Lowa Kerano GTX Men's Boot : All Leather, Pure Comfort

One of the great debates in mountaineering history is whether legendary British climber George Mallory and his young partner Andrew Irvine actually reached the top of Mt. Everest before disappearing on June 8, 1924.

Mallory's body was discovered in 1999, at 26,800 feet. Whether he was on his way up or on his way down, it's incredible that he got as far as he did wearing hobnail leather boots and wool knickers and carrying a single wood-shafted ice ax. All without oxygen, of course.

His ankle-high boots looked like the first pair I wore 20 years ago. By today's standards my boots were stiff, clumsy leather clod-hoppers, but at the time they were state of the art. Every time I laced them up I fantasized about climbing the world's highest peaks. 

When I tried on a pair of Lowa Kerano GTX boots for the first time a few weeks ago those fantasies came flooding back.  I'd long since drifted away from leather -- ah, the tales of blisters I could bore you with -- but these leather mid cut boots were supposedly night-and-day different from their classic predecessors. So, I gave them a try.

What a pleasant surprise -- the GTX boots were not only light and supple, but they fit as snugly as any synthetic trail shoe I've owned. They were so comfortable right out of the box that I wore them around town for several rainy days. When I finally took them on the trails this fall in southern Vermont, I was impressed by how well-cushioned and grippy they were ; rocks and roots were a cakewalk. The ankle support was excellent and the breathable Gore-Tex lining kept my feet dry when I was mucking through the rain and mud.

Bottom Line: LOWA hiking boots are perfect for weekend adventurers who want functional footwear, hard core hikers looking for a lighter weight boot, and anyone else who wants out-of-the-box comfort and a sturdy trail boot.--J. G. (Dec. '06)

Price: $200

Manufacturer's Site: www.lowaboots.com

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