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I have known the Lowa brand for many years. Their reputation for strength and reliability is well established to the point that many special forces units around the world use them to replace their standard shoes, that's saying it all !

I myself owned a pair of Lowa Tibet Gtx a few years ago that I wore around the world in the most varied and hostile terrain without ever being disapointed.

When the possibility of testing those new Lowa Explorer GTX LO came to me, I did not hesitate for a second ...

When you unbox the shoes, you immediately notice the high-end manufacturing quality.

The Lowa Explorer GTX LO are made in Germany, this is a real guarantee of quality.

The seams are perfect, the finish is impeccable, the materials are of first quality.

The upper of the shoe is in suede while the sole is a Vibram Rock Trac Evo.

The Lowa Explorer is a GTX, this means that a Gore-tex membrane is present in the shoe to increase and maximize the waterproofness and breathability.

Despite all those features, the weight remains extremely contained with barely 1,040 g per pair.

What about the look of the Lowa Explorer GTX LO ?

Simply amazing, the embossed sides give it a modern and versatile look. The four colors available offer you a wide choice of possibilities to best match your hiking outfit .....

Use

From the first try, you know immediately that you are in a pair of Lowa. The foot feels directly well shod, without friction points, without compressions. You have the impression that they were build for your feet.

And it goes the same during the first walk. Lowa is for me the only brand of hiking shoes that doesn't require to be broken in !

The lacing is precise and typical for mountain use. Indeed, it starts very far at the level of the toes to go up to the top of the kick, a bit like climbing shoes. This type of lacing allows to adjust with extreme precision the support of the foot according to the desires and the use.  For example, you are in the ascension phase, you don't need to have your toes compressed, a good support of the kick is enough.

On the other hand, during a long downhill phase, with this precise lacing of the front of the foot, you can block the toes to prevent them from hitting the front of the shoe .... Smart right? The Vibram Rock Trac Evo sole offers exceptional grip on wet ground but also on dry ground and especially in scree. They jump from rock to rock without any loss of grip. But thanks to its rubber blend, it retains optimal comfort without giving you the feeling of walking barefoot on rocks.

In addition, Lowa has incorporated Dyna PU + type foam into its midsole.

This foam has the effect of accentuating the rebound effect between steps to minimize fatigue on long outings.

For what use ?

The Lowa Explorer GTX LO are designed for modern trekking type use.

Most trekkers these days have abandoned high shoes in favor of lighter, more dynamic lower models.

Personally, I find that they will also be perfect for approach walks both in expeditions and alpine races.

But not only ... The sole of the Lowa Explorer GTX LO has two zones of stiffness in a triangle shape at the forefoot and heel. These areas of stiffness will be perfect for use in Via Ferreta or easy climbing !