Lowa Renegade Gtx Mid Sp Hiking Boots Review
We tried out the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots forth the Severn Style in Gloucestershire and in the Lake Commune, to see if they could go our next 'get to' footwear for adventuring around the world and hither at home. We're also giving away i pair of Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots – you tin can enter the giveaway at the cease of this post!
Hiking is one of life's greatest pleasures, along with strawberry mojitos and cowboy movies. At that place'due south no better way to explore the great outdoors than by pulling on a pair of boots and heading to the hills. Yet the decidedly unappealing prospect of blisters later just a couple of miles, and that lovely awareness of water slowly seeping in to drench your socks is enough to put anyone off! Living in the Lake District we've come to depend on our boots. Not merely for beingness out and about in the hills, merely besides for day-to-day living with our changeable and often wet Nifty British weather. It isn't called the Lake Commune for zippo. So understandably, when we do find a super comfy and durable pair of hiking boots, information technology takes a lot to convince united states to try annihilation new!
Let me tell you a little story. Until recently Hubbie had a pair of boots that were xvi (!) years old, first purchased back in the days when he was an outdoor teacher. Despite looking their age, no longer existence waterproof and lacking a certain amount of essential stitching, he refused to throw them out. They were his 'become to' footwear for our travels considering they were lightweight, had good grip and he knew he could walk for hours in them, so long equally it didn't rain! Which is why I spied a slight tear in his centre when the Amazon Rainforest finally finished them off on our trip concluding month. The boots were consigned to the rubbish heap, and Hubbie was on the lookout for a new pair of boots.
This was the last fourth dimension Hubbie'due south boots were used, on an Inca trail in Peru, between Chinchero and Urquillos in the Sacred Valley. He tried to put a dauntless face on it…
To be honest, the same fate awaited my boots too. Although not quite as ancient every bit Hubbie's, they've been much loved and well travelled over the years, which accounted for the numerous holes in the soles, and why they too concluded upwardly in the bin. I just didn't make a song and dance virtually information technology!
So, what do y'all need to consider when buying a pair of hiking boots?
There are several different types of hiking kick out in that location, which tin be a scrap confusing to the uninitiated. Which is why Hubbie has put together these helpful points to assist in finding the all-time walking boots for y'all.
Leather or Cloth – This is an statement that will never be resolved in the outdoor earth. Nosotros've both worn leather and cloth over the years, but as our travels tend to involve hot dry climates, we practise generally favour the lighter more flexible synthetics over the all round protection and sturdiness of leather. Nonetheless when nosotros're dorsum dwelling house in the Lake Commune, we do sometimes wish we had the security of a good old fashioned bit of leather.
Mid or High Cut – This is all about personal pick. Having a higher cut boot offers far more back up and protection for the ankle on rougher terrain, but it doesn't afford the same kind of flexibility as the mid cut. The loftier cut also requires more fabric so the boot volition be heavier than its mid cut counterpart.
Season rating – Boots tin can generally be classified by a season rating system (a bit similar sleeping bags) to give an idea of the conditions the boot has been designed for:
1 season = lightweight boot with flexible sole suitable for apartment easy summer trails
two season = sole generally stiffer for more varied terrains, can be waterproof
3 season = well-nigh versatile kick suited for year round Britain use on rocky terrain, waterproof
4 season = specialist boot for tougher weather condition, stiff soles, increased protection for the foot
Liner – You need to consider when and where y'all are going to wear the kick. If you are just going along easy summer trails, then you desire to have a good breathable kick, so a liner is not really needed. But if you're looking for a versatile all-year-round kicking then you will need a practiced liner such as GORE-TEX, which will proceed the bad weather out, but notwithstanding permit your feet to breath. Nosotros're big fans of GORE-TEX so would always become for this option.
Unboxing the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot
Lowa describes the Renegade GTX Mid hiking kick as a "multi-functional kick that can be called upon for a wide variety of needs", challenge that as their "all-time selling" boot it brings "acclaimed trekking comfort". We'd unremarkably exist wary of such assertions, only Lowa is a well-established and highly thought of kick manufacturer with over ninety years of design and manufacturing feel, and the "only outdoor footwear manufacturer in the world to exist granted ISO 9001 status" – which sounds impressive.
Should exist practiced enough for us then!
Opening upwardly the boxes we immediately noticed the build quality of the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots. The Nubuck leather is layered and sewn together by both paw and car which makes for a good looking and robust kick. Add in the all important GORE-TEX lining and you accept a boot that is ideal for trekking in the choppy British weather!
Weight
Hubbie did notice that the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots were a piffling heavier than what he has been used to (his were 1110 grams per pair, whilst mine came in at 880g). This might preclude them from becoming his new 'go to' travel footwear, but when you look at what else the boot offers, perhaps this isn't really an issue.
Comfort and Stability
The Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots come up with Lowa'southward exclusive monowrap framework which provides enhanced protection to the side of the foot, and a full-length stabilising shank protecting keeping the underfoot secure. Combine that with the double injected DuraPU midsole for shock absorption and Vibram Evo sole technology yous have a boot that offers great stability and not-sideslip functioning for all terrain apply. So a picayune actress weight can be forgiven and they are by no means the heaviest kick on the market.
Store Lowa Renegade GTX Boots
Sizing
One thing I love about the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots are the sizing options. They come in narrow, medium and wide fits, because there'south no such matter every bit a 'standard' sized human foot. Something which so many footwear manufacturers take failed to recognise. I besides really appreciate that the boots come in half sizes, which is and so important in hiking footwear, especially when you'll ofttimes be wearing thicker socks. Hubbie and I both opted for the medium width boot, in Uk sizes 10 and 5.5 respectively, and the fits were pretty truthful to size.
Initial thoughts when slipping the kicking on were positive. There was no obvious pinching, a bit of infinite where you want it and a comfortable fit when done up. However, pacing around the living room for 2 minutes isn't really that much of a examination!
Putting the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boots through their paces forth the Severn Way
We were down in rural Gloucestershire to walk a section of the famous Severn Way and then we decided to requite the boots their start examination there, and did something that you should never do. We wore them straight out of the box. Heading out in slight trepidation, fearing blisters and hot spots because nosotros hadn't worn the boots in, we walked over fields, hills, roads and even sand. The event? Non a single sore spot between us!
Hubbie was raving about his boots most instantly, apparently able to tell that they were perfect later just 100 metres. I preferred to reserve judgement until later. To go onto the Severn Way we walked forth muddy farm tracks and through orchards and fields, before finally reaching the famous river. In that location's really cipher meliorate than being in the outdoors, enjoying a proficient old land ramble. Although it was soft underfoot thanks to recent rain, we felt no gamble of slipping in the mud, and confidently glided across the multitude of puddles.
Well Hubbie did. I skirted around them where possible as I'one thousand the kinda daughter who doesn't like getting her boots muddy, even though that'southward what they've been designed for!
Our Severn Style section was a combination of grass cyberbanking and fields. Perchance not the nigh technical of terrains, but it's not all almost walking upward and down mountains. At least that's what I try and tell Hubbie! If you lot're merely going to invest in i pair of boots, you want a good all-circular multi-purpose pair, and that'due south where the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots come into their own.
To get back to where we were staying nosotros had to walk along country lanes. Non something that the feet will enjoy if they have already covered several miles and are starting to feel tired. Nonetheless thanks to the double injected DuraPU midsole Hubbie couldn't really tell that he was walking on much tougher, less forgiving compact roads. On the other hand I found the soles of my boots a piffling hard and probably wouldn't want to walk for long periods on such a surface.
Check Lowa Renegade Boots Toll on Amazon
Testing the boots in the rainy Lake District
We couldn't test our Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots without heading into the hills dorsum dwelling, and nosotros wanted to be able to compare the performance of flat soft footing, to the undulations and raging torrents of the Lake Commune.
We didn't have to await long for a wet and windy weekend, and whilst some of us would perhaps have preferred to stay warm and dry inside, with the reassurance of a blister free hike it was actually a pleasure putting the boots dorsum on and heading out into the National Park.
We intentionally chose a location along the Ullswater Way that would provide a variety of different surfaces to walk on, including mud, gravel, water, as well equally ups and downs to truly test the boots. I must be honest, neither of us were disappointed with how well the boots performed.
The monowrap and underfoot stabilisation actually came into their ain providing u.s.a. with the confidence needed to exist certain footed when hopping over boulders, effectually tree roots and up slate stepping. All of which were moisture and very slippery due to the conditions. Hubbie ventured up leaf strewn mud trails to run into how the boots fared on unstable footing. They did the chore well and he didn't slip and land on his backside…a flake of a shame since I had been ready with the photographic camera!
Walking upward and down hill nosotros found that we had very little human foot movement within the kick, which is a good thing. You desire a bit of space in the kick to allow the foot to expand through utilize, otherwise you'll shortly be experiencing compression points and blisters. Nonetheless if you have also much room your pes will be slipping around regardless of how thick your socks are and how tight you lace the boots.
Waterproofness is essential with a boot in this part of the world, and Hubbie certainly put his Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots to the exam. Not satisfied with the downpour of rain, or walking through torrents of h2o on the trail, he actively sought out becks and quagmires in which to submerge his boots with a gleeful glint in his eyes. I was one-half expecting the disappointing moan that comes from a foot slowly getting wet, one I've heard so many times earlier. However the Nubuck leather in conjunction with the GOR-TEX liner kept all moisture out and his toes stayed overnice and dry. Smug doesn't even begin to embrace it. At to the lowest degree I didn't have to heed to him complaining about cold moisture feet for the rest of the day.
Purchase Lowa Renegade GTX Boots
What nosotros loved
- Although not recommended, we wore these straight out of the box and have been blister free throughout testing
- The laces are a decent length (I've sometimes constitute on other boots that considering I prefer to have the lower section of the laces slightly loose, I can't utilise all of the upper locking lace hoops because the laces aren't long enough!)
- They performed very well over a variety of terrains, which is exactly what they're designed for
- At that place is an splendid size, cut and an unusually large color range (considering we all know colour is the about important affair!)
What wasn't so corking
- When I beginning put the boots on I establish the sole to be quite hard compared to what I'm used to, simply through more regular utilise this has softened a bit (or I've become used to it). For longer walks on harder surfaces I would certainly consider using an insole to absorber my human foot a lilliputian more. Hubbie has pointed out that the harder sole means the boots are more than sturdy and excellent on rougher footing. I point out that I'yard a lady and has he never heard of Cinderalla?
- The weight is admittedly fine for hiking in, and perfect for terrain here in the Britain, but may prevent them from coming with the states on our travels when keeping weight down to a minimum is essential (on our Kenyan safari trip earlier this twelvemonth nosotros each had to make to with just 10kg for ii weeks!).
The Verdict
Having now used the boots over various terrains in dissimilar weather condition conditions, we are honestly really impressed with our Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots and can definitely see them beingness taken on all our outdoor adventures here in the UK. I'thou really fussy about my footwear, and wasn't expecting the boots to be anything special, just for a multi-purpose all year round hiking boot to explore the fells and countryside, they do exactly what they're meant to do!
The Giveaway
We've partnered with Lowa to offer our readers the chance to win a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots for themselves.
The giveaway is open to entrants worldwide.
How to enter
It couldn't be simpler. Only utilise the Rafflecopter widget below to enter, completing as many of the options every bit you like. If you lot take previously completed whatsoever of the actions (for example if y'all already follow u.s.a. on Facebook, Twitter etc) then feel free to have an entry for them!
Make sure you select your entries on the Rafflecopter widget to validate your entry (click on the grey bottom right hand box under each entry option)!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Terms and conditions
No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A buy will not increase your chances of winning. The prize is provided by Lowa, and is a pair of Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots in a size and colour of your selection, subject area to availability.
This competition is open to a worldwide audience. Postage is included. No returns. The prize is not refundable or exchangeable for cash. The giveaway will run for 2 weeks andend at midnight on Monday 13th Nov 2017. The winner will exist determined on or effectually the 14th November 2017 by a random drawing of eligible entries received. Your chances of winning are determined past the number of eligible entries. Winners must respond within a week of receiving the notification e-mail, otherwise another winner will be called.
Past entering the giveaway, entrants hold to their email address being added to the Conversant Traveller database in order to receive Conversant Chronicle emails (normally but once a calendar month, with our latest news and giveaways). No information will be shared with third parties by Conversant Traveller. Entrants tin opt out of the mailing list at whatever time.
Lowa have kindly provided the Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots for this review, every bit well equally the giveaway prize. All opinions remain our own, and nosotros only feature products that we are happy to use ourselves.
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Source: https://www.conversanttraveller.com/lowa-renegade-gtx-mid-hiking-boot-review/
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