GunMart magazine gets up Close With The Brown LOWA Mountain GORE-TEX® Boots

LOWA have been making boots since 1923 and are a bit of a legend in the footwear world.

Over the years they have established themselves as a market leader not just for outdoor boots but especially for their military models. They produce 95% of their footwear in the centre of Europe, following the strictest environmental laws in the world; in fact they are the only outdoor boot manufacturer to be granted ISO 9001 status for highest quality construction and process standards. They purchase materials from European suppliers required to follow the same strict rules when producing their goods and the end product is of the very highest quality possible. If you were to visit any barracks in the UK I guarantee that you would find a high number of guys wearing LOWAs and one of the most sought after models has been the Mountain Boot. Relatively recently we’ve seen the MOD start to issue brown boots to be more in line with MTP clothing and uniforms, and LOWA have picked up on this by releasing this classic model in ‘MOD Brown’. Not only does this work well for the soldier but it also means that they are a great general use boot too.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a pair of the new brown Gore Tex lined versions to test over the winter months, and as where I live in the south of England has seen one of the wettest winters for a long time, I’m jolly glad that I have. The Mountain Boots are designed for use in ‘rough terrain’, and mud over wet chalk is one of the most challenging ground conditions to deal with in my opinion. I’ve put a good number of miles under the soles of the LOWAs and at no time did they feel anything other than sturdy and solid; the Vibram Tsavo sole unit has provided stability even on the worst days with a nice high cuff giving excellent support around the ankle.

The boots are made 2.4/2.4mm fullgrain leather which has moulded well to my foot, and the Gore Tex Duracom inner has meant that my feet have stayed 100% dry even in long grass and wet undergrowth. Open hook lacing means that you can set up the fi t of the boot just as you like it, and once you’ve found your ‘fi t’ then everything stays locked down and in place; the foot is anchored solidly in place with no movement or sloppiness that will cause blisters. Overall this is one heck of a boot and I can see now why it has become the choice of the professional soldier. Whilst our lives may not depend on it, this is a fabulously well-made boot, put together with the very best of everything. As part of LOWA’s Task Force collection this is a superb all-rounder that will take all the punishment you can throw at it and come back for more of the same! Priced at £181.99, available in Black and MOD Brown, the LOWAs come in UK sizez 3-15, including half sizes.

This article was created by GunMart.