The LOWA Aerano GTX hiking shoes ($210) are nimble, agile and lightweight day hikers. Made with Gore-Tex SURROUND® Technology, heat and sweat escape from the bottom through the Gore-Tex waterproof laminate and through the side ventilation outlets, making them an ideal hiking shoe for warm days.
What I Liked
Outstanding fit (as usual). For me this has always been an area that keeps me coming back to LOWA every time. My feet width runs between narrow and normal and I’ve had problems in the past with day hikers feeling too loosey-goosey. The LOWA Aerano GTX’s not only run true to size in the length department, they have a snug and comfortable width fit. The other nice part about LOWA boots is that they offer sizes for people with wide feet, too. Since it’s a hiking shoe, be sure to always go a half-size up from your normal size. I wear a 7.5 shoe but a size 8 in boots.
Incredible breathability: Summer in Minnesota this year has been an abyss of fiery hell and dripping moisture. With the Aerano GTX’s Nubuck leather uppers, I expected hot spots, blisters and feet bloated from suffocating sweat. As the Aerano GTX’s name implies, the secret ingredient is Gor-Tex SURROUND® Technology. This piece of Gore-Tex brilliance allows heat and sweat to escape from the bottom of the foot through the Gore-Tex waterproof laminate and through the side ventilation outlets, making them breathable and waterproof. So far this summer I have put on an estimated seventy-five miles in state parks, national parks and the ultimate test, an entire day walking around Oshkosh Air Show where the temperature well into the high eighties and the humidity was nothing short of oppressive. Socks, of course, help in this department. For best results wear a good quality merino wool sock that is breathable.
Gor-Tex SURROUND® Technology 
Gor-Tex SURROUND® Technology applied to the LOWA Aerano GTX
Waterproof-ness: “GTX” is code for “Gortex”. Allow me to clarify what waterproof means in a hiking boot. Can you walk into a knee-deep lake or river and emerge on the other side with dry feet? No. But if you’re hiking in humid conditions, pouring rain or schlorping through puddles your feet will stay dry. Should your feet do become wet, either from sweat or water seepage, the boot suddenly becomes a breeding ground for hotspots and blisters as your wet feet rub against the sides of the boots. This was never the case for me with the Aerano GTX’s.
Good traction: Simply put, the Aerano GTX has a tread pattern that delivers a nice grip on just about every surface and works well for shedding mud and debris. The lugs are not as aggressive as their beefier, trail-and-summit-crushing big sisters like the LOWA Mauria GTX or the Renegade GTX, but I found that the Aerano’s offered a highly-stable experience on a variety of trails with a outsole that feels, strangely enough, as stiff and sturdy as a full-on hiking boot.
Comfortable: At the end of the day I wasn’t dying to kick them off and plunge my feet into a cold lake. The toe box is neither wide nor small, it’s just right. Deeper inside, a soft and comfortable ATC Climate Control Footbed gently cradled my feet. Arch support is perfectly fine with the “factory-installed” footbed. If I am going on long hikes though I replace the footbed with some custom-molded ones because I have high arches.
Quality: Outstanding. They’re made in Europe (not China). Even the materials are sourced locally, the cows shot on site (I made the part about the cows up). Europeans have pretty high standards for hiking boots and LOWA represents that national pride in the art of bootmaking.
What I didn’t Like
I always wrack my brain when I get to this part of the review with LOWAs. I never like to leave this section empty because a thorough and objective product review means finding at least one thing to bitch about.
Since I’m at a loss for something constructive to say here I’ll just hit below the belt on the price tag. That whole “Handcrafted in Europe” and “materials sourced locally” bit? Comes at a price of $210. It’s high for a day hiker.
Final Thoughts
LOWA never scrimps on construction. Outsoles, tread and hardware are solid and durable and after all the miles I put on them, they show no signs of wear. Even my LOWA Mauria’s still look and feel the business after six years and hundreds of miles of abuse. It’s the reason I took them on my trip to Greenland despite having a pair of boots that are newer.
I’m finding with the LOWA Aerano GTX that they are following well in the footsteps of LOWA quality and design. In addition to feeling as stable as a full-on hiking boot, they offer plenty of stability, comfort, breathability and durability. These are hikers I’ll have for many years to come.
Nicely done, LOWA.
