After an in depth search on the well-structured Lowa Boots website, we selected the Renegade GTX MID as a good hiker / field boot for this product review. Participating in this field test were: my wife, my son, 19, daughter, 17 years of age and myself respectively. We ordered the boots through Lowa's Pro-Program, which extends to the qualified professional of the outdoors a substantial discount. A Few days later we received our box with 4 pairs of Lowa boots.

GENERAL INSPECTION
Opening my boot's box I found a booklet written in several languages that spoke about "Product care tips and contains extensive informative material about the brushing, the application of cleaners and impregnators". I read it briefly, but I really wanted to put the boots on …

Continuing the initial inspection, the quality appeared to be top notch. All stitches are tight and regular; the Nubuk leather is sharply cut and well finished and the final colors are an attractive sepia / brown for the men and taupe / sepia for the Renegade GTX Mid Lady.

A small note inside the left foot reads, " CONTROLLO B 8 - In case of claim, kindly return this ticket". To the right boot are attached a Gore-Tex tag and a "Quality - Guarantee" additional tag which contains detailed information about material, care and the Lowa Limited Warranty.

Quality control seems to be high priority for Lowa.

CONSTRUCTION
Uppers in water-repellent Nubuk leather with Cordura ankle band, GORE-TEX® lining for ultimate climate comfort and waterproof protection. Derby cut lacing (the boots come fully laced) to comfortably fit a wider range of feet. The sole is a Vibram 'Vialta' outsole designed for improved grip and shock absorption.

NOTE - Vibram comes from Vitale Bramani an Italian mountaineer who, following the death of 6 of his dear friends in the Alps, devoted his life to design and develop a revolutionary sole that could give better traction and safety to the alpine mountaineers. Thus Vibram was born in 1936. The company still operates today under the VIBRAM name and licenses its soles to more than 1,000 boot manufacturers worldwide - ottimo lavoro Vitale!

Enough ….. it's time to put these babies on my feet. Socks first. The first sensation is of a snug embrace. Maybe it is the Renegade's bi-injection midsole or maybe the general construction; either way the first impression is that of great out-of-the-box comfort, stability and nice responsive stepping.

The boots feel good right away. Sizing is true (they are not running large), lacing and adjusting is made easy by the well designed eyelets and the ankle hooks which have a locking mechanism that allows one to regulate the tension on the lower and upper part of the boot.

The tongue is correctly designed and effective while the scree collar efficiently protects the Achilles' tendon and ankle and prevents chafing.

But one thing that really jumps out is that THEY ARE SO LIGHT! My tennis shoes weigh as much as these boots, which topped the scale in my size 10 slightly above the 2.2 lbs. mark.

FIELD TEST
We tested 4 pairs of Renegade GTX Mid: 1 in size 10, 1 in 10.5 [men] 1 in size 8.5 and 1 in size 9.5 [for the ladies].

I kept these Lowa boots on my feet for a couple of days prior to our hunting appointment with the rugged mountains of Northern California. The ranch on which we hunted ranges from the 4,400 ft. of the divide to 400 ft. elevation of the Eel River which runs through its 20,000 acres span.

The first day we found ourselves crossing a couple creeks several times while following the hounds that had tracked the scent of the wild boars. The water repellent Nubuk leather in addition to the GORE-TEX® construction contributed to keep our feet totally dry. However, at one point we were forced to wade a larger creek with water coming up to our calves (around 2 feet in depth) forcing water down from the top of the boot. Even though the boots were wet at the end of the day, they were still comfortable to walk in and no blistering occurred. That night we got back to the cabins with wet feet. No problem. The boots were dried up overnight (using forced air boot driers) and by morning the Renegade GTX were ready to go once again, dry and supple.

To our surprise, we were greeted at daylight with an unseasonable snowfall of 4-5 inches overnight, which transformed the spring-like landscape of the previous day into a winter-like atmosphere; trees loaded with snow, fog and a cold wind. However, the weather does not last long in the mountains, and the sun soon dried up the snow transforming, by the late afternoon, the steep slopes into a tricky mud trap where our boots were really put to the test.

Up and down we went hiking this fantastic country, which could have been easily chosen --- according to my kids -- for some of the "Lord of the Ring" movies.

The Renegade GTX turned out to be a phenomenal companion. Snow, mud, steep hills, creeks and rocky brakes, they held their head high and kept us dry and safe.

If I had to come up with one general comment to summarize these boot's performance, I could say that you could not expect anything more from a 2.2 pounds day hiker boot. If these are day hikers, I can't wait to test the other models that Lowa produces.

Both my wife and my daughter had nothing but praise for the boot's performance and believe me when I say that they are very, I repeat very, opinionated about life in general, but especially about what they put on their feet. Two thumbs up from the ladies with specific comments about the ratio weight/ performance. "These boots are light as a feather and as rugged as a mountain goat!"

Many things are important when you tackle the great outdoors, but few are more important than what you put on your feet.

Thank you LOWA Boots - we will add our humble, but enthusiastic endorsement to your long list of well deserved positive testimonials.

LOWA Boots, LLC
Toll Free at 1- 888-335-LOWA
www.lowaboots.com

for more information click on: Lowa Boots Q & A

Packaging
13" x 7" clear envelop with product information, Special Offer Card and other company products.

Dimensions
4 Foot x 7/16" diameter (2 oz.) - TESTED
6 Foot x 7/16" diameter (4 oz.)

Functionality's& Features
Originated in England, the Slip Lead is a time tested traditional training tool. It is a Leash & Collar As One in one easy to use package.

Slip Leads are available in a variety of colors with Realtree® Camo leather and Non-Camo leather as well.

Our sample was an attractive Polypropylene Cordage in a sort of a green camo mix with Realtree® Hardwoods leather. This type of Polypropylene Cordage is beneficial for several reasons:

• it floats on water
• it is UV-Protected
• it is soft yet extremely tough
• it coils easily when you need to put it in your pocket

Furthermore, a closer inspection has revealed other features that may not seem crucial, but they add durability and value to this clever product. Unlike other similar product on the market Sam's Dog Hut Slip Lead has:

• leather from top-quality cowhides
• the leather tabs are sewn + glued (with a special glue) ensuring that they won't fall apart or come loose
• larger handles resulting in less stress and comfort even when using heavy gloves
• folded Bone-Shaped® adjustable camo leather neck slider
• true to their size - a 4 footer is a 4 footer, a 6 footer is a true 6 footer and not a few inches short.
  

FIELD TEST: How did it work for us
We tested the Slip Lead on "Toby" our purebred yearling Yellow Labrador Retriever. The Slip Lead .... slips on the neck of the dog easily and can be quickly adjusted for maximum collar size by sliding the adjustable Folded Bone-Shaped®leather neck slider up or down the leash. In doing so you will encounter a positive resistance which guarantees that the keeper will remain in the position you selected. Using the slip collar this way allows you to take advantage of the "choking" mechanism of the cordage. However, unlike metal choke collars which have the tendency to ruin the hair when used frequently, this Slip Lead had no problem in this sense at all.
Toby seemed to grasp the idea of the new slip collar leash right away, responding better to the combination of voice + slip collar leash commands than the traditional style leash. He is still a young dog so his performance of commands is not always immediate or correct; yet, with a quick tug of the Slip Lead, Toby was able to easily understand and obey my commands without the raising of voices, or stronger reminders.

Final Comments
A great product. Easy to use and effective. Dog owners will want one in all their vehicles. Perfect length so no need to fumble with the leash or deal with extra material. Keeps the dog's attention for training while it is easy to use for taking a casual stroll. Slip Lead is easy on the hand with a very comfortable grip and texture. [It is also easy on the voice ... no need to raise it, just a small tug].

• positive grip
• attention to details and good manufacturing
• intuitive and effective use

The Slip Lead has quickly become our first choice when selecting the dog collar. Day in / day out a simple, effective, well manufactured product for every dog owner.

 

Sam’s Dog Hut
653 Pine Ridge
Prescott WI 54021

Email: samsdoghut@centurytel.net
Website: www.samsdoghut.com

Fax: (715) 262-4516
Phone: (715) 262-3668
Toll Free: (888) 908-4888 (Orders Only)
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

On one of my recent hikes, into the Wasatch Range of Northern Utah, I wore a pair of the new “Mid Weight Double Base Layer” long sleeve crew and pants by XGO.

XGO is a new label and product line from Longworth Industries, better known as Polarmax.

The fabric is called Acclimate Dry™ and wicks moisture away from the skin to the fabrics outer surface for quick evaporation, which means you stay warmer, drier and more comfortable.

XGO pioneered the development of an anti-odor, anti-microbial to meet the demands of the US military. Scent Prevent technology stops odor before it starts by killing the bacteria that causes odor. All of which are valuable to the sportsman who may be in the field for extended periods of time.

On the day of my climb, I started in the predawn hours with the temperature around 20o. My destination was a hidden canyon where I go to view wintering elk and deer. Its steep, and in knee deep snow, it doesn’t take long before your perspiring. As is the case in most stop and go activities, this is when your going to need a real good base layer.

On this particular day I stayed warm, dry and comfortable. I was impressed that the material did exactly what it was supposed to do as far as wicking the moisture. When I got home I followed the example of my teenage son and threw the pants and shirt in a pile of our walk way, where they stayed for a week. On the following Saturday, I headed into the high country again, with the same clothes only without any noticeable odors or smells.

The Product line comes in 4 technical Phases, going from mesh silk up to heavyweight tech fleece. The colors come in Realtree HD Hardwood Green as well as Black, Desert Sand and O.D Green.

I highly recommend the XGO product line.

Karl Badger
Field Editor
Top Rated Adventures

XGO™, www.xgotech.com 800-552-8585