REVIEW: Lowa Elite Mountain Boot GTX

The British Army has been relying on the LOWA Elite Desert for years. This boot was specially designed for desert-like, rugged terrain and does not have a Gore-Tex™ membrane. This has the advantage that you do not sweat in warm weather. The Elite Desert is available in all common sizes and various widths - and always in the color sand. Lowa recently added another color (dark brown) to the Elite Desert and expanded the range with another model: the Elite Mountain GTX.

The Elite Mountain GTX (not to be confused with the Mountain GTX used by the Bundeswehr - without Elite) is exactly the same boot as the Elite Desert, except that it has a Goretex liner for damp, cold weather. This naturally makes it slightly heavier: the Elite Desert is listed at 1320g in size 8, while the Elite Mountain GTX is 1768g. As you can see, the outer leather already provides a good beading effect, and the rest is then covered by the Goretex liner.

Other details include a high-raised gravel guard, a quick lacing system with 8 eyelets, and a Vibram MVS™ sole that can be resoled. This is a good thing, as you don't have to throw away the shoe when the sole wears out.

The sole provides good traction, and the lug arrangement makes for a very comfortable roll-off.

The boot is mainly made of split leather (not to be confused with suede - it almost looks like it) and has Cordura inserts. When walking, a pumping motion is created, which allows sweat to be channeled away through the inserts and the shaft top. This creates a perfect foot climate.

CONCLUSION: Those who know and appreciate the Elite Desert will be very interested in this model. Where the Desert falls short or where it gets wet, the Mountain GTX comes into play and shows its strengths. Whether mud, rain, or snow, the foot stays dry with consistent comfort and perfect grip.

The Elite Mountain GTX is available in the introduced brown and black colors. You can get it at your favorite gear retailer for around 190€.

The shoe passes the water test with top marks.