The Lowa Ledro GTX Mid is a B shoe with a half-height shank for mid-mountain hikes with a not too heavy backpack. Read the review.
Fit
The fit of the Lowa Ledro GTX Mid in the Normal version is for normal feet. It is also available in an S with less volume at the forefoot and a WXL with more volume at the forefoot. The ladies shoe has a narrower heel.
Construction
The Lowa Ledro GTX Mid is mainly made of suede leather with synthetic inserts at the tongue and back of the shank. This provides the necessary flexibility. The shoe does not have a special bumper all around, although the sole and midsole do offer the necessary protection. The nose and heel are provided with rubber reinforcements. Lowa has provided the shoe with the Gore-Tex membrane to make it waterproof and yet breathable. The outsole under the Ledro does not come from Vibram; the Elika Grip is a development of Lowa itself. The construction of the sole is sturdy and the bending point lies nicely under the forefoot. The shoe is resoleable.
Putting on
Putting on the Lowa Ledro GTX Mid is child’s play. The tongue construction allows you to fold the shank wide open and your feet slide in easily. Extra help is the pull tab on the back of the shank. The laces run through a loop in the tongue so that it does not sink sideways. The eyelets on the forefoot are suede and nylon loops, some of which are covered with suede. On the shank they are made of metal. The closing of the laces runs smoothly and the laces remain in place.
Lowa Ledro GTX Mid Practice
For Mid-high shoes the Lowa Ledro GTX Mid are still quite high. The sole may be nice and stiff but because of its good banana shape, the slightly rounded heel and the flexpoint that lies nicely under the forefoot they walk very comfortably. The shank is softly padded and that feels good too. However, the shank is slightly less sturdy than you would expect from a B-shoe, which means that the support to the ankles is also slightly less. It is also striking that the high tongue in combination with the flexible shank at the front slightly opens up making it easy to get grass in your shoe. Of course, only if you wear shorts; a long pair of trekking pants won’t bother you.
The protection of the shoes is very decent. However, the thin layer of rubber over the leather of the nose is damaged fairly quickly. The one on the heel is considerably stronger. The outsole provides good grip on wet and dry. Nice are the lugs at the toes. These provide a lot of grip when climbing. The heel has a good brake; fine when descending. The tread is slightly less deep than average. The Gore-Tex has proven itself to be waterproof. The wading height of the shoes is – despite the Mid-high shank – still 12 cm.
Verdict
The Lowa Ledro GTX Mid may be medium-high mountain hiking boots, but because of the shank they are quite high. The shank itself is comfortable but rather flexible, giving a little less support to the ankles than you might expect. The sole, on the other hand, is sturdy and is a solid platform for long days in the middle mountains with a well-stocked backpack. The outsole offers good grip on wet and dry and the lugs under the nose help in the ascent; the heel with brake when descending. The suede upper is very resistant to damage, although the nose should have a little more rubber. The entry of the shoe is very easy. The Gore-Tex lining makes the shoes waterproof. Sweaty feet won’t bother you when the weather is not too hot. The fact that the shoes can be resoled ensures that the slightly less tread depth is not a problem. The price of € 199.95 is fine. I rate the Lowa Ledro GTX Mid at 9.1 out of 10 points.
- Price: € 199,95
- Weight: L 567,3 gr R 560,8 gr (size 7.5)
- Category: B
- Upper: Suede/Synthetic
- Membrane: Gore-Tex
- Outsole: Lowa Elika
- Resoleable: Yes
- Fit: Normal to wide full feet*
- Sizes: 6-13
- Women’s model: Lowa Sassa GTX Mid Ws
Information The Netherlands: www.lowa.nl
Information Europe: www.lowa.de
Information US: www.lowaboots.com
