Best. Boots. Ever.

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That was the subject line of an e-mail I received from the guy I sent my Lowa boots to T&E. He also made it very clear I wasn't getting them back.

As you may recall, back in November I ran a short piece on my initial impressions of the Lowa Uplanders. I didn't feel like I could push them to the limits of failure, nor put in enough miles to give a true evaluation, so I sent them on to Nate M. Nate is a currently serving Marine NCO who started his career as a grunt, graduated the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School for Wayward Boys at Camp Lejeune and is now an 0317 squad leader with a few deployments under his belt. He was going to be doing a lengthy hike out east so I figured he could do something with them.

These are his initial impressions in bullet format. I will run his complete review in a few days once I have time to sort the pictures.

Review of Lowa Über Boots, Initial Impressions (Nathan M)


 


  • Initially the boots felt clunky and unfamiliar, possibly because I feel accustomed to the military boots from the last 15 years.

  • I did not use my usual break in period. Zero blisters after a week of light wear and three days of heavy humping. The boots are amazingly light for their size and performance, and didn’t fatigue my legs at all.

  • Traction is vastly better than military boots, which suck on wet rock, or rock in general. I suspect the issue boots have soles made out of harder rubber, which probably lasts longer. The LCpls will probably like that, based on their salary & how often they have to pay for new boots. Even on wet & ice covered sheets of shale, zero slippage.

  • I have never owned a pair of boots with so much ankle support. I felt comfortable and safe walking along the curve of a steep hillside.


Lowa_Boot1

  • At first I didn’t like the “mountaineering” civie hiking boot style of lacing, but I soon learned the value of this is system; you can tightly lace them or leave them looser; alternately leave the lower loose/bottom tight if you prefer it, vis a vis. Lastly the ability to wear around like slippers in camp/ take that late night head call/final smoke.

  • The down side of the “hook” lacing system is it takes longer to tie them up.

  • The laces feel flimsy, and appear to be made out of cotton. I will replace with 550 cord for a multitude of reasons.

  • In warm weather they feel a little hot, like ICBs or non-jungle boot types. I haven’t worn ICBs since they were black, its because of the Goretex not the insulation.

  • Boots stayed dry as advertised in rain and snow.

  •  The sole is an interesting “non directional” pattern that surprisingly shed mud and packed snow with each step.

  • Very good initial impressions stand by for further. My dad has already purchased a pair of these boots based on my feedback.


Lowa Uplanders: http://www.lowaboots.com/catalog/ShowBoot.cfm?StockNum=3102430999&Category=8&Type=M

As he says, more to follow.

Story Continues
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