Fun fact, did you know that the company name, LoWa is constructed from the first letters of the founders name, Lorenz Wagner?
The Renegade II GTX replaces my previous beloved Lowa Zyper, both mid high shoes. More information about the Zypher and history of my choice of that shoe, you can find that specific video.
The Zypher was done after years of walking and running in the woods. It held up really good and with the move to Sweden, where the wetter climate guided me to a leather boot instead of a fabric one. It was a perfect test to see the difference between fabric and leather and I had the chance to run it for a few months now here are the things that I liked and didn’t like.
Size
Let’s start with the thing that annoyed me the most, the size. Finding a new boot comes with getting the size right. I fitted the boot in the store and while they have halve sizes, which is awesome, I was in between 2 sizes so I took the same size of my Zypher, thinking that that would be the closest one.
After using it for a bit, I noticed that it was a bit too big. Which was good for winter time, I could wear an extra pair of socks to keep my feet warm. But I also wanted to use them in summer, 2 pairs of socks is not advised. I bought a few different pairs of soles to get a bit more height but that didn’t work.
I did one last attempt with a leather insole that was not built for shoes like this and then added the original sole on top of that and hoped things would work and they did. With the few millimeters height difference, the boot fits perfectly.
This was an annoying process on an expensive boot. In winter I will take out the second sole to wear an extra pair of socks and in summer I’ll put it back in. I’m curious if this is a smart idea or not. If you know more, let me know so I can educate myself a bit.
Now the things I like,
Waterproof
I’ve been using this in combination with gaiters and there has been a lot of water running on them and my feet kept perfectly dry. I’ve been using them in the snow with -10 degrees and in sand with +30 degrees. It is important to take care of the leather so it keeps the water out and leather hydrated. It’s how my other leather boots kept going until the sole just fell off. GoreTex is doing its thing very well. The tongue is connected to the sides which helps to keep things waterproof.
Comfort
With the correct height orf 2 pairs of socks, the boot is super comfortable for short or longer games and it gives a really good support to the ankle. I’m an active player so that support is more than welcome. The padding and the interior feel is really nice and while I don’t get blisters easily, these also didn’t give me any yet.
Mid
I chose the mid version to be able to use it in as many situations as possible. It gives me enough support and I can also easily drive a car where with the Hi boot, it’s not as comfortable.
Break in
With new boots, especially leather ones, they say you need a bit of a break in period. I do recommend not getting them out of the box right before your multiday event but you also don’t need to walk 100km before they feel comfortable. Even getting them on the first time felt nice.
Breathability
While the fabric Zypher has a bit more breathability, it’s not a significant difference. In both shoes my socks were wet from the sweat on hot days and a lot of running around. I rather have good waterproofing and less breathability than the other way around. So I gladly take it and switch my socks a bit more often.
Weight
For being a leather booth that gives that much support I like the weight. It’s a light booth for what it does. With about 700gr per boot, which is similar to the Zyper and a bit over the average hiking booth but you get back in durability, which is important for what I do with it.
Sole
There are a lot of fancy words when you start looking up about the sole and technique. I noticed that it’s holding better on slippery surfaces like wet concrete than my Zypher. In the woods, it gives really good grip even in muddy conditions. One thing I did notice is the heat- and cold-insulating sole construction. In winter time, in snow, my feet didn’t cool down as fast as in other shoes. Oh, the dampening, if that is the correct word, is nice. It bounces a bit and it is tough enough to not feel every little pointy stone through the sole.
Price
Good shoes are not cheap and I believe that good shoes are one of the key elements that you should buy when you start playing. It will keep your morale up when your feet are happy. I paid around 230eur for mine and depending on the country and shop, there might be a little bit of difference. I am curious how long they will last me, like I said, they do get used pretty good in not the best circumstances. That’s one of the reasons why I rather pay a bit more for good shoes that keep it together longer.
Final thoughts
As for now, I’m really liking this boot. Used it in winter and summer and now with the extra inner sole it fits really good. I’m looking forward to keep using them for while. I would certainly recommend it to players that want to invest in some good shoes.
Searching for the gear that works for me is always an interesting journey. That’s why my gear doesn’t change a lot, I know what I want and do the needed research.