Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/739629
soaked very quickly, but you shouldn't have any problems with them in spring or autumn – they will do fine in light rain. After getting soaked, they dry quickly, even as you walk. Boots are great in summer, and I have personally and thoroughly checked dur- ing heat in June we had here and you must know I belong to the group of user that sweat even when wearing sandals (no socks, of course!). Inside Innox I felt warm at temperatures within range of 30-35 °C, particularly due to the fact that the training class was quite dynamic in fact, but I did not feel uncom- fortable and my feet also did not sweat excessively. Ventilation of the boots worked really well. Of course, you must remember about having good socks with some Coolmax or other fancy fibers. During hiking or classes at the shooting range, as well as during everyday use in high temperatures, there were no is- sues e.g. in form of heating in critical points aka hot- spots like it sometimes happens in other boots. The sole, with LOWA NXT tread, works well in al- most all outdoor circumstances – loose sand, grav- el, concrete, mud, in a forest or on rocks. I have not notice any signs of abrasion even after extensive use on the asphalt which is a very aggressive surface. Unfortunately, boots still squeak on wet terrazzo tiles – if you need to climb on such wet surface, you must go really slowly, or the squeaking gets very loud. And they could be slippery on the wet flat surfaces. Summing up – some benefits over the Zephyr boots and still some of the problems. But I think it's time to send my good old Zephyrs for retirement. RABBIT ABOUT INNOX I have been using LOWA Innox TF Mid for several months – I was mostly inter- ested in their performance in summer. I have been using them too much, to be honest, just for regular EDC, doing miles at trade shows, or walks on relative- ly undemanding terrain, shooting range, etc. It is quite obvious that the general difference be- tween Innox and Zephyrs, apart from lower weight, is that Innox are far more breathable. And you feel it, sometimes even quite clearly. At high temperatures, your legs sweat less then when using Zephyrs (I use Thorlo Combat Boot Socks) and, what is more, you have the feeling of better air circulation, especially when the wind blows. Waterproofing – just like in case of impregnation, so it will stand out a light rain, some puddles and morning dew. The sole provides great cushioning, but it is noticeably softer than in Zephyrs. That makes those boots non-practical for more advanced outdoor activities, because you will feel every larger pebble (mind that you will already feel gravel on parking lots). The tread has very FOOTWEAR