Lowa Z-8N GTX C

High, modern black army boots with a Gore-Tex membrane, shock-absorbing sole, and excellent fit. This is the great original boot that was the basis of our Särmä TST M19 Combat Boots. In addition to military use, it is excellent for hiking, hunting, and other trekking in the wilderness.

• Black hiking boots with a Gore-Tex membrane
• Thick nubuck leather and cordura
• Injection-molded PU multicomponent sole
• Speed lacing
• Weight c. 645 g (1.4 lbs) per shoe (EUR 43.5/US 10)

Features

Z-8N is light and maneuverable but a suitably stiff military boot for harsh conditions. The shaft height is c. 20 cm (8“), so hostile elements stay quite well outside. These boots can be used with the heaviest of loads, and they are perfect for tough military and outdoor use. However, they are also great everyday boots during the wet season.

The fit is very nice. Thanks to the shock-absorbing midsole and the padded insole, marching is suspiciously pleasant in these. Compared to hook lacing, speed lacing with tunnel loops is more straightforward and won't get tangled up, which prevents you from tripping on them.

Materials

The upper consists of some leather and mostly cordura that makes the boots very nice to walk in. The lower part has most of the leather because that’s where most of the wear happens, the leather thickness is 2.0–2.2 mm.The membrane is naturally real-deal Gore-Tex. It keeps your feet dry while letting sweat vapor through.

Lowa's own Monowrap sole consists of three parts: a rubber outsole, a plastic stiffener, and a PU frame. The heel has a separate stabilizing piece. For additional wear protection, the outsole rises up at the nose. The sole is injection-molded, so it is not replaceable but it will not get detached. This construction type also makes the sole very light.

What happened to Särmä TST M19 Combat Boots?

Reality simply hit the fan. The minimum quantities for custom items from Lowa are so large that trying to sell such a mountain of boots takes ages, and at the same time our warehouse drowns in shoes. And as Lowa changed the sole to their regular one, the differences became so small that we couldn’t even justify a need for our own boots.

Shoecare

These are GTX boots, so only use membrane-compatible shoe care products or you'll risk blocking the membrane! In short, clean the boots with a moist rag and brush, then treat the leather with a suitable spray-on waterproofer, and then apply grease lightly. Apply grease only when necessary - if the boot is in heavy use, do this more often. If the wear is just occasional, be gentle with the grease.

Remember to keep the inside of the boot free from debris to keep the membrane intact.

Maintenance guarantees long service life

When properly cared for, the service life of the boot is seven to ten years - Lowa believes in its products so much they actually give these figures, knowing that it's rather difficult to determine a service life for boots.

The boots have a 2-year warranty against material and workmanship defects. If there's anything at fault, you'll notice it for sure in a couple of years.

Sizing

Made to UK sizes. The EU/French size is converted to larger numbers than usual. If you buy shoes based on sizes like 42, 45, or such, pick at least half a size larger than you normally would. if your foot is very wide or you want a lot of sock clearance for winter use, consider even a larger size.