Lowa Renegade Lady GTX Mid Boot

Women’s feet are different in proportion to those of a man, with a more-slender profile and corresponding arch width and length. I have tried all sorts of boots and am lucky that with a size 6 foot, I at least have access to most styles, but I was often left with a footbed too wide and the insole too intrusive on my instep for all day comfort. The stiffness of even a lightweight man’s boot tends to get too stiff and clumpy when scaled down shorter; so, I was delighted to see a boot dimensioned for a woman. They offer incredible comfort straight from the box, without specific break in required of the softer Nubuck leather and weigh only around 525-grams per boot.

The laces slide easily in the lower four pairs of eyelets, gently locking at the 5th at the front of the ankle, with two upper pairs to cinch the boot for the desired foot support. Comfort from the 6-inch tall tongue and inner Gore-Tex liner is seamless, with no pressure points and there’s protection around the heel to reduce undue pressure on my ankle bone that can lead to rubbing and blisters. Again, this is where the ‘last’ for a lady is better proportioned and narrower. The lower 4½-inch height at the rear of the boot allows good flexibility without pressure on the lower calf muscle too.

Get a grip

The Vibram sole offers excellent grip and is silent, with a surefooted feel when crossing rocks and streams. Even when fully immersing the boot to midfoot for tens of metres along a stream bed, water failed to soak through. The initial surface treatments to bead up and shed water have faded a little but nothing worrisome has soaked through thankfully and it’s easy enough to give the boots a spray every now and again, to return the water shedding capability.

I like the mid cut, which at 5-feet 7-inches tall, suits my build because a higher cut, full grain boot is really hard work to break in and will always feel heavy. I found that the boot felt snug, without being overly tight in what I would describe as a medium thickness, all-day sock with decent wicking capability. They did get a bit hot in the summer heat, but breathability remains acceptable and certainly better than lightweight but cheaper shoes you may expect to be cooler and more comfortable. Gore-Tex take their name and reputation seriously and the ‘GTX’ tagline of the Lowas assures the shared quality control standards during manufacture. For stationary use, in a high seat, I would go for the next half size up and go for a twin pair of socks when needed. Great tactile feel underfoot does come at a price in a mid-condition boot but the 4mm tread depth does give fantastic grip in all conditions and sheds mud easily too. I like the taupe colour; it reduces the visual bulk of the boot.

Verdict

The Lowas have remained 100% waterproof and undamaged throughout a season on moderate terrain use, with no blisters and more importantly, the narrower last has created a boot more correctly profiled for my foot, with better arch support.