Lowa Tibet GTX

Summary

Best boot I have ever placed my feet into.

As the song says "simply the best." if you find a better boot buy it! I know you won't, these bad boys will keep your feet dry and comfortable while backpacking or hiking.

The first pair of Lowa boots I purchased were the GTX Mountain Hunter.  However, this boot being insulated proved to be too warm for the bow season. So I found a pair of Tibets and purchased them. 

After about 3 years they developed a leak. I took them to a Lowa retailer, not the one i purchased them at, and they helped me send them to Lowa to see if it was a durabilty issue. It was, and i got replacement boots.  :) 

However, I decided to purchase another pair also. These are my go-to boots down to 20* F 

Stiff, comfortable, great support, great company. I have two pairs of Lowa Tibets gtx and one gtx Hunter. Great boots!

I bought these boots as a semi-rigid boot for general alpine use. After a week walking around town, I took them for an easy 2 hour hike. That was enough to break them in sufficiently for a 9 hour T4 hike on mixed rocky ground including VF in the range A-C and some grade I climbing. The boots felt good, comfortable and though the temperature was more than 30C, and we were approaching the peak from the SE with the blazing sun being mercilessly bright, my feet never felt too hot. I always felt quite comfortable with respect to balance and grip on both the rock and the metal studs and ladders.

Finally, the boot is quite sturdy and inflexible. It only bends slightly when you put your full weight on one foot, but on the other hand they are not too uncomfortable to run in should you want to. Finally, they can take a crampon, so they should be usable on glaciers as well.

I cannot say anything about their durability at the moment, though the rubber outsole seems to have already been visibly worn somewhat.

Update: May 9, 2008

(A year update) One of the most excellent boots I've had in a while, which I bought as a tougher replacement to my Scarpa ZG20.

Fit and Stiffness: These are supposed to be backpacking books, so they are pretty stiff - just a notch softer than mountaineering boots. They are nevertheless even sufficiently comfortable for brief runs if necessary. The lacing system is superb, allowing you to tune the tightness of the upper and lower parts separately.
The upper part feels comfortable when you let it loose.
The width of the toebox is average.

Temperatures: I wore them in temperatures up to 30C with no major discomfort - the boot really breathes well. They feel warm in temperatures down to around freezing - I haven't used them in lower temperatures.

Terrain: The boots feel secure in trails, on rocks, on scree, on snow (ankle-deep), on via ferrata and grassy slopes. Haven't really tested their waterproof capacity.

Durability: I have only had them for a year, but they still look great. Outsole is holding up.

These boots work great! I have had them almost two years and probably have put 800 dry and comfortable miles on them. They are the first boot I've had that has kept my feet dry from tromping through wet slush all day!

Pro's
-good under foot cushioning, thank god!
-stiff sole is great for off-trail exploration, but still very comfy to walk lots of miles in.
-somewhat narrow fit, which is good for me
-great waterproofness
-Super tough build

Cons
-Heavy, so they won't be your first choice for day hikes
-They can be hot in the summer, but any all leather boot will be, Gore-tex or not

I'm a large format (4x5)landscape photographer, and I usually carry about 60-65 pounds for 4-5 day trips, maybe a bit lighter in the summer, and lighter yet if i can find someone to go with me and i can make them carry the tent, cooking stuff, and other crap, but most of the time it's just me. Anyways, I put a lot of stress on boots, and these have held up the best, and I see myself using them for another year or more. I would not get them resoled, only because I have had bad experiences in the past with resoling my boots.

To date I have put roughly 200 miles on these boots from moderate trail hikes to bushwacking/mountain climbing in British Columbia and they have performed superbly. I have a wide, lower volume forefoot and a narrow heel and they fit great (the European lasts are reputed to fit a wider variety of feet than the U.S. lasts tend to).

The downside is that they are a stiff boot and a bit on the heavy side (4 lb. 6 oz./pr in size 11M) due to their contruction, but for carrying a heavy pack in rough terrain/off-trail travel they are excellent. As such, some folks might not care for them as an all around boot.

I liked them well enough that I bought a second pair just in case Lowa changes/discontinues the model.