The Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots are impressive products that perform strongly on rough terrain. They manage to maintain a reasonable weight, while packing in a lot of ankle support, due to their high collars.
Our Verdict
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot
These boots were incredibly comfortable, the Vibram Evo outsoles had solid traction, and the nubuck leather was very protective and durable, despite its sleek appearance.
While in the US, I had an opportunity to try these out with a colleague just near Washington.
The only issue with these boots is that they were more expensive compared to some other products of the same quality. However, the price may be worth it for the amazing features these waterproof boots offer.
So, let’s take a look at how this shoe performed during its testing period, and whether or not these boots would be a good fit for you.
Specs
- 100% Leather and synthetic
- Vibram sole
- Climate-control footbed
- Polyurethane Monowrap frame at midsole
- Full-length nylon shank
- Vibram Evo outsole
PROS
CONS
How Did the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Perform?
1. Traction
The Lowa Renegade hiking boots are designed with Vibram Evo rubber outsoles.
The tread pattern on the outer soles is very aggressive and grips well on soft dirt, mud, and loose gravel.
During my hike on the Hoh River Trail, the Vibram outsole was adhesive enough to stick to solid rock on the steeper portions of the trail.
Even with more popular footwear, you need to plan your steps carefully to prevent yourself from slipping.
However, the boots’ grippy soles provided solid traction, enough to let me test some occasional recklessness, with proper supervision of course.
2. Durability
The Renegade GTX Mid has a form-fitting nubuck leather upper, which is resistant to wear and tear.
The Vibram outsole is also very sturdy compared to most hiking boots I’ve tested
Any time I’m climbing dry and steep surfaces, I’m always concerned about what the bottom of the boot will look like afterward, but I’ve remained impressed over several day hiking trips.
While separation, where the toe rubber meets the leather upper, has been reported, this hasn’t been a problem I’ve experienced, despite the forested and rocky trails I’ve traveled through recently.
While there could be a quality issue with some of the footwear, I’ve personally seen no signs of damage or poor build quality while exploring the great outdoors in these boots.
3. Weight
The Lowa Renegade hiking boot weighs 2 lbs. 7oz., which as I said before, is a surprisingly light hiking boot considering how padded and durable it is.
Usually, hiking boots get heavier with more protection, so these far outclass traditional lightweight boots in terms of efficiency and can even compete in the midweight tier.
What I really enjoy about the Renegade GTXs though, is that even though they’re flexibly lightweight, they still provide enough stability, stiffness, and high ankle support to my feet that they feel like proper heavy-duty boots.
4. Comfort
The technologies that form the underfoot cushioning include the double-injected DuraPU midsoles, monowrap frames, and a full-length nylon shank.
These features gave me significant lateral support and stability.
During my hike, my feet were insulated from the more rugged sections of the trail, even though this boot is lighter than some others.
It’s not often that a good lightweight hiking boot manages to provide as much padding and underfoot protection as this does. However, they manage to be both stiff enough for steeper climbs and flexible enough for uneven surfaces and tricky terrain.
5. Breathability
This classic hiking boot is made with a Gore-Tex waterproof membrane.
Typically, when wearing new hiking boots, there’s a concern about how much breathability you’ll have versus water resistance.
Fortunately, the nubuck leather that these boots are designed with is thin enough to prevent heat from getting trapped, meaning that cool air can flow through the membrane more easily.
During my hikes, I haven’t encountered big problems with overheating or sweating, even on trips that are significantly longer than average, mostly because these boots have a wide toe box that allows the air to travel
The Gore-Tex waterproof membrane that this classic hiking boot is designed with, does a great job at shedding water immediately.
When combined with Nubuck leather’s water-repellant coating, the inside of the boot stays completely dry.
While trekking through the Hoh River Trail, I had several opportunities to stick my feet into some shallow streams.
The leather hardly absorbed any water, only forming droplets that rolled off the surface.
After conducting experiments with it, the height of the collar also did well in preventing any flooding over the sides, which won this model a place among the best hiking boots with waterproofing I have ever tried.
7. Support
The ATC insoles and mono-wrap frames that these outdoor boots are designed with provide a lot of stability and support to the arches and heels of your feet, especially when hiking on uneven terrain.
As mentioned before, the midsole is sturdy and stiff enough to give increased stability to the underfoot regions, while also remaining flexible enough for you to make fluid movements over technical terrain.
Since the collar is higher over the ankle, any tension you would otherwise feel in that area is displaced as well.
8. Fit & Sizing
Something that this lightweight hiking boot does well is accommodating various foot sizes.
These boots come in a variety of selections, including narrow, wide, and medium fits.
For hikers who struggle to find hiking footwear in their sizes, Lowa is one of the few brands that take this into consideration.
Additionally, the snug collar provides great ankle support, so there’s no looseness or slippage during long hikes.
Drawing from our experience, the toe box also has enough volume to prevent the end of your foot from feeling compressed when you try a new pair.
How Does it Compare with Similar Products?
1. Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX
The Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX, while high-quality, does have some disadvantages when compared to the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid.
Notably, it’s not as breathable, despite being made with the same Gore-Tex waterproof membrane.
Although made with decent-quality materials, the soft leather that the X Ultra 3 Mid GTX is made of isn’t as thin as the Renegade GTX’s, which means that the X Ultra 3 would be more prone to overheating and sweating.
It’s not really a good tradeoff when you look at how equally effective the Renegade GTX Mid is compared to the X Ultra 3 Mid GTX.
2. Salomon Quest 4 GTX
The Salomon Quest 4 GTX is a good hiking boot. However, its bulkier design can be a little too much.
Additionally, the Quest 4 GTX only comes in a high-top variant, so during the hotter seasons, these boots can warm up very quickly.
The Lowa Renegade GTX, however, isn’t designed with any unnecessary features beyond the rough trails and day hikes it’s intended to manage.
The Quest 4 GTX is also heavier than the Renegade GTX, weighing 2 lbs. 14.4 oz., and including additional padding that would only make the boots less breathable.
3. KEEN Targhee 3 Mid Waterproof
The KEEN Targhee 3 Mid Height Waterproof Hiking Boots generally perform well.
However, on terrain other than well-kept and simple trails, these otherwise excellent boots suffer from a huge disadvantage.
The Vibram soles’ lack of traction and poor grip on surfaces like wet rock, steep slopes, and other challenging terrain results in a lot of slippages.
On the other hand, the Lowa Renegade are some of the best hiking boots for hauling heavy loads while remaining trustworthy on off-road sections of a trail.
The locking hooks in the Renegade’s lacing system also do well at securing the boot for good ankle support and security.
Where Does the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Perform Better?
These outdoor boots are some of the best women’s hiking boots in 2023 but they perform even better on more difficult and technical trails, where you can get maximum mileage out of their stability and Vibram Evo outsoles.
Honestly, I can’t say there’s any environment where these boots perform poorly, since the cushioning is so supportive and the stability is reliable.
The build quality of these Lowa Renegades also makes them suitable for all-terrain trails, since the leather uppers are resistant to scuffing and abrasions.
The only conditions I wouldn’t feel comfortable using the Renegade GTXs in are warmer climates or longer trips since there’s no non-GTX version.
Custom Reviews
Even though our testing methods are what we mostly rely on, we nonetheless want to share some online evaluations of this
Do We Recommend It For Hiking?
Overall, we highly recommend these boots for hiking. They’re comfortable, durable, and stable.
My experience on the Hoh River Trail with this footwear has been very positive. Outside of the $255 price tag for a pair of new boots, which may be a little hefty for some, they provide excellent shock absorption and perform well on terrain that would otherwise be risky for most other boots.
The leather is thin enough to allow breathability through the waterproof membrane, which also makes this light backpacking boot appropriate to wear throughout the entire hiking season.
In terms of versatility and utility, these boots can be used consistently without any real issues.
| WHERE TO BUY? | FOR MEN | FOR WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| REI | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
| Amazon | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
| Backcountry | See Pricing» | See Pricing» |
FAQs
The Lowa boots do not need to be sized up, since all Lowa brand footwear is sized for medium, narrow, and wide-foot styles. All products are also accurately scaled and true-to-size so you shouldn’t have any problem finding the right boot.
The best Lowa boot is the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid, nominated in 2021 as the best overall hiking boot, and marking 20 years since the Renegade product line has been the brand’s most favored.
The Lowa Renegade GTXs are made and handcrafted exclusively in Europe. The leathers, fabrics and other materials made to manufacture the footwear comes from countries like Germany, Italy, and Slovakia.
The Lowa Renegade GTX is waterproof. The Gore-Tex membrane is water-resistant and breathable, allowing the boot to properly ventilate without allowing any moisture to pass through or sweat to stick.
While they are not insulated for extreme cold, these boots can handle cooler temperatures, and you can pair them with warm socks for added warmth.
