Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot Review
I was recently sent over a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX Hiking boots for review and use on some hikes this summer here in Colorado. Lowa is a European company that has been making hiking/alpine boots since 1923. I have seen them many times on the trail and in REI stores and had wanted to get my hands on a pair for a while to see if they lived up the hype - They did.
I love trying new boots and seeing the difference between different materials on the uppers, soles, and lacing systems. I took these guys on my second 14er of the season here in Colorado - Quandry Peak. This was only the second time I had worn these boots and they performed extremely well. They definitely were not as comfortable as some other boots I have had straight out of the box but after a few miles in them, they felt great.
The Renegades come in at $240 USD which is not cheap. The boot comes with a GTX (Goretex) waterproof lining and a Vibram sole which are two top tier companies that bootmakers use for outsoles and waterproofing. The boot is also built with Nubuck leather which is top-grain cattle leather used by high-quality boot companies. The boot comes in tons of different color options along with Narrow, Med, and Wide widths which is great to see.
Below is my Unboxing and first impressions video if you want to see more of the boot.
FEATURES
Upper: Nubuck Leather
Lining: GORE-TEX
Insole: ATC
Midsole: Double Injection DuraPU®
Outsole: VIBRAM® Evo
Stabilizer: ATC Hard
Weight: 555 g/Single Shoe
GTX WATERPROOFING
The Renegade has a fully waterproof Goretex lining. I myself love Goretex and have never had a problem with water getting into any of my boots with the lining. I stood in a smaller creek for 3 minutes with the boot submerged up to the ankle without a problem. This is plenty of waterproofing for me as I don’t intend to be swimming with these on anytime soon. As I said earlier, I took these up Quandry peak which was a pretty tough hike to really test them in. My feet were sweating a decent amount, this was to be expected but I also noticed sweat marks on the outside of the boot which I had never seen on any other boots before.
OUTSOLE
The outsole on the Renegade is the VIBRAM® Evo. I am a huge fan of Vibram outsoles as I have never had a bad experience with them and they are amazingly durable while being soft enough to give good grip in tough situations. The outsole on the Lowa was no different. The rubber is a great compound and can give traction on rocks along with dirt. The hike up Quandry was probably the best test of this I could have done with the boots. The first part of the trail was all dirt which is most hikes here in Colorado. The next being all uneven rocks and steps. Typically this is where boots fall behind and I’d rather have myself some agile trail runners or lighter shoes but the Renegades were great.
MIDSOLE/INSOLE
The insole on the Renegade is well padded and somewhat structured but nothing crazy. The midsole is where this boot really shines in my eyes. The boot has a DuraPU® MONOWRAP® frame construction for stability, full-length stabilizer for underfoot support. This gives the boot great stability when hiking on uneven terrain and I could definitely feel this on Quandry, every step gave me confidence, which was much needed on the rock field section of the hike. The monowrap also does a good job of protecting the toe and side of the boot which was taking a beating. For it being the second time out with these boots and going 7 miles up and back down a 14er my feet felt great.
The laces on the Renegade are a paracord style and worked as intended. The eyelets are extremely durable and solid. You are able to pull tight the bottom section of the boot and then cinch the laces down to lock that in, after you can adjust the top section individually which is great. Being able to tighten the bottom or top at different levels is one of the best features of a boot especially on longer hikes. The tongue was well padded comfortable even with the top of the boot tightened down.
The Lowa Renegades are some of the nicest and feature-rich boots I have used to date. I had confidence with every step I took, even at the end of the hike which kicked my ass. The Goretex waterproofing works as intended and still breathes decently well. The boot is one of the better-looking hiking boots which is the most important feature hands down. If you are looking for a good looking, waterproof, and stable hiking boot the Renegade is it.
If you are interested in the Lowa Renegade Hiking boots you can grab them HERE
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Goretex Waterproofing
Nubuck Leather
Vibram Outsole
Monowrap Midsole
Very Short Break In Period
Tons of Colors
Narrow, Med and Wide Widths
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Pricey
Not the Most Breathable Boots