Jodi Balazs, of OUTDOOR PRODUCT REVIEW.com recently field tested the LOWA Lady GTX. Here's what Jodi had to say about this award-winning boot:

"The best all around hiking boot I’ve ever worn. The End."

"I knew I couldn’t just get away with writing that. You probably want to know why I think they are the best hiking boot. I used to have a pretty good idea what I thought the best hiking boot was until Lowa sent me the Lady GTX.

Keep in mind these boots are designed for backpacking and rough terrain, so if you want something light that you can go trail running with, you’ll have to go with one of Lowa’s other models.

With that said, even though these boots are designed to support your feet and ankles, never once did I feel like I was wearing a ski boot.

If you thought it was just a myth that German made items were built to the highest standards, then sink your foot into this boot.

The Lady GTX is handcrafted in Germany and as I’m wearing them, I would swear they were custom built just for my foot.

Usually, higher end, stiff leather hiking boots need a little break-in time before you hit a long, arduous trail. I wanted to give these boots the real test, so I did something I normally don’t do...

The very first time I wore them, I climbed a 14,000 foot peak. That’s right, I went against everything I’ve ever been taught in hiking do’s and don’ts. I even told another camper we met who had bagged numerous 14ers what I was going to do. He looked at me like I had just stepped off a city sidewalk for the first time and warned me against my decision.

Not one to succumb to peer pressure easily, the next day, I trekked seven miles, scrambled over boulders the size of my SUV, ascended 4,500 feet and tackled 80 degree slopes (no kidding.)

By the time I got back down to the trailhead, my feet were the only things that weren’t hurting.

And I didn’t have one blister to boot!!!! No pun intended. These boots were not only strong enough to protect the bottom of my feet from foot fatigue caused by rocky terrain, they were soft and comfy on the inside. While the outer side of the boot is leather, and quite stylish, the inside is well padded.

The Lady GTX conformed to my foot without being tight. I’ve never had that happen before. Either the shoe is tight, or it’s loose. I think Lowa must use some Black Forest magic on that detail because there is no other way to explain it.

Another feature that is a must for me in this kind of boot is the Gortex lining. I live in Colorado and even though it’s a dry climate, every morning there is dew all over the grass. As soon as you step out of your tent and walk through the grass and weeds to do all those things humans need to do, your shoes get wet.

With the waterproof Gortex lining, there was no worry about wet feet. With all the things I have to think about when I go into the outdoors, I refuse to worry about wet feet. That brings me to moisture management. Everyone is different, but my feet don’t really sweat much. I wore my Smartwool socks without a liner (awesome isn’t it) and I had no problem. My husband on the other had, he can wear a pair of mesh shoes and his feet would sweat in them.

I couldn’t possible go without mentioning that these boots are super warm. I wore them on four different trips we took in September, October, & November in the Colorado Rockies. We were in the high country for over a week with temperatures dipping down into the 20’s.

My feet get cold very easy. Now please, no need to start sobbing, but I have spent my whole life suffering from cold feet whenever I go out cold weather camping, skiing or snowshoeing.

This is the first boot that wasn’t a snow boot that kept my feet warm. My little tootsies never got cold once, not even the toe that still suffers from a bout of frostbite I got skiing as a kid. I always carry a stash of toe warmers in my pack and the only time I needed to use them was for my daughter who was wearing a pair of my old hiking boots.

If I were a movie critic, I would give this boot a five thumbs up. That’s five out of five thumbs up.

If you want a quality boot that will keep your feet dry, protected and warm in rough alpine terrain, then spend the extra on the Lowa Lady GTX. It’s worth every penny.

I’ve owned every brand of everything that is considered outdoorsie and it isn’t very often that something can get me as excited as this boot.

I call this my “End of the World Boot.” If civilization as we know it were to end and I had only one pair of shoes on my feet as I ran down the path of despair into the great unknown, this is the shoe I would wear.

Some of the other things worth mentioning are the Vibram soles. Vibram soles sort of speak for themselves. The toe has a rubber toe guard that runs the edge of the boot to protect the toe from knicks. Anyone who has owned a pair of leather hiking boots without the toe guard knows how fast the boot starts to get knicks in it until chunks of leather are missing. I’ve worn these boots non-stop since June and have no blemishes on the leather.

Every, and I mean, EVERY boot I have owned before this, I bought my own insoles and took the factory one’s out. I even do that with my running shoes. Not these boots. They still have the factory insoles in them and the bottom of my feet are very happy.

And, last but not least, there is a clip on the tongue that the lace goes underneath to hold it from sliding down the side of your foot. Not only do the inside of these boots mold to your ankles, the whole thing stays put.

Lowa Lady GTX, you can have a place in my closet for as long as you like."

View the LOWA Lady GTX.

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