About
four years ago I decided that I wanted something better-fitting
and better-suited to wearing every day and hiking the 4x4
trails in than my current $49.95 bobos. I went to the local
outdoors store and saw a set of LOWA Tempest boots on the
shelf. I had never heard of them but decided to plunk down
my saved cash and try them out. They slipped on my feet and
felt like slippers. Could it really be? Could there really
be something that fits me well?
At the
time I was a service writer in a Jeep shop and spent all day
on my feet, both on carpet, and on the main oil-soaked shop
floors. The LOWAs had an amazing grip on the slippery shop
floor and they proved even more grippy on the trails.
That
pair lasted me well over a year before the soles began to
flatten out and lose their grip. As for the upper, it was
completely in-tact with not a stitch pulled. I was amazed.
So, of course, I bought another pair, which also lasted over
a year.
From that
time on, LOWAs have been the only boots I wear. I have since
bought two pairs of the Renegade GTX mid boots and they have
been my main daily "shoes" for the last couple years.
Though they never really seem to fall apart like other boots,
they do get dirty so as they get more worn looking, I get
a new pair and delegate the old ones to messier duties, like
muddy trails and mowing the lawn.
Recently,
it was time for some new pairs and I decided to get a variety
this time. For hiking the trails, I chose the Klondike
GTX, which is a mid-height boot from LOWA's All Terrain
Collection (ATC). For daily wear and even office and going
out on the town use, I chose the Samalo GTX, which
is a low/standard-height shoe. Both shoes feature Gore-Tex®
to help keep them light-weight and dry.
I also
decided to go out on a limb and try the super-stylish Tirol,
which is a slip-on leather shoe, suitable for just about anything.
The Tirol is a pretty hip shoe that can be worn in the office,
around town, or just lounging.
All three
of my new pairs of LOWAs fit perfectly. Every pair I've had
after the Tempests has been mail-ordered. Getting the right
size each time has amazed me, frankly. Never before have I
found a shoe company that consistently makes shoes the "same"
size. With LOWA, I order a size 10 and that's what I get every
time - and it fits perfectly.
What's
interesting about LOWA Boots is that they are all hand-made
in either their main factory in Jetzendorf, which is a small
town near Munich or in nearby Slovakia.The local folks make
these boots with care and pride, unlike many of the other
sweat-shop brands on the market that are mass-produced. Part
of the reason LOWA makes great boots is that they have happy
employees - and wouldn't you be happy if you had German
beer in your break room's vending machines?
So if
it sounds like I'm giving LOWA one heck of an endorsement,
it's because I am. After four years or so of wearing LOWAs
and owning seven pairs, I can honestly tell you that these
things rock!
Stop wasting
your money and risking unhappy feet. You may not find a LOWA
dealer in every town but it's worth your time to find one
who will ship you a pair. Click here
to find a dealer.
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