Lowa Men's Renegade II Leather-Lined Mid Hiking Boot

I have been searching for a comfortable mid height boot that I could use season round riding a harley. Was not impressed with the motorcycle branded versions, frankly thought that you paid a lot for a badge and the boot itself was nothing special. Finally found LOWA and wow what a difference this has made. Build quality is excellent, look is clean and the leather liner is awesome. Have been riding in 50 degree weather so I can comment on their suitability in warmer summer weather yet. But so far I love the fit and build quality. Not the cheapest boot but well worth the extra $$.UPDATE October 1 2012. So it has been several weeks, months since I purchased these boots. In that time I have worn these every day for every purpose. I changed the soles out for super feet which made these even more comfortable. Absolutely the best shoe I have ever worn. Extremely light weight, great fit, great protection. After months of riding, and moving, yard work, air travel and miles and miles of walking I LOVE these boots. No sign that they are wearing out so I expect I will be still wearing these every day for the next year.Update May 20 2013. Continue to wear these boots on a daily basis. Absolutely fantastic fit as they are broken in . Love the stability and light weight. Today I ordered another pair as Amazon has them for $50 off. Figured I will need another set on day. Wear like iron and after one year no signs of wear. Still original strings, all seems tight and leather untattered.

Years of backpacking and hiking have taught me that good footwear is near the top of the list of what to spend your money on. You can cut corners on most of your gear - tents, packs, food, tools - but never footwear.These are not cutting corner. These are the real deal. Not only do they look tough and rugged, but they are as well. While I'm no footwear expert, I'll give my best effort to explain these in detail.The inside cushion. These boots have a thick memory-foam-like inner layer than sits snug against your feet. They are thick enough, and give way enough, that they could probably adapt to many foot shapes.The leather outside. Breathable, durable, tough, rugged... I don't really know what else you'd want in a nice hiking boot. They don't cause me to sweat like other materials such as gore-tex. I oil them up every now and then and have not seen any wear or tear in the year that I've had them.The genuine comfort. I've worn these through all four seasons in all sorts of terrain and I've never had an issue with comfort. They are actually comfortable enough that on many trip, I find myself leaving my lounge sandals at home.

I will note up-front that this is my fourth pair of Lowa Renegades since I bought my first pair in 1999. The other three pair have all been the low-rise model. Nonetheless, Lowa is my "go to" brand for this kind of shoe. Since a foot injury three years ago, one of my feet has intermittent plantar fasciitis that really benefits from a shoe that is rigid from ball to heel. My Lowas have been comfortable to wear even when everything else wasn't. I wear my Renegades 50-60% of the time I have shoes on my feet, for actual hiking and casual walking.Every Lowa Renegade I've owned has required minimal break-in. That's a good thing. I hate miles of discomfort or outright pain to break-in shoes. If I'm going hiking, I don't want *anything* rubbing or pinching uncomfortably, much less for it to do so for the entire hike.I chose to go with a boot this time because I like the additional ankle support and better resistance to snow getting in the shoe (an issue here in the Northeast U.S.). I can also wear them when riding a motorcycle. The toe is neither too thick nor too stiff for the shifter, and the ankle protection is adequate. (Yes, a true motorcycle boot is the *best* option, but it's rather specialized.)I chose the leather lining in hopes of avoiding the musty, occasionally foul smell from the Gore-tex fabric lining that plagued my previous Lowas. I've been wearing these almost exclusively since they arrived three weeks ago. The only odor coming from the shoe is that of leather, which I like. I also notice that my feet perspire much less in these than they did in the previous Renegades I've owned, even though this pair has a boot cuff the low-rise models lacked. I usually wear wool socks in colder months, and the thinner shoe -- without the thick Gore-tex lining -- doesn't seem to result in cold feet. I like that, too.The leather-lined shoe feels a bit wider than the Gore-tex one. I have usually found that a 2E or 3E works best for my feet, but without the bulk of the Gore-tex lining, the regular D width has fit my foot pretty well, after just a bit of walking to stretch the leather. This opens up the possibility of wearing the black shoe (my preference; see below), since the wider widths aren't available in black with the leather lining.I also mention that a major reason I've liked the Renegade models is that they don't scream "hiking shoe." There are no bright colors anywhere on the shoe. I'm a clergyman, and so I appreciate that, should I have these on with my black attire, they do not draw attention to themselves. Go ahead and wear them with jeans or even casual pants to the office. Lead a church service in them. They'll look rugged, but not completely out of place.The only cons I have for my Renegades are:1. Lowa's sole wears faster than other brands. Other reviewers have noted this, as do I. I can live with it, considering the amazing comfort of the shoe around town and on the trail. (I prefer the softer sole to sore feet.) I might try one of the resoling services when this pair's sole gets too thin.2. Lowa's insole could offer a bit more padding. This is perhaps a matter of personal preference, and it's easily remedied with a number of aftermarket insoles (I settled on the Spenco green). The shoe is not as cushioned as Vasque's new Eriksson model, although the Lowa feels far less clunky on the foot.All in all, I regret that I tried any other brands. Lowa works for my feet and intended uses. I'm a happy repeat customer.

Extremely comfortable boot. I don't think it really has enough support for real backpacking trips but for day hikes over rougher terrain or overnight treks would certainly do the job. They break in very quickly and are as comfortable as running shoes. The glove leather interior is a nice plus. I took a star off because of its durability. The soles are softer and wear kind of quickly, much faster than I feel a boot at this price range should. However, I know most people don't do the kind of hiking I do so this probably wouldn't be a concern.

First, terrific service from amazon.ca. They just make it so easy to do business :)These Lowa's are excellent and as I wear a 4E size boot are really the 'only' option for my duck feet! The leather lining is sooo comfortable. Hopefully the wax will provide adequate waterproofing otherwise get the GTX which is a GoreTex boot.Have hiked a bit already and am very happy with the comfort and fit. Because there is some extra room gives me options for in-soles and socks.For light hiking they are very good. There are good Lowa options if you are heading to the Arctic or mountains.Cheers, R

Grip very well on rock. Great confort with the leather Inside. Brethable (probabli more breathable than the goretex in my opinion). I walked 17 km of bouldering for my first hike with these boots and no blisters or pain ( I wore a thick and technical (wool and synthetic) sock ).Great purchase ! I was told that by a merchant that the Leather-Lined model wouldn't be made next year.

La calidad de Lowa no deja nada que desear. Excelentes botas, cómodas y resistentes. Vale la pena el precio alto (you get what you pay for). Recomendadas 100%

Nice shoes at reasonable reduced price!

Best boots in the world, I'm a mailman and put in an average 25 km a day walking and my feet are not worn out at the end of the day actually night now lol...winters coming!