Lowa Elite Jungle Boots

Price: £140.00

Stock Code: L-EJB-BK-060

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Lowa has impressed me

I have always been a fan of Lowa boots due to the quality of manufacturing along with the great comfort they offer in all conditions and environments. Recently I have been using the new Lowa Jungle boots, and I must say what a fantastic boot. Very lightweight and scoring 10 out of 10 on the comfort and durability, this boot performed well both in and around camp and also the field. Having also used the GSG9 boot in the past as an everyday boot, Lowa has impressed me, I would recommend these to anyone.

The field is where the Elite comes into its own

The Lowa Elite Jungle Boot is recognisably a Lowa at first sight, with a passing resemblance to the Desert Elite, which is currently on issue to British Forces in Afghanistan. The Jungle Boot is lighter and slimmer by design than its chunkier cousin, with no excess material where there doesn't have to be, although it is not as skinny in profile as other jungle boots and won't give you that 'golf club' look. In camp, the the Elite looks smart and military enough to be worn without getting you shouted at (this is not a promise). If, like me, you are a bit of a kit tart, you care about how your kit looks and its scarcity value nearly as much as how well it does the job. If so, you will be pleased to hear that the Elites have attracted several inquiries and favourable comments since I have been wearing them. Looks aside, its light weight and supportive foot bed make it as good for kit runs and tabbing as cutting about in camp. The boots needed no breaking in, being good to go for an 8 mile tab straight out of the box with no hot spots or blisters to report (I recommend Thorlo socks by the way). The Elite is noticeably more structured than other jungle boots, and feels rather stiffer at first wearing, although it very quickly molds itself to the wearer's foot. The more structured feel means that the Elite does not sacrifice protection and stability for lightness; the EVA midsole sole is comfortable and supportive while the speed lacing holds your foot firmly and is easily adjustable. But it is in the field, as you would hope, where the Elite comes into its own. I wore the boots on a 4 day exercise on Salisbury Plain and was more than happy. Typically for Lowa, the high quality materials and excellent build quality mean that, despite being a light weight boot, your feet are well protected and feel secure. Because it is designed to be light you are aware of stones underfoot, but far less so than with any other jungle-type boot I have worn. Your ankle is very well supported by the leather and Cordura upper, while the clever tread pattern on the Vibram Aconcagua (The highest mountain in the Americas at 6962 m!) outer sole sheds claggy mud while still giving you excellent grip underfoot. Because it is a highly breathable boot your feet don't sweat; it is made of water resistant leather and Cordura but is a jungle boot - so water is supposed to get in (and out). Because it looks more like a regular boot than a jungle boot it is almost a surprise to feel the first touch of water, which tends to come in through the sewn in tongue. Maybe when the boot has had a few polishes this will reduce – it was certainly the only place I felt it come in. Even though the pair I wore spent most of the exercise getting regularly soaked, they didn't slacken off when wet (like some boots), and they drained and dried very quickly. So far the boots are showing no signs of wear to the sole or the stitching. There is now a _1 cm tear in the Cordura breathing panel on the right inner forefoot, but I noticed this shortly after I had just been running around Cope Hill Down FIBUA Village. I think it is safe to put this down to the razor wire which was liberally spread around Shrewton Street, and which would slice through any boot. The tear certainly hasn't got any bigger and will shortly be sent to the local cobbler for stitching. In summary, the Elite is a good-looking, light weight and supportive all-rounder. If you don't like Gore Tex boots and want something for camp, PT and field use I would recommend a pair of these.

Kept my feet cool and ventilated all the way through.

Took these boots to Kenya on Askari Thunder, top bit of kit! Lightweight, good ankle support, and they dry out quickly too, proper bonus in the rainy season usually dried out in a few hours compared to lowe gtx mountain boots which out in the bush aren't the easiest boots to dry out after a river crossing ! Up north at archers where it was hot and arid still kept these on, no dramas at all kept my feet cool and ventilated all the way through.

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