Handmade, lined with glove leather, and rugged
By Rick Shandley
The new LOWA Renegade II LL Lo leather lined hiking shoe has all of the best features of the popular Renegade mid-high hiking boot in a low top package. We have reviewed and spent many hours on trails wearing the LOWA Renegade mid-high hiking boots in both leather-lined and GORE-TEX versions of the boot. This new low top version offers you the same high quality, comfort, traction, and trail worthy ruggedness in an ankle-high package.
Right out of the box, the leather lining of the Renegade interior is as comfortable of a shoe as you can ask for. Hand made in Slovakia by master boot makers, the Renegade Lo’s we tested are lined with glove leather that is soft, extremely comfortable, and durable. I primarily wore light gauge merino wool socks with these low-top LOWA Renegades, and took notice of just how comfortable my feet were all day long for several days of continuously wearing these shoes.
Even though it is often a good idea to wear a new pair of boots or hiking shoes for a while to make sure the fit is good, and skin abrasion isn’t going to be a problem, I didn’t give them that chance. All of the LOWA boots I have reviewed in recent years really didn’t require much break in time, if any. I had the opportunity to see a part of Colorado I’ve never spent time in, and the LOWA Renegade Lo’s were pressed into service on a three day camping trip around Cameron Pass in Northern Colorado. It was in late July while the monsoon season was in full swing, and rain poured down every day. Our elevation was above 8,000 feet, the ground was saturated with day long rains, and the creeks where flowing. Everything was wet, the rocks where slippery, and the trails leading up into the tree lines were soggy. Traction and foot stability were the two qualities the Renegade Lo’s delivered in spades, even for a low-top shoe.
Just like the Renegade mid-high boots, the Renegade Lo uses the same Vibram® Evo outsole for superior foot traction on uneven ground. The lug pattern of the Evo outsole provides heavy lugs on the outside of the foot and heel to grip rock and trail, while opposing horizontal ribs grab traction surfaces at the toe and back of the heel pads. I’ve come to rely on the traction capability of the Evo outsole from my experience with the mid-high LOWA Renegades, and can attest to the traction they offer on a variety of terrain.
Uppers are made from Nubuck leather, the same durable leather LOWA uses in many of its high-end mountaineering and backpacking boots. Nubuck leather is resistant to the harsh abrasiveness found in rough terrain where contact with rock, sandstone, and hardpack ground can shred nylon and composite materials. Nubuck is also receptive to waterproof leather waxes and boot oils so you can easily maintain and care for your Renegades.
Foot support is excellent. Renegade low top’s use the patented LOWA Monowrap® Frame, made from lightweight polyurethane (PU) to keep weight down and maximize lateral stability for your feet. A full-length nylon stabilizer beam supports the foot from heel to toe. Together, and you will see this immediately in your own pair of Renegades, you sense the total foot support and rigidity you find in heavier-duty trail boots.
These Renegade Lo’s are more than trail worthy for folks who prefer wearing low top shoes and who enjoy long hikes on well worn paths where ankle support is less a factor. And they have an added versatility that you’ll never get away with in a pair of heavier hiking boots. You can wear these LOWA Renegade Lo’s to work as a casual-dress shoe and they fit in perfectly for a day when you might have an early dinner in a nice eatery, then go for an evening hike on your local trails before heading home for the day. My test pair of Renegade Lo’s where initiated in mud and constant rainy days, but they clean up great and they are aesthetically pleasing to wear around town.
Colors come in dark brown or black. MSRP is about $200.00 U.S. And just as the entire product offering lineup that LOWA is so well known for, from mountaineering to light hiking, you can have confidence in these shoes serving you well for many years. You take care of your LOWA’s, and they will take care of you.
Product Information from www.lowaboots.com website:
Uses: Ideal for weekend adventurers and business travel where you never know when you’ll get to experience a new trail whilst stranded far away from home. Hit the trails, scramble over rocks, jump on your mountain bike, or take off to a far away destination.
- UPPER: Nubuk leather.
- LINING: Glove leather lining.
- FOOTBED: Climate control footbed, with comfort perforations improves breathability, creating a blister-free world for your tooties.
- MIDSOLE: PU Monowrap® Frame, a LOWA patented construction technique that allows us to reduce overall boot weight while retaining important lateral stability.
- OUTSOLE: Vibram® Evo.
- STABILIZER: Full length nylon.