It’s one of their most popular sellers for a reason, and the Renegade GTX Mid should be at the top of the list of anyone looking for high quality, light weight, and practical hiking boots. LOWA was kind enough to send a pair of these, built on their WS (women’s specific) last, for review. Mrs. Outsider laced them on, and after a few outings, offered her opinions on them:
When LOWA says that these are comfy right out of the box, they mean it. I don’t like the idea of having to break in boots before using them for long hikes. I put these on, and my feet felt like a baby wrapped up in a blanket. Cozy, plenty of support, and no hot spots. This is due to the fact that when LOWA designed the WS version of the Renegade GTX Mid, they did not just take the men’s boot, size it down, and offer more colors. They built it around the shape of women’s feet. The result is a boot that feels as good as it looks. And these are really good looking.
Nubuk leather forms the upper, which on my review pair was a nice purple that LOWA calls “prune”. Grey accents are the perfect complement. Inside, the Renegade GTX has a GORE-TEX lining that is waterproof and breathable. I didn’t hike through any streams, but they did keep my feet cool during hikes on warm days, but not cold on really cold days. To keep weight down yet still provide support, LOWA built this boot with their PU Mononwrap® Frame. Perhaps the best feature, besides the purple color, is the Vibram Evo sole. Every time I see that little yellow logo, I know I’ll be getting excellent traction and long life out of my footwear.
Even for hiking, I like to be fashionable. LOWA offers the Renegade GTX Mid WS in all sorts of color combinations, but they did it in a boot that performs well over all kinds of rough terrain. If you want good fit and loads of traction for those days trips, this may be the last pair of boots you’ll need. lowaboots.com
– Mrs. Outsider