Lowa Kerano GTX Boot : Out-of-the-Box Excellence

I've never been one to trust a manufacturer's sizing information enough to order shoes or boots online. I try on dozens of varieties before I settle on the pair that fits perfectly. After hearing from a friend that Lowa's are some of the best-fitting boots around, I decided to take a chance.   I crossed my fingers, and followed the online directions, ordering a half size down from my normal street shoe size.

I received my new Lowa Kerano GTX Mid-Lady boots (they're also available in men's sizes) on a hot sunny day.   I wriggled my bare foot into the right boot, decided it'd be a decent fit with some added socks, and tossed them in my Volvo for a trip to the mountains the next day. This was a gutsy move on my part, not even wearing them around the house to do laundry, but I had a feeling about these boots.   I threw some Band-Aids and moleskin in my bag just in case, though.

My new Lowa boots didn't let me down.   The first thing I noticed was how cleanly they laced up.   The Kerano is a light hiking boot, barely weighing more than my tennis shoes, but my ankles still felt secure, which is crucial even for a day hike.  

My hiking companion and I had chosen Silver Star Mountain in Washington for our hike, which begins with about a mile of fairly steep, rocky hiking. The Vibram Vialta soles provided excellent traction. My feet stayed snug, secure, and blister-free all the way up the mountain and back down again.   The PUR midsole has built-in shock absorption that enabled me to descend quickly without my knees burning.

A few weeks later, I laced up again and took my Lowa's up to Mt. Hood. The first snow had just fallen and parts of the trail were quite wet, but the boots were up to the challenge. The soles have this spiffy self-cleaning tread that keeps me anchored even in muddy and slushy conditions.   My feet also stayed dry thanks to the breathable Gore-Tex waterproof liner.   I'm confident that these boots can meet any conditions a Portland winter sends their way.

Men's boots are available in sepia/taupe, yellow/grey, and black/grey. Women's boots are available in brown or red.

Bottom Line: For straight-outta-the-box comfort, these light hiking boots can't be beat! -K.M. (Oct '06)

Price: $200

Manufacturer's Site: www.lowaboots.com

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