Lowa Renegade GTX

Jmfwsu

FNG
Joined
Nov 20, 2014
Hi,

Just curious about the durability of the Lowa Renegade hiking boots. I’ve read reports in the past of the soles separating from the upper, as I believe they are only glued and not sewn.

Anyone have any issues? How have they held up? Are they worth $200?

Thanks for the help!
 
My Renegades are my go-to for light duty and around town. No break in time for me, comfortable right out of the box.

I leave most mountain hunting situations for the Tibets though.
 
I’ve put a lot of miles on renegades and never had a quality issue or problem. They are a flexible boot and with any flexible boot, the gortex membrane will fail sooner over time and let water in, especially in wet snow or grass. Keep them conditioned with grangers paste.
 
I had some renegades that were OK, but didn't last all that long. I stepped up to the Rangers, and they have been way better. Heavier, and more expensive, but a better boot for me. Also picked up some Tibet's this year and they are also really nice. Little bit longer to get broken in though.
 
I got a pair for upland bird hunting in Washington. They were very comfortable and exactly what I was looking for. However, they weren't waterproof at all. 30min of walking through wet grass and they soaked completely through. I could pour water out of my boots after the first field. I even had waterproof gaiters covering half of the boot. Made for a miserable day of hunting. Lowa took the boots back with no questions asked though and gave me my money back
 
Hi,

Just curious about the durability of the Lowa Renegade hiking boots. I’ve read reports in the past of the soles separating from the upper, as I believe they are only glued and not sewn.

Anyone have any issues? How have they held up? Are they worth $200?

Thanks for the help!
Worth more than $200 to me. I've used mine now for 2 full seasons and they are great boots. No issues whatsoever. Fit them with some superfeet green insoles and your feet will love you for it.

When this pair of Renegades is done, I'm getting another pair.
 
I’m a big fan of the renegades. I have about 20 hunting/scouting trips on mine over 4 years. I replaced the insoles with factory ones this past September.

If it’s an option, I’d recommend going to a store and trying on a few different brands. My buddies love Crispis/zamberlan. I tried on about 8 different boots and returned a pair of Danners before landing on the renegades. Nothing is worse than getting blisters and not being happy about your boot selection when you are a few days into the hunt.
 
I’m a big fan of the renegades. I have about 20 hunting/scouting trips on mine over 4 years. I replaced the insoles with factory ones this past September.

If it’s an option, I’d recommend going to a store and trying on a few different brands. My buddies love Crispis/zamberlan. I tried on about 8 different boots and returned a pair of Danners before landing on the renegades. Nothing is worse than getting blisters and not being happy about your boot selection when you are a few days into the hunt.
I had a pair of Crispis for about 2 days, for that reason. Obviously great boots but it's all about proper fit in these higher end boots!
 
$200? Yea.

Do they last? Not really.

There are too many stitched seams and potential failure points. The soles are soft and it makes the boots comfortable. There's a reason these boots are in Lowa's cheaper tier.

When guys talk about multiple years of use, my mind goes to how many actual days of wear and under what conditions they are talking.

In my opinion, it's well worth stepping up to the rangers. I've never worn the Camino but they're probably worth a look as well.
 
For my purpose, they would mostly be used for trail hiking and general winter wear. Nothing too strenuous. It would just be nice to know I could get a few years of use.

Really appreciate the feedback. This site is great!
 
I think they fill their niche well. Comfortable out of the box. I can't do the stiff heavy boots. They have their place and will last longer but will be a lot less comfortable for most while in milder terrain. I like how easy the renegades are to put on. Don't have to shove your fit in.
 
They're good boots, some of the better in their price range but you have to remember that eventually any boots are going to wear, any boots are going to come apart, and any boots will have the waterproof membrane deteriorate. They are very comfortable boots though, require no break in, and should last at least a year with very heavy use.

My advice is to always buy at REI and become an REI co-op member. It costs $30 for a lifetime membership and it gets you one year returns. You can trash them for a year and bring them back and return them no questions asked and get another pair.
 
I love the pair I have. I bought them last February for work. Boots generally last me about 6 months at work before they wear out. I am still on these pair of boots. I could not even begin to tell you how many miles I have in them. I am getting ready to order another pair
The only gripe I have with these boots is the insoles. I don’t know why these high end boot companies still put crappy insoles in their shoes. I put some custom insoles in mine. I also had to go up a side because they are narrow.
I wouldn’t hesitate to try them if I were you.
 
They're good boots, some of the better in their price range but you have to remember that eventually any boots are going to wear, any boots are going to come apart, and any boots will have the waterproof membrane deteriorate. They are very comfortable boots though, require no break in, and should last at least a year with very heavy use.

My advice is to always buy at REI and become an REI co-op member. It costs $30 for a lifetime membership and it gets you one year returns. You can trash them for a year and bring them back and return them no questions asked and get another pair.
REI's political leanings make me pretty sick - I'm done using them as much as I can avoid them. The return policy is pretty great, but it's tough for me to spend the extra with them, given the weak selection and woke tendencies.

On Renegade:

The sole separation is due to material breakdown via hydrolysis. I gave both of my pairs to my dad and brother, both still wearing them years later, after I had them a couple years. As long as you wear them regularly, the hydrolysis issue isn't a big deal. My wife's pair is like 3 years old, she doesn't backpack or wear them much, and they literally look like brand new.

I am 230#, and I prefer a stiffer soled boot. The Renegade would be fine for me for very, very modest trails, but there is ultimately a reason I gave them away. I loved my Tibets, my Zamberlans and plenty of other, stiffer boots. If you're heavy like me, I recommend being open minded to a shanked boot.
 
REI's political leanings make me pretty sick - I'm done using them as much as I can avoid them. The return policy is pretty great, but it's tough for me to spend the extra with them, given the weak selection and woke tendencies.

On Renegade:

The sole separation is due to material breakdown via hydrolysis. I gave both of my pairs to my dad and brother, both still wearing them years later, after I had them a couple years. As long as you wear them regularly, the hydrolysis issue isn't a big deal. My wife's pair is like 3 years old, she doesn't backpack or wear them much, and they literally look like brand new.

I am 230#, and I prefer a stiffer soled boot. The Renegade would be fine for me for very, very modest trails, but there is ultimately a reason I gave them away. I loved my Tibets, my Zamberlans and plenty of other, stiffer boots. If you're heavy like me, I recommend being open minded to a shanked boot.

If you avoided every left leaning company you'd own pretty much nothing lol. But you do you. I have no problem using their return policy to my advantage to use shit for a year, causing them a loss.
 
If you avoided every left leaning company you'd own pretty much nothing lol. But you do you. I have no problem using their return policy to my advantage to use shit for a year, causing them a loss.
I avoid the left leaners as much as I can. Enjoy using that return policy.
 
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