Finding the right hiking boots is so important. After all, you’re on your feet for hours on end, they’re top-loaded with every ounce of weight from your body and gear, and they work the hardest to stabilize you over every root and rock you encounter along the trail.

It’s important that your hiking boots are comfortable, durable, and appropriate for the conditions. They are not a fashion piece, but rather essential equipment for your safety, so it is crucial that they’re high quality, reliable gear. I definitely understand that it’s expensive to kit yourself out for hiking with all top quality gear, but if you’re going to invest in any single piece of equipment, hiking boots are it.

Keep in mind that what works for one does not work for all. Everyones feet are different so it is imperative you try on a variety of hiking boots to see what works for you. Personally, I love my Lowa Lady Light GTX Ws waterproof hiking boots for year-round hiking.

Aptly nicknamed “the wet coast,” the west coast of British Columbia sees a lot of precipitation so I prefer to wear GORE-TEX® boots year-round. In my opinion, GORE-TEX® and properly treated leather are the only truly waterproof materials that hiking boots are made of. I’ve tried plenty of other brands using different materials marketed as being waterproof, but found each and every one of them to be water-resistant at best.

I have been out in my Lowa Lady Light GTX hiking boots for days on end in the torrential rain, on full days out in the deep snow, and every single time my feet emerge without a drop of wetness.

They’re light and breathable enough to wear in the summer too. They are my go-to hiking boot that I wore on almost every hike I did over the last year. For reference, in 2018 I hiked 78 trails, covered 502 km and climbed 28,607 metres – the vast majority of that was in my Lady Lights. From tough summer dayhikes like Mount Harvey, to winter snowshoe adventures like Garibaldi Lake, and overnights like Watersprite Lake, they’ve been the perfect boot. They’re even great for longer treks, so I’ll soon be taking them with me on an epic eight day trek along the entire 180 kilometre Sunshine Coast Trail in May 2019.

While classified as a light trekking boot, I’ve worn them without issue on countless multi-day backpacking trips with my pack that is typically 35-40 lbs. There is a medium shank (the supportive structure between the insole and outsole) that reduces the impact on one’s feet and calves, such as the common problem metatarsalgia (aka stone bruise). The industry-leading Vibram soles give them excellent traction. Especially on steep, wet terrain, slip-resistant hiking boots help make the adventure much easier and safer.

Two of my favourite features are the minimal seams which helps prevent friction and pressure points, and the patented Lowa technology called x-lacing: a metal button on the tongue that you lace around, holds the tongue in place both vertically and horizontally. Often tongues move around when you hike and the laces gradually loosen. This technology prevents that from happening, and avoids annoying common problems like blisters and sore pressure points due to this shifting.

Features

Weight: 1100 g/pair

Lining: GORE-TEX®

Outsole: LOWA Trac® Lite II

Upper: nubuck

Use

Day hikes

Backpacking

Multi-day treks

Price

CAD $360 at https://www.lowa.ca/en/product/lady-light-gtx-ws/

Learn more at lowa.ca

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