabrics and materials that end with the letter “X.”

But where are all the traditional hiking boots? You know, the ones that crazy guys back in the 70s would wear when they threw on a few sweatshirts, a pair of sunglasses, and climbed Everest?

I’ve been looking for a Euro-style Alpine hiking boot that has that old-school construction, but a modern aesthetic. 

And when I saw the Velasca Resegott, I picked it up right away. After testing it out in the snow and on the trails for a few months, I finally have a verdict on the quality of this boot.

Velasca Resegott Overview

The Velasca Resegott is an Italian Alpine hiking boot with its roots in traditional boot-making history. Unlike many modern hiking boots, the Resegott isn’t decked out with super modern materials to make it lighter or more water-resistant: it’s all old school.

Instead of Poron and Gore-Tex, this boot is all leather, cotton, metal, and rubber. And that’s awesome.

The Resegott is a hiker for those who love quality boots. And because it has a slim, stylish silhouette, you can wear it as a casual boot, too. 

Because it’s more traditional, it’s also more durable than many similarly priced boots—thick leather and heavy rubber don’t break down easily, and neither will the Resegott. 

Things to Consider Before Buying

The Velasca Resegott is a fantastic boot if you’re looking for a stylish boot that’s sturdy enough to tackle a 10 mile hike (or 15 km). 

But it’s not the boot I’d pick for long, multi-day journeys over 30 miles (~50 km). 

I’m not a serious hiker. But I do love a strenuous all day hike every few months, and at least one shorter, easy hike per month. 

I don’t need all the lightweight, super waterproof materials found in most modern hiking boots. I’d rather wear something that still looks stylish for the post-hike beers at my local brewery. 

For these reasons, the Velasca Resegott is my go-to hiking boot. It offers tons of traction, is comfortable, virtually waterproof, and it looks fantastic with shorts or a pair of jeans.

My Hands-On Review

First Impression

I picked up the Velasca Resegott in the Dark Brown Greased Suede option, though there are a few full grain leather options I was tempted by.

Ultimately, I chose the Greased Suede because it has an added layer of weatherproofing and I plan on wearing these boots through several streams and mud-puddles in the future. 

I have maybe a dozen pairs of boots that I wear for style, so I was really looking for functionality with the Resegott. But I was surprised at how stylish it is. 

The toe box and mid-foot is much more narrow than I expected, and the end-result is a hiking boot that I’m happy to wear with jeans as part of a casual outfit. We’ve had a few snowstorms in North Carolina since these boots arrived, and they’ve been my go-to for my walks to the local coffee shop.

Velasca has some of the best packaging I’ve ever seen, and they send along an extra pair of laces (in red). I took off the brown laces and have been rocking the red laces for that full Alpine hiker look.

Leather Quality and Care

Velasca uses thick vegetable tanned leather for their boots, and the Resegott with Greased Suede has been holding up well against some tough weather. 

I opted for the Greased Suede because it doesn’t require much care, and it’s a bit more rugged and water-resistant than the smooth full grain leather options. 

The upper leather is 2mm thick, and there’s a 1mm suede leather lining throughout the entire boot. 

There’s a smooth leather cuff around the ankle and the tongue is gusseted all the way to the top of the ankle, which is a huge benefit if you plan on hiking in these boots because it lowers the chances of water seeping in at the tongue. 

With 3mm of total leather (plus there’s a waterproof membrane between the upper and lining), these boots are plenty thick enough to keep water out and to keep your feet warm in winter. 

I’m impressed with the leather quality—it feels substantial, and I really enjoy how it’s creasing and developing a patina. 

Because it’s oiled suede, care is easy. Your best option is to just brush the boots down with a damp rag to remove dirt. I’m going to re-wax these boots maybe once a year with Otterwax Fabric Wax. But that’s only if I do a lot of hiking—otherwise, they may only need a re-waxing every 18-24 months. Like I said, these boots are built tough with resilient materials, so they really don’t need much care. 

Sole

The Resegott features a Vibram Carrarmato heavy rubber lug sole. “Carrarmato” means tank tread, and the name makes a lot of sense.

Interestingly, this is the sole that the founder of Vibram invented after six of his friends died Alpine hiking due to inadequate footwear. 

He created something that could dig into snow, ice, and mud. The first climber to summit K2 was wearing this kind of sole. 

So yes, if it can summit K2, it has enough traction for my 3-mile trail hikes in North Carolina. 

The Resegott features a double-stitched stitchdown construction, which is a traditional method of boot making, and one that’s sturdy, reliable, and recraftable. 

When you combine the oiled leather and this construction method, it’s very unlikely that water will seep into your boot, even if you’re standing in water for a while. 

The insole and midsole are both made with leather as well, which means the boot does take a little time to break in, but it’s very durable. The Resegott also features a steel shank for support and stability. 

The downside to all this leather and rubber is that it’s heavy for a hiking boot. My more modern Vasque Clarion 88’s weigh about 550 grams per boot, while my Velasca Resegott’s weigh 815 grams per boot. That’s about 67% heavier, which can add up if you’re doing a really long hike (usually only overnighters and long treks). 

I’ve actually found the extra weight beneficial, as it’s been helping the traction I get in the snow and ice. The extra weight isn’t really noticeable on a day to day basis—especially if you’re wearing them casually. I don’t even notice the weight difference on my 5-10 mile hikes. But if you’re a serious hiker and have a major expedition planned, you may want something more lightweight. 

Fit and Sizing

Since Velasca is an Italian company, their sizing is all European. I’m normally a size 10.5 in US men’s sneakers, so I picked up the 10.5 Euro equivalent, 43.5. 

Because the Resegott is a bit wider at the ball of the foot, I think I probably could’ve gotten a 43 and the fit would have been slightly better, but I also wanted more space because my feet typically start swelling a bit after several miles of walking. It’s not a huge difference, but I’m happy with my choice. 

Because I opted for a looser fit, the break in took a few wears (more on that later), though that’s nothing a thick pair of socks can’t help with. 

Velasca makes it easy to find the right size boot for your foot if you’re US based. Check their size chart to find your corresponding size. 

If you’ve shopped for boots often, you know that in the US, boot sizes are usually a half-size smaller than what you’d get for sneakers. 

You can follow that same sizing here. So if you’re a 10, order a half-size smaller than you normally would (that’s a 9.5, or in Euro sizing, a 42.5). 

Or you can do what I did if you plan on hitting longer trails with these and just order your sneaker size (so if you’re a 10 in sneakers, you’d order a size 43 in Euro sizing). 

Break-in Period

As I mentioned above, I picked up a half-size larger than I normally would with a pair of boots to account for the slight foot swelling that happens on longer hikes. 

This led to a harsher break in period than I get with many boots, but it was nothing unbearable, or even that uncomfortable.

I had some rubbing at the balls of my feet, and the collar rubbed at my ankle on my first hike. After that first five mile hike, I didn’t have any issues with this boot. 

The Greased Suede is quite supple and flexible, so it doesn’t put up too much resistance. 

There’s a period of time where your foot settles into the leather insole and midsole. It can feel stiff at the beginning, but I think the long-term benefits of a custom-fitted insole are well worth the slightly uncomfortable first hike. 

What do Other Reviewers Say?

While I practiced my Italian as much as I could when I visited, I’m not proficient enough to read through the dozens of five-star Italian reviews, so I’ll have to stick with what’s written in English (though, like I said, the Italian reviews are all 5-star). 

One reviewer on Velasca’s site said these are built with similar quality to Danner hiking boots, but much more fashion-forward. 

For the most part, I agree with that, though I think the Velasca Resegott actually has superior construction as it features a double-stitch attaching the upper to the sole and has more leather compared to the Danner Mountain Light (a $400 comparable Danner boot). 

My Thoughts Overall

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