Rambling Review – Lowa Uplander GTX

Rambling Review – Lowa Uplander GTX

Why:

I have a pair of Lowa Renegade LL boots that I absolutely love. I figured that the leather-lined Renegades would be the only boot I need in Arizona since they handle the dry climate with flying colors. Then I woke up one morning on my spring turkey hunt last season to see 6 inches of snow on the ground. It was then I realized, I probably needed a good pair of Gore-Tex boots that would be comfortable enough to hike in all day as well as keep my feet dry and warm. Having such good luck with my Lowa Renegade LL, I took another look at the Lowa lineup and found the Lowa Uplander GTX boots. They are spectacular.

First impressions:

The sole – Vibram Vialta soles are a  Polyurethane mid-sole for shock absorption, pronation/supination zones for stability, self-cleaning profile with excellent grip.

Materials – The Uplander GTXs are a 10 inch tall shafted boot. They are constructed with a split leather/Codura upper and the full-length plastic stabilizers between the midsole and outsole provide superior ankle stability and torsional control.

Price – The German made Lowa Uplander GTX are priced at $295.

Field Use:

I spent the last half of quail season with the Lowa Uplander GTX on my feet. I hiked about 6 miles the first day in them, and aside from one hotspot on the side of my pinky toe, I was very impressed with how comfortable these boots were right out of the box. After wearing them to work a couple days each week and continuing to hunt in them for the remainder of the season, the boots and my feet became well acquainted.  Even though the temperature and weather of the last half of the Arizona quail season is extremely moderate, I was a bit worried that my feet would burn up and be uncomfortably swampy with the Gore-Tex lining. Although not nearly as breathable as the Renegade LL boots, the Lowa Uplander GTX boots were still comfortable for the cool winter mornings even with the Gore-Tex lining.

As slight as it may seem, one of the things that I appreciated about the Uplander GTx boots was the extra few inches of support and protection of the upper boot. Between thick, sticky underbrush and steep hills to traverse, support and protection are welcome advantages when choosing a boot.

The Lowa Uplander GTX boots were on my feet for many days through the cold mornings of javelina season, as well as my opening weekend of turkey. We experienced some snow and rain during turkey season and it provided me with the opportunity to get the boots into a wet environment and see how they performed. After days of running and gunning on the ridges of northern Arizona and hiking many miles, my feet were warm and dry despite the cold, wet weather. The gusseted tongue and Gore-Tex lining create the perfect barrier for superior waterproof protection.

Pros:

Waterproof Gore-Tex lining

Lightweight

Vibram soles

Ankle support

Cons:

Cost

 

Prognosis:  With almost a full season of hunting put on the Lowa Uplander GTX Boots, I couldn’t be happier with the performance of the boot. Overall, it is a very comfortable boot right out of the box and in my experience, it took minimal effort to get my feet and the boots on the same page. The Vibram soles provide stable footing on wet and slippery mud and rock and the tall shafted boot with 4 level lace hooks provides a high level of ankle support. Time will tell how these boots hold up over time, but I’m excited to see where these high quality boots will take me. 

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  The Lowa Uplander GTX boots were provided by Lowa for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.