Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boot for Men
Product Review & Walking Gear Test

	Stirling GTX Walking Boot for Men Vital Statistics: Sizes: UK 6 - 13 SRP: £139.95

Stirling GTX Walking Boot for Men

Vital Statistics:

Sizes:
UK 6 - 13

SRP:
£139.95

Features to Note:

Outer Material: 2.5mm thick, seamless, single piece nubuck leather upper
Outer Sole: Vibram 'Tsavo' sole
Mid sole: Thermoplastic polyurethane
Lining: Goretex
High cut upper.
Asymmetric walking position in men's models designed to provide a balanced stance.
Moisture management system to improve distribution of moisture away from foot.
Anatomically contoured tongue for additional comfort.
Lacing system that allows tongue to rise and fall depending on foot volume.
Hand-wrapped rubber rand to protect boots.

In-use Test:

Several week-long walking trips during the summer in Scotland were used to test the Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boots. Walking on these trips was on and around the Cairngorm plateau featuring rocky mountain paths, peat moorland and scree fields. Because the majority of the walking was in mountain conditions, I had a relatively heavy day-pack. And yes - it rained extensively.

The lacing system is robust and simple to use. I was able to experiment a little with each boot to get the lacing to suit my feet. (I wear a customised foot-bed in one boot.) Once I'd done this, I found the boots to be supremely comfortable through to the end of some extremely long and wet days. My ankles were well supported and toes protected whether walking on the flat or up and down some long and often steep ascents/descents. The stability on scree and mud was excellent as well.

I wore the boots though some extremely heavy and persistent rain - and there was no evidence of water seeping through at all. At the end of a few particularly long days, I did find that my socks were very slightly damp. I'm sure that this was not due to water entering the boot but instead was some small amount of residual perspiration - the temperature of my feet presumably temporarily overwhelming the moisture management system! However, this wasn't enough to cause any problems.

Overall I think these are a superb pair of boots for mountain walking. I can honestly say that my feet were as comfortable at the end of the day as they were at the beginning. All in all - they are certainly amongst the best boots I've tried.

Buying Advice:

As with the Lowa Munro Walking Boots, the Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boots for Men are manufactured to a high standard by a manufacturer with a long history of boot-making. Features such as the cemented outsole that can be re-soled plus the hand-wrapped rubber rand suggests that they will be extremely durable. During the time that I've been using them none of the exposed stitching has shown any sign of wear.

So - although they are priced at £140, if you're looking for 3-4 season boots to regularly go Munro or Wainwright bagging or similar mountain walking these walking boots will be a really excellent investment.

They also have a woman specific last used to produce an anatomically correct women's fitting boot.

What do you think?

Have you got a pair of Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boot for Men?

We would love to hear what you thought of it - good, bad or indifferent. Perhaps you simply disagree with the verdict above - or feel an important feature has been negelected.

Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boot for MenProduct Review & Walking Gear Test

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Lowa Stirling GTX Walking Boot for Men
Product Review & Walking Gear Test