Lowa choice help...

[Nocommonsense]

Hello,
I was wondering about Lowa boots, specifically lowa megacamps.
You see, my old Berghaus boots are getting too small, and I was just thinking about replacements. I wanted to look at some Lowas, preferably not goretex lined as my feet sweat even in leather combat boots (even with foot powder!).
So, I was just wondering about saving up for a pair of Lowa megacamps. My reasoning being, I need a boot to carry heavy packs, and these have good ankle support, and walking boot quality sole, which these have (and are incidentally replaceable). I need these qualities for DofE and Cadets

With a bit of polish, any leather boot can be waterproofed, and I have a tin of the old proper nikwax waterproof wax stuff anyway.

However, I have read that these boots are not waterproof around the lace hooks/rings.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

[EDIT] Also, does anyone have any recommendations for a different boot that's not too expensive which could fit these requirements? e.g altberg, other lowas, etc. (please include a description and experiences please!!).

Thanks.

 

[woof]

I like altbergs, but if you are on a budget have a look at the German para boots, they are tough comfortable & supportive, leather lined so will suit you.

Rob

 

[Nocommonsense]

Thanks Rob,

Any recommendations for a pair of high legged (ish) altberg boots?
What ones do you wear?

Thanks,
Nathan.

 

[woof]

For me it was the field & fell boot. Most of us wore them(we were dog handlers)& used the one's with the skywalk sole not the lightweight sole as that for urban work wore out to quickly, where as I could get a year out of a skywalk sole.
Hope that helps, but I do now wear a pair of the German para boots, as I've now retired & work as a gardener, the para's are heavier but very comfy, & if you just want to try a pair they can be picked up used quite cheap, but if you are feeling flush get the field & fells.

Rob

 

[Angry Pirate]

Apologies if this teaching you to suck eggs but most important is fit so get to a shop and try some on if you can. I have desert lowas for bumming around in and much as I like them there is enough heel lift that I wouldn't want to tab any major distance in them, though a mate really rates his. Ditto my (very) old altbergs, though they were off the shelf not the custom fit models that folk I know who are still in sport and rate highly. I use surplus issue boots as my day to day work footwear and they are comfy and hardwearing and above all cheap.
Leather boots can be proofed but I'd never go so far as to call them waterproof: my scarpas are superb mountain boots but will let water in after a few days of continuous wet.
I'd also caution against high leg boots for d of e use. There is a reason why hill walking boots are lower round the ankle, mainly in that they cause less pressure on the Achilles tendon. You'd be better off buying a good pair of walking boots and some cheaper combat high and having boots specialised for the task rather than a jack of all trades.

 

[Nocommonsense]

Thanks,
I understand what you're saying there. I guess it also depends on the shape of your feet too. Back to searching then.

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced (preferably leather) hiking boot?

Thanks.

 

[Tonyuk]

I have the older supercamps, the ones with the full white (or was) leather lining. I wouldn't use polish on them and instead would stick to grangers wax, dubbin or snoseal to keep them going. I've never had a problem with water coming in through the lace loops since the wax tends to build-up around these and keep it out. If you did get any in it wouldn't be much and would dry quicker than if you got the inside of goretex wet anyway.

Tonyuk

 

[MikeLA]

I like the Hanwag SF Boots or the Lowe Patrol unlined, Altberg Warrior unlined.

Worn all three over the last few years replacing one with the other.

Another option is the British Army Assault boots (Never had a problem with these) especially if you look after them

 

[Nocommonsense]

Thanks guys,

I got my hands on a pair of lowa supercamp 2's, the ones with the full leader lining for a cracking deal.
How do I look after the lining? In the manual, it says that I need to moisturize it from time to time as the salts in your feet can cause the leather to dry over time.

Oh, and should I use some of the older nikwax paste (now discontinued) to proof them, (despite using copious amounts of polish), even though lowa says not to use oily products on their boots, as it ruins the support of the leather?

Thanks.

 

[Tonyuk]

Thanks guys,

I got my hands on a pair of lowa supercamp 2's, the ones with the full leader lining for a cracking deal.
How do I look after the lining? In the manual, it says that I need to moisturize it from time to time as the salts in your feet can cause the leather to dry over time.

Oh, and should I use some of the older nikwax paste (now discontinued) to proof them, (despite using copious amounts of polish), even though lowa says not to use oily products on their boots, as it ruins the support of the leather?

Thanks.

Buy some cheap asda moisturizer an rub it into the the leather lining about once a month, or any time they get soaked through. Lowa recommend that you use their own line of products (no surprise there) however hundreds of people use polish on them every day and the leather is still supportive, grangers, snoseal & dubbin may soften the leather slightly but its stiff to begin with so even with it softening your still going to have plenty of support.

Tonyuk

Edit;

You might not need to moistureize the leather as often as me, since i wear them regularly in work, however if never had the lining crack yet

 

[The Lord Poncho]

To waterproof my Lowa patrols, the best way i've found is to very gently warm with a hair dryer and melt G-Wax into them. You can see it being absorbed by the leather. Otherwise I find that wax just sits on the surface and flakes of where the boot flexes.

Eventually you will find the creases in the leather at the forefoot will let a small amount of water in no matter how you proof them, but only when walking through the likes of long wet grass.

 

[Goatboy]

The old Nikwax wax is pretty pants. Did the leather no good in the long term. Even Nikwax wave changed what they put in it and have changed the formula and now sell a cream. (The old rep ftom Nilwax agreed. It was the only bad product from them though imho).
Still find Snoseal to be the best though Brasher polish is darn good and buffs up to a good shine and is like armour when done.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[caorach]

Both Altberg and Haix boots are now issued and so are available in mil surplus. I got a "grade 1" pair of the Haix which were actually brand new for £50 but haven't, as yet, tried the Altbergs. I've got a lot of boots, 7 pairs in current use, from many of the big names and I would rate the Haix boots as up there along with them for a fraction of the money.

The surplus Haix boots are gore-tex lined whereas the surplus Altbergs are not so you have the choice there.

There seemed to be a lot of availability for a while and this has tailed off a little bit so you might have to hunt around a bit for a pair but I'd certainly recommend that you at least look at the surplus boots. They are classed as "high liability" boots by the forces, whatever that means. For what it is worth I got mine here:

http://www.britishmilitarysurplus.co.uk/shop/footwear.html