A good trail shoe or boot is an essential piece of gear when out adventuring in the backcountry. TAP was provided the Lowa Zephyr GTX Mid boot to test and here are our thoughts after a few months of use and abuse, at shows, on trails, around camp and hiking.
In-Field Conditions:
- Trails hiked: 200+ miles
- Some rock scrambling and general camping use in the desert and mountains
- 500+ miles of working the pedals of the TAP Media Rig both on and off trail
- Cold and wet to hot and dry conditions
- Used with Superfeet Hike Support in-soles (I always replace OEM insoles of every shoe/boot I use)
Pros:
- Relatively light and definitely kept my feet warm in wet and cold conditions.
- Gore-Tex works as described. Editors Note: This boot was used in very wet conditions at Overland Expo West and performed flawlessly.
- Excellent traction on dry loose and uneven surfaces. Average traction in wet conditions.
- Great ankle support and a firm hold of the foot when laced tightly.
- After 7 months of use all seems and stitching has held up as expected. The lugged outsole has worn well.
- Great looking tactical styling and design (Caveat..see comment below)
Cons:
- Felt a little stiff straight out of the box and took a couple of weeks to get really comfortable.
- Sizing slightly larger than expected. I use a 10.5 mens and these felt slightly big. This was overcome by inserting Superfeet in-soles and using thicker socks.
- The light outsole color may not be for everyone however, the alternative colors of Reed and Beige/Brown are more in-line with a traditional hiking boot. ***Also please note, the in-field photos were taken in bright sunlight and make the shoe look a brighter blue than reality. Our test pair in person, reflect the correct color below.
- Price $230
Conclusions:
I’m giving these boots a 4 out of 5 star rating and can definitely recommend them. Overall, they are comfortable and performed to our expectations. At $230 they’re a premium price, however are well made and the obvious quality construction has stood up to our 7 months of use and abuse.
