Customer Reviews Lowa Tempest Lo

Sad to say, these are not the same quality of Tempest Lo that have been produced in the past. I would rather that Lowa increased the price, than lower the quality, which is what has been done. The sole is not as thick or long lasting, and the material is not as strong as used in previous models. Hopefully, Lowa will bring back the quality to this once outstanding shoe.

I have been wearing this model of Lowa for 10 years. this new version runs at least 1-1 1/2 sizes small. The toe box in very low and it feels more like a running shoe that the hiking shoe it used to be.

After reading reviews here at Zappos and other places on line I placed an order for the Tempest Lo. Depending on the brand my shoe size is 11.5 to 12, so I ordered both shoes at once. I do a lot of walking, both in city and natural settings. I also have high arches and wear custom arch supports in all of my shoes. What I noticed is that these shoes felt snug. In the 11.5, any heavy duty hiking socks are out of the question. The size 12 offered more room at the toes, but still felt snug on the sides of the feet. The narrow width of the shoe made it difficult to remove my custom arch supports from both sizes. On the size 12, there was some slack on the heel end that wasn't present at the 11.5. I tried thicker socks hoping this would close the gap, but even my thick winter socks did not help. If I was just walking around town I would have kept them, but since I plan to go hiking in these, I can't justify this purchase. After two days of mulling it over, I am returning both pairs of shoes.

I bought these because of excellent experience with a pair of Lowa hiking boots. The boots lasted a decade and more than 1,000 miles of mountain trail hiking, and were the most comfortable shoes of any kind that I had, so my expectations were high. Alas, the Lowa Tempest Lo doesn't measure up. They're "water resistant," but not waterproof, so there's no membrane or gusset around the tongue of the shoe to keep water out. The occasional raindrop won't penetrate, but if a puddle is even a teeny bit over your shoe-top, the water will flow right in around the tongue. The heel is elevated compared to other walking and hiking shoes I've worn, which I find uncomfortable while walking, and the toe box is (for me) too big. I have "C" width feet, and almost no one makes shoes in that width, so I usually make do with the much more common "D" or "M" width. In this case, the toe box is just a little too wide to be comfortable, even with thick wool hiking socks. There's no heel slip, but there's too much room in the toe box. The shoes do have good traction in wet weather and over snow, but they're not insulated, so I can't recommend them for routine wear in genuinely cold weather, and they're relatively heavy. The shoes look fine. I like the style, the laces hold securely, and the pull-strap at the heel is large enough to actually be useful. Overall, they're not bad, but they're not especially good, either. I rate them a disappointment.

Warning: Very small for size, at least 1 to 1 1/2 sizes too short & narrow. I measure an 11 1/2 C & ordered a 12 D. Even with light socks, my feet were pinched immediately. I never wore them off a rug. Returned.

I have owned Tempest Lo boots for at least 15 years. I also always insert Super Feet for an ultra comfortable and long lasting boot. Unfortunately, this pair leaked due to the thin leather used over the toe box. Perhaps it was just my pair. The boots leaked not only in rain but also in mild dew conditions. Lowa suggested I treat the shoes. I think Lowa should beef up the leather in this part of the shoe. Not worth the cost.