LOWA IROX GTX MID/LYXA GTX MID
Can Lowa’s latest 100% synthetic boot kick traditional leather boots into the long grass?
Leather is the traditional material for making the tough upper needed for hillwalking boots, but there has been a rise in synthetic alternatives. Lowa’s latest boot, the Irox GTX Mid for men and the Lyxa GTX Mid for women, uses no animal products at all. You won’t find a sliver of suede around the upper and the glues don’t use animal fat, boiled bones or other animal tissues. So how does this 100 per cent synthetic boot stack up?
Firstly, why make a boot out of synthetic materials in the first place? Price is one factor; the best leather boots using full grain leather uppers are getting pricy due to the rising costs of production. There is also an aesthetic appeal as leather boots look old fashioned compared to the bright designs possible with synthetic alternatives.
Then there’s the environmental impact. Animal production requires a huge amount of land, food and water, encourages deforestation and produces over 50 per cent of greenhouse gas worldwide, more than all cars, planes and transportation combined. This along with animal welfare concern has led to an increase in veganism: 360 per cent in the last 10 years. And this is a vegan boot.
The Irox GTX/Lyxa GTX was designed with input from alpinist Ralf Dujmovits and has an alpine feel and appearance, with its styling giving it a more modern look than leather designs. At just 1432g (size 46) it’s also lighter than many boots in its price range. The upper is reasonably free of stitching, often the weak link in terms of durability, but you also get a rubber rand at the toe and heel for even more protection. The synthetic upper feels abrasion resistant and also quite stiff in the ankle cuff, toe box and heel cup areas, ensuring this should be good for rocky alpine and UK mountain paths. The outsole has widely spaced lugs and a heel breast comparable to many boots, although not quite as deep as I would like for grip on softer ground and moorland. You do get good stiffness in the sole though, making this better than many boots for rockier ground.
I took these over some Langdale rock and scree in the Lake District and they performed really well with the good stiffness providing a stable footing. The cushioning underfoot is a little firm though and I’d like a little more soft padding in the lining, although I could say the same about some other boots. A thicker pair of socks helps, but as synthetic boots tend to be sweatier, not too thick!
So are they worth the cash? For £180 this compares well with boots of similar prices and it is much lighter, so it deserves to be considered alongside traditional designs for trekking and hillwalking.