Best. Boots. Ever.

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.

• 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.

As he says, more to follow.