From 1965 to 1980 we used to sell various models of Fabiano boots at Skimeister Sport Shop in N Woodstock, NH. Their suede lightweight hiking boots were of an exceptional high quality that wore and fit people very well. They offered 3 widths, which most companies don't do, and we appreciated the continuous years of quality that Fabiano provided in these boots. We are sorry to hear they are out of business.

Summer season - 4 to 8 mile hikes 2 - 3 times a week on steep talus, scree, stoney river bottoms, and tundra - no trails. Pack wt. : usually 0, sometimes 15 to 35 lbs. of photo equipment.

Have used a pair of similar Fabianos for about 10 years -- the Vibram soles are worn flat, holes worn in the sides -- but for ridge climbing, steep talus and scree, tundra hummocks, and cobbled river bottoms I feel these are hard to beat. Plastic boots won't yield to my wide feet, and lightweight boots do not offer the needed support.

I'm ready for another pair.

Customer Service

No service needed

Similar Products Used:

Assorted nylon/rubber lightweights

I have owned a pair of Fabiano Montagnas for thirty years, and they are still the most comfortable, most durable boots I have ever owned. They fit well the first time on, and continue to do so.

Similar Products Used:

None

Mountain master rebuttal

Customer Service

It's a shame that people take to the internet to ruthlessly slander another persons name rather than confront the person directly.

My family sold boots in the outdoor industry for over 40 years and i can honestly say that our staying power was not attributed to our being "rude jerks".

It was about a company made up of family who stood on the loading docks taking boots off a truck, unpacking and inspecting those boots, answering the phones to speak with all our customers both retail stores and individual consumers, and staying after hours to finish up any and all other aspects of the day to day operations of running a company. It was about a lifetime commitment to a company built by our father and his father before him.

We took it all, both the good and the bad and never once did we insinuate that we were perfect. If a customer called up with words of praise, they talked to a Fabiano. Likewise if a customer called up with a complaint, they talked to a Fabiano. We were a wholesaler/distributor, but we also spent alot of time fielding calls from individual consumers who had questions and concerns and in each and every case, they spoke to a Fabiano. We never hid behind an automated answering service or hired a fall guy to take customer complaints. We did it ourselves.

As to the individual complaints posted by this particular customer, I will not use a public forum to argue the credibilty of his statements. My e-mail address is posted above and he can contact me any time he wants.

Fabiano Shoe Co. closed it's doors in early 1999 when the italian manufacturer chose to pursue other distribution avenues. My brother and I walked away with our heads held high knowing that although we may not have been perfect and we could not be all things to all people, we gave that business 1000% of our blood sweat and tears and did the best damn job that we were capable of doing.

Similar Products Used:

None

This is really an old fashioned mountaineering boot, which limits the use you'll get from it. It is too heavy and stiff for general backpacking and the really stiff heel can make for nasty blisters. I would also suggest this boot be used by clydesdales only (200 lbs and up). However, I do use this boot extensively for snow hiking and climbing. Jam on double wool socks and a heavy pack and go all day (this is not a technical mountaineering boot, it only accepts strap-ons). For this usage, it has been very durable and dependable, however it is a narrow range of use.

Customer Service

The retailer was only selling this boot to folks over 200 lbs!

Similar Products Used:

Vasque, OneSport

After I finally got a pair that did not have a defect I have come to appreciate these boots for their comfort and support. This is my 4th pair of fabiano boots and my last. Although these are good boots i have some problems with the leather inside wearing on the heal after a 30 mile hike on the AT i wore a hole on the leather liner at the heal. I thought i was buying the best boots i could get without going custom i was wrong now use these around the house for yard work and use a pair af danners for my hiking.

Customer Service

Never in my life have i dealt with worse customer support. I had to order these boots since no one kept them in stock(i was told they were too expensive to have in stock). So i paid for the boots and they took an outline of my feet along with my size and faxed all this to fabiano. One month later my boots were here i went and picked them up wore them for 1 day and took them back because the heal cup came around too far on the left boot and dug into my foot. My retailer agreed there was a defect and returned them to fabiano who said they would not accept them because they had been worn. Myretailer wanting to keep my business ate the cost and had another pair sent. This pair and i use that term loosely came and i tried them on and found that the left boot was 2 cm longer than the right boot and the lace loops on the right boot were a good 1.5 cm farther apart than on the left boot so needless to say they didnt feel right. My retailer returned these also and was told by fabiano that the right boot had been stretched and would not accept this pair either. I promised my retailer that i had not stretched the boots well in this case just the right one. I was leaving for England and needed these boots for some hiking i was going to do there and 2.5 months had passed since i ordered these boots and personally called fabiano to get me a new pair as quickly as possible. I ended up talking to Ed Fabiano who was the rudest jerk i have ever talked to in my life who told me i had caused one of his retailers to lose out on two pairs oif boots we had it out i told him he needed to bump up his quality control and he actualy told me the boots were made in Italy and he had no control over the production of the boots. I reminded him that it was his name on the outside of the boots.
So in summary fabiano has the worst customer support in the world even when you talk to Fabiano himself they have no care whatsoever in making the customer happy and i hope that other potential customers will read this and even if they like the boots get another brand because no one deserves to be in business who doesnt care about the people who count , the customer!

Similar Products Used:

Merrel Asolo other fabiano and Scarpa boots like the delta and Rio