Hiking season is here again. That means it may be time to pick up some new boots. We review the Lowa Regenage GTX Mid.
While hiking shoes are all the rage today, there’s still a need for a good pair of boots. Not all of us need boots that can handle a 50 pound pack and a 40 mile backpacking trip. That’s where the Lowa Renegade comes in. Not quite as beefy as a full backpacking boot, but still a lot more support than a hiking shoe.
The boots themselves have the standard hiking boot stats. They have a full leather upper, Gore-Tex bootie, and Vibram soles. Pretty much what you’d expect from a decent hiking boot these days. The upper has double stitching throughout (always a good sign), and appears to be well constructed. Much like a German car, these German boots use fairly firm padding which doesn’t overly pad your ankles.
To test the Renegade GTX, I took them up Mount Si for what I would expect to be typical usage for the boots. Lower on the mountain, the Renegade GTX gripped rocks and dirt well, without slipping. Once I reached the higher parts of the mountain, the tread pattern kept me from slipping in the mud or snow. There’s more flex than one would expect in a full backpacking boot, which does reduce the amount of weight I’d safely carry wearing these boots. For normal usage though, this makes for a more comfortable experience.
Obviously, I haven’t had these long enough to form a long term opinion about the boots. I can say however that on an 8 mile hike w/ 3000 ft of elevation gain I got zero blisters without breaking the Renegade GTX in. They were comfortable throughout the hike, which is a lot more than I can say for other boots I’ve tried straight out of the box in the past.
The Lowa Renegade GTX Mid retails for $200.
Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.
I bought these boots six months ago and I am furious. They slip on any kind of wet surface like a piece of soap, no grip whatsoever. I have on ly worn them 7 0 8 times. They are brand new, I have fallen 4 times with them, all the times I have been trekking on even a slightly wet surface. They cost me 105 euros. Last time I fell, it was on the Norwich Fjords, I nearly killed myself even if I tread very carefully on a wet rock because I had such a bad experience before with the boots. The distributor and the fabricant don’t want to know about it , even if the boots are under warranty. Iam now left with no money and no boots. I think it is disgraceful and I do not think you should buy some boots to a fabricant that does not want to make himself responsible of some boots that are dangerous like in my case.
Rafael, I’m not quite sure why you’re having such traction problems with these boots. They use Vibram soles like every other high end boot on the market. The lug pattern doesn’t differ significantly from anything else either. I’ve hiked/backpacked/climbed for literally hundreds of miles in boots with Vibram soles and have never had a problem with any of them. I’ve used them in pretty much every climate you can imagine from arid to wet to a mountain summit at 18,900ft. We review quite a few boots around here, many of which never make it on here because we don’t like them. While I can’t say I’ve taken these boots out on every terrain possible, I can say that I haven’t seen anything even remotely close to ‘dangerous’. While Vibram does make different formulations of rubber depending on the application, the rubber in the Renegade GTX doesn’t appear to differ all that much from other boots I have from Scarpa, La Sportiva, Patagonia, and other brands.
Interesting to see Rafael’s post as one very similar is posted on another review website under a different name. Makes you wonder how low competitors will stoop in bad mouthing another’s products? See: http://www.outdoorreview.com/cat/outdoor-equipment/backpacking-camping-hiking/mens-hiking-backpacking-boots/lowa/PRD_79859_2961crx.aspx
I too have worn Vibram soled products and Lowa ones in particular most of my life and have never experienced them being like slippery like “soap”. I would certainly question the validity of the review by Rafael.
I second the opinion about the poor grip on wet stone. This said I love these boots, got two pairs and plan to get another one. They are extremely comfortable. The soles behave well on dry stone, wet grass, mud and snow but are hopeless on a wet rock. The new version I’ve seen has a different sole (vibram. too), so this may be improved now. The goretex membrane is not very reliable, wear out easily, and within a year or so, the boots are no longer waterproof, depending on the usage. All this however I’m happy to live with because they are so comfy !!!
BTW, the photo in this review http://www.dailyhiker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/IMG_2868.jpg shows the new design. I wonder if Rafael’s soles look the same.
Well, possibly this is a problem of most formulations of rigid rubbers.
I’d add my sad experience with three different Vibram soles and one by Salomon (Contagrip):
I’ve tried them all on my favorite “test” wet rock nearby, which is 30-40 degrees to vertical, and 80% of it’s surface is polished by hundreds of soles.
With Vibrams the rock is like a wall – you need to change your way because it’s completely impossible to climb on.
Funny enough – my good old pair of Adidas having wery simple (but rather SOFT) sole – provide me the grip to climb on absolutely easy.
I am now searching for some good boots, so here is my question:
is it possible to find a sole made of RIGID rubber (like Vibrams) – and get rid of skating on wet polished stones?
OR – something not very rigid, but with GOOD grip on subj?
I need not boots for 30kg*200km backpacking – just something <=$300, breathable, waterproof, comfortable, reliable and WITH REAL GOOD GRIP on WET POLISHED STONE.
I just purchased these boots from Zappos, and will receive them tomorrow. I am hoping they will work for me, since I have tried many many boots. I will be using these boots to work in the Pest Control field, so they will be in, and on every surface know to man, except for wet rocks lol
Ten years ago I bought a pair of Lowa hiking boots that look similar to the Renegade GTX. The sole on one of the boots recently delaminated during a hike. I made it back only because I had some duct tape to patch the boot.
I didn’t have that many miles on the boots so I was surprised at the sole separating the way it did. I have also read of others having the same problem. Based on this I’m not sure I will buy another pair of Lowa boots even though they are quite comfortable.
Any shoe that you don´t use much and keep stored away for 10 years can have the problem of loosing the sole…..I have seen it happen to quite a few people that purchase a pair of hiking boots for one trip, leave them almost unused for 5 or more years, and suddenly have a new trip and say: Oh I have the right boots for this trip….suprise, they don´t survive.
I have just walked 1000 km in Spain in a pair of Lowa renegate, blue grey and Gore-Tex, with a sole like the one on the picture with no problem what so ever.
But the year before, did I test a pair of Lowa for the walk, same look, brown and without Gore-Tex, and they were impossible to use on a wet surface, I felt and damaged my bag pretty bad. I think the sole hade a different pattern.
I’ve owned these boots for 6 years. I’ve hiked/scrambled about the Alaska range, the Urals, the Alps and alas they have finally succumbed to the bogs of the Scottish Highlands. My only complaint in 6 years of constant use is that they just aren’t waterproof enough for bog walking. Super comfortable, incredible grip. They aren’t designed with scrambling or light climbing in mind, but the rubber is so sticky I’ve done a good deal of it anyway with no problems. If you’re not planning on walking IN the rivers near you, a wonderful purchase!
I don’t know about ‘wet stone’, but I just walked six miles in these boots, on a trail covered mostly by ice, and they grip just fine. If you are slipping while wearing these, maybe the problem exists between feet and head.