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Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's

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Product Description,
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Reviews

Designed for use in the desert and other hot, dry climates, the Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid hiking boots are lightweight, highly breathable and supportive for light-hiking adventures.

Split-grain leather and nylon mesh uppers deliver durability and high breathability; external polyurethane frames offer support and reduce need for extra internal padding
Polyester mesh linings wick moisture away from your feet to keep them dry and comfortable
Padded ankles and tongues relieve pressure and add comfort; removable footbeds add light cushioning and support underfoot
Polyurethane midsoles offer outstanding cushioning for all-day wear; 3/4-length nylon shanks afford enhanced torsional rigidity to protect and support feet
Lowa "Cross" rubber outsoles deliver excellent traction on all types of terrain

Imported.

Item 796120

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Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's

4.5

(based on 42 reviews)

95%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Comfortable (39)
No break-in (35)
Ankle support (26)
Great traction (26)
Sturdy/durable (19)

Cons

Not water resistant (5)
Poor laces (4)
Not durable/ wears easily (3)
Shoe laces (3)

Best Uses

Everyday (29)
Day hiking (25)
Long-distance hiking (21)
Harsh terrain (20)
Light loads (18)

- Sizing:
- Feels full size too small
  
  Feels half size too small
  
  Feels true to size
  
  82%
  (32 reviews)
  Feels half size too big
  
  Feels full size too big
- Width:
- Feels too narrow
  
  Feels true to width
  
  94%
  (31 reviews)
  Feels too wide

- Arch Type:
- Low arch (12), High arch (11)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Military/law enforcement (19), Avid adventurer (11), Casual/ recreational (9)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (30)

Reviewed by 42 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Jun

2013

5.0

Impressed

By Warp

from Northern Georgia

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Lightweight
No Break-in

Cons

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Everyday

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I added a pair of SOLE brand insoles for more support, especially in the arches and heel cup. Most boots will benefit from this, so I won't hold it against Lowa that the stock insoles seem flimsy and weak.

They are very comfortable right out of the box. I just wore them for a full day of outdoor activity, including walking, jogging, standing, sitting, lying down, crawling around on the ground, all sorts of positions and different ways of putting force and stress on the boots and my feet. The boots did very well. No hot spots, no pressure spots when in those positions, still comfortable at the end of the day.

They are not waterproof, nor are they meant to be. It rained, HARD, in the afternoon and I got them 100% saturated with water. I continued to wear them for hours afterwards. Water was gushing out of the top of the shoes with every step. They remained comfortable and there still weren't any hot spots, and no worries about blisters. (I was wearing smartwool socks). Outstanding!

Now I must resist the temptating to buy the GTX version that is currently on clearance for $135

Comment on this review

May

2013

5.0

Boots with real stick-to-it-ive-ness

By CopperWings

from Tucson, Az

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Great Traction
No Break-in

Cons

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Harsh Terrain

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I am very insistent on having boots with good traction. Considering the rocky terrain most of my hikes pass through, surefootedness is a must. Most boots nowadays have Vibram ® treads, and in my opinion, that just isn't good enough. These boots have RUBBER treads and they stick to slick rock CONSIDERABLY better than anything else.
These boots are also comfortable - they fit me like a glove - and that is just as important as good traction.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

4.0

Boots that were made for hiking

By KenE

from Albuquerque, NM

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Great Traction
No Break-in

Cons

Heavy

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Light Loads
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

Great boot, I would definetly buy again.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

5.0

I love them!!!

By Smitty93

from Northridge, Ca

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Good Arch Support
Great Traction
No Break-in
Sturdy/Durable
Warm
Water Resistant

Cons

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Heavy Loads
Light Loads
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

Love these boot feel just as comfortable as the first time I wore them haven't changed a bit!

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great dry-weather performance.

By ToddWhoHikes

from Dallas, TX

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
No Break-in

Cons

Not Durable/ Wears Easily

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I completed a 500-mile Camino across Spain in these boots. In hot and dry conditions, which was about half of the journey, these boots were an absolute pleasure. The break in was minimal. While I did get blisters, I only received two over my whole journey, and those occurred within the first days.

Once I was farther North, the weather turned cold and wet. I did use waterproofing, but it will never work quite like Gore-Tex or eVent. I do not have a problem hiking in wet boots, but it was inconvenient. the real issue with these boots is wet-weather traction. even a slightly wet surface causes these boots to lose grip. Toward the very end, I was slipping and sliding my way over rocky paths, and that was just dangerous.

All told, the boots performed as advertised.

My only major complaint was that these boots did not make it more than 500 miles. I had worn completely through the sole into the air cushion by the end, making the last 50 or so miles very hard on my knees.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great boots

By oobray

from Oklahoma

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Cool
Great Traction
Outsole Is Stable

Cons

Insole Is Useless
Not Antimicrobial

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Light Loads
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

These boots were the end of my year long quest to find good boots. I spent a long time, and a lot of money, trying to find boots for everyday wear, duty wear, hiking / backpacking etc. These are wonderful, as I have narrow long feet and they fit perfectly. The insole that came with them was useless, and I immediately swapped it for some orange Superfeet insoles which is working great. I have worn these every day, as well as on a 20 mile weekend backpacking trip with a 40lb pack or moderate terrain. I have also hiked many miles in the desert in a law enforcement capacity wearing about 50lbs of gear, and they worked flawlessly. What I liked about these is that they're not waterproof. Yes, I said NOT waterproof. It's easy to take breathable boots and make them waterproof with Gortex socks, but you cannot take a waterproof boot and make them breathable. Sorry, isn't possible.
My only complaint is that they're not treated with any animicrobial coating on the inside. They quickly acquire a funky smell. These boots smell worse than my gym shoes, and started smelling after my first day of wear. I put dryer sheets in them every night and that seems to be helping for the time being. But, because of the difficulty I've had with finding good boots, I'll deal with the smell.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Amazing Boot

By soldier88

from Kandahar, Afghanistan

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Good Arch Support
Great Traction
No Break-in
Sturdy/Durable
Warm

Cons

Not Water Resistant

Best Uses

Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Heavy Loads
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I am purchasing my third pair of Lowa Zephyr's. These boots are amazing. I wear them everyday in every type of environment possible and still have not been disappointed in the boots. Everything from daily wear, to short rucks to extremely long rucks. Finished selection a few months ago and was rucking around 15 miles a day with 70lb on and not once did I receive blisters or hot spots. You cant go wrong with the Zephyr brand as a whole.

Comment on this review

Jan

2013

4.0

Great boots

By 5424

from Worldwide!

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Great Traction
No Break-in
Sturdy/Durable

Cons

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Heavy Loads
Light Loads
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I use these carrying a heavy load over varied terrain. They are not as supportive as my Asolo Fugitives but that's not really a fair comparison. I did put some Superfeet insoles in them and it helped a lot with the added support. I got these as a supplement to my Fugitives as a lighter weight non-Gortex option and these have not disappointed! I highly recommend these to anyone who wants to move fast over varied terrain.

Comment on this review

Jan

2013

5.0

Lightweight, Fast Drying

By Rock 115

from North Carolina

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Ankle Support
Comfortable
Dry quickly
Lightweight
No Break-in
Water Resistant

Cons

Best Uses

Everyday
Heavy Loads

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

I've put about 50 miles on these so far and haven't had any issues. They break in very fast, and are decently water-repellant out of the box. They're very lightweight, and I haven't had any problems with the laces so far like other reviewers have said.

I've been carrying 80-100 pounds with these boots and they've held up well for the first month.

If you're wearing these for work, you should know that they are 6-inch boots if you have any height requirement for your boots from your employer.

Service and delivery comments:

Delivery was 2 days slower than originally projected. I had to drive to the REI store and purchase another pair because they wouldn't have made it to me in time for my trip.

Thanks for your 100% satisfaction guarantee. I was able to return the unused pair back to the store.

Comment on this review

Dec

2012

5.0

Still great boots

By Cruser

from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Great Traction
Sturdy/Durable

Cons

Best Uses

Everyday
Harsh Terrain
Long-Distance Hiking

Comments about Lowa Zephyr Desert Mid Hiking Boots - Men's:

Six month review update. These boots are still going strong, no sign of wear yet. No issues with laces as some others have had. No issues with water resistance; I didn't buy them for that. It's great to not worry about my feet or footwear. Very well made, very comfortable, still 100% satisfied.