LOWA Renegade Deluxe GTX Mid

Comfort

Leather uppers can have a rough break-in period, but not these. Both male and female testers loved the Renegade’s textured, full-grain leather, which felt comfortable right out of the box and just got better with each mile (like a baseball glove). Women in particular loved the foot-hugging shape.

Support

A PU midsole wraps around the heel, adding support and making these boots stable enough for carrying a weekend pack on rough trails. The wrap also creates a deep, secure heel cup that kept our heels locked in place.

Traction

The Vibram outsole surprised our testers. “The gummy rubber is wicked grippy on steep rock, even in the rain,” says a New York tester after running to escape a downpour on Hurricane Mountain in the Adirondacks. The tackiness is a side effect of the light-colored outsole rubber: A lack of carbon makes it softer and stickier, and also gives it a see-through appearance.