LOWA Men's Renegade GTX Mid Walking Boots

I took a great deal of time selecting a pair of boots and after trying several the Lowa Renegade were not even on my list - until a very helpful member of staff recommended them as the best choice for my needs: I was very specific that I needed a tread that could cope with the slick mud that is common on trails in North Essex and Suffolk.

So in this respect I can only describe them as a failure: on slick muddy tracks my feet are sliding in all directions and walking up wet grassy slopes my rearmost foot slips backwards as I push forward.

A friend who accompanied me on my first hike in the Lowa Renegades was wearing an old pair of boots. At one point when my boots and I were sliding around on the mud we stopped to compare footwear: my brand new boots were carrying a large amount of mud on the soles while his were almost entirely mud-free.

The boots took half a dozen walks before they became comfortable - they had been rubbing on the inside of the left ankle, but now they are walked-in they seem fine.

Given the lack of grip it is just as well that motion control within the boots is good.

Another plus is their relative light weight when compared to many other boots.

I paid a lot for these boots and now have to live with their failure to live up to their billing.

Great product - absolutely no complaints!