Shoes, so damn important to keep you going during an airsoft game. But what to choose? Let’s go over my shoes and why.
It’s something that I have never put a lot of tought in but it’s an important part of the the gear list. Having the right shoe can not only save your ankles but also your morale.
First I will tell you why I chose this shoe and what I have been using in the past and after that I will give you more information about the Lowa Zypher itself. So If you’re here for the shoe detail, you can jump to that section in the video.
Allright, shoes.
When I started playing, the logical option was a leather combat boot. It was something that I had laying around and that I was wearing while playing guitar and being all metal and stuff. I used the ABL leather combat boot for a longtime but that’s not the most comfortable shoe, but it kept my feet dry and secured my ankle. After some time I switched to a Vietnam loadout and used a Green/black jungle boot. A comfortable shoe but not very water resistant. Well the wat was able to get out as fast as it was getting in. During that time I had the opportunity to buy HAIX desert boots on a yard sale and got in contact with a more comfortable shoe that supports the ankle much more. It’s a very big difference between this and the leather combat boot. This felt like coming home and sit your feet down in a comfortable couch. I have used this boot until it fell apart. After that I used the Adidas SGS9, what was even more comfortable then the HAIX. But that was manly my fault, the HAIX were a size to big what meant that they were a bit loose. The adidas is an amazing shoe but imo the soles wore down pretty fast. After they were done I had to find new shoes.
Now I wanted to make a good decision. All the other shoes, I got them cheap, had them laying around or did put a lot of tought in it. And as I said, shoes are important. So this year, yes after 15 years of playing, I had to go over all the different brands and find the one that fits my needs. I knew what I was going to do with it and what it needed to be able to do.
It needed to be waterproof/resistant, protect my ankle, be durable and have a good sole. I started asking around to people what they were using and why. A few brands came out that was soloman, Lowa, Crispy and a few others. Besides that, there were 3 different heights. The hi, mid and low version. What fabric do I need to take, leather of fabric, Goretext or not. What way of closing, go for a zipper or for laces.
After I looked at all the options, I started looking at the price and that wasn’t that hard. A good shoe costs a lot of money, so I knew that. I set a max budget around 200eur and kept asking around.
So after a lot of consideration, I picked the Lowa Zypher GTX mid and now I will go over the features with you and give some more info why I choose this shoe.
Specifications
The Lowa Zypher is a general purpose boot that is fully waterproof and very light.
It weighs 560gr and if you compare that to other shoes, that’s very light. It might be a small difference but if you have to walk a lot of km, every bit of weight helps to keep you going longer. It’s not the lightest boot out there, but the weight vs shoe performance is just good.
Fabric outside
It’s made out of a split synthetic/leather that is easy to maintain and has a very good breathability. There is a also a double ray is stitches to add to the durability. It’s a funny thing to say this. I’m not a taler, but apparently the double or even triple ray of stitches reflects on the quality of the product. So here it is.
Inside
Goretext lining highly breathable durable and waterproof lining material keeps feet pleasantly dry and optimized climate comfort. What means, it will keep your feet on the right temperature and will prevent overheating and makes sure they keep dry. Oh and there is some nice padding on the top to make it even more comfortable
All the materials are fast drying. Well ‘faster’ then an other boot. I did not test this out, they just say it on the internet.
The ony thing I encountered is that the flap in the middle is moving to the left when I’m walking. I’m trying to find a way to prevent this from happening without sewing the strap. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. It’s something I have with more boots so a solution would be nice.
Sole
Lowa cross 2, rubber outside sole that goes up to the upper part of the shoe. That makes that the shoe a lot stronger but you give in a bit on flexibility for me, I want a bit more rigged shoe so that was good for me. They call that the double injection DuraPU with monowrap stability (icons op lowaboots.com). The sole also goes up on the tip part what helps to protect your toes when you’re being clumsy and hit your toes.
The way the sole is constructed will help with grip and flow from all kinds of material that otherwise would get stuck in the sole.
Because of all that technology the sole is durable, shock absorbing and can take a beating. It can take on a lot of different terrains.
Hooks
The hooks on the shoe go up instead of sideways. That makes for an easier closing and opening of the boot. If you compare that with original leather combat boots, they are a bit of a struggle to take off and on, with those hooks it’s really easy to tighten the shoe. To make it even easier to put your shoe on, there is a small hook at the back of the shoe, that I didn’t use yet.
Looks
The looks were not the most important factor in the choosing of this shoe, but I like how it looks. It’s has some interesting thing going on on the side. This is something personal, but I like it. You can also get them in different colors like grey, black, desert, coyote and ranger green. I went for black because that goes with everything.
Ankle support
With 3 different heights I had the biggest struggle choosing the right height for my new shoe. I was used to have a bit of a higher shoe. But I chose this one because of the comments I read that it has a excellent ankle support. That’s an important one for me because of the rugged terrain we play on but also my playstyle. I need to have that support.
Price
I bouht my boots for 159 euros. The pricing will change, depending on the country you’re from.
Mine came from Airsoftshop in Belgium and they ship to Europe.
Cleaning and waterproofing
To clean the shoe I’m cleaning most of the dirt of on site and then let it dry. Afterwards I use a brush to remove the rest of the dirt and clean them with some water. I don’t use any waterproofing yet. I’m trying to find the right material because if I use the wrong one it will stop the breathability of the shoe.
Morale
I said in the beginning that a shoe will not only keep you going because you don’t have any injuries, but it will also keep you going because your feet are dry and comfortable. When everything is a struggle, especially during longer events, having some comfort will keep you going longer. Or if you look at it the other way, if you also have to struggle with wet and uncomfortable feet, on top off all the other things. Yeah you don’t want that. So invest in some good shoes. I had to struggle with wet and uncomfortable feet a few times and when I used my Lowas it felt like one thing less to worry about.
Conclusion
My overall conclusion of this shoe is very good. It’s a very comfortable shoe for a decent price. It keeps my feet dry and protect my ankle. I think this boot is an good alround boot for any airsofter, hiker or just for daily use. After a few months of use I’m still very happy about this boot. I recommend this boot to anyone that is looking to get some better shoes.
Remember that the gear that I’m using is gear that I choose for my personal things that I do. But if you can bring yourself into the things that I do, yes, this is a boot for you.
And to end of the video I want to give you one small tip. If you go to longer games and you have to chance to take of your shoes, do that and make sure you have some flipflops with you to give your feet some are. Walking around in the base like that is an amazing good feeling.