Gear review: Lowa Approach GTX Mid Junior

We are always looking for the ideal boots for our son as getting decent footwear for small children can be a real challenge. We have had mixed success across several different brands to date but have always liked the look of the Lowa childrens boots.

Recently we were contacted by Outdoor Supply to see if we would like to review both a product they stock and their online shop. This great opportunity allowed us to get hold of a pair of the Lowa Approach GTX mid Junior boots in our son’s size. This is already a major plus for Outdoorsupply.co.uk as they have a variety of different brands of boots with a good range of availability in smaller childrens sizes – often no easy task to find. Secondly, the delivery was quick and easy with no hassles despite the boots coming from the Netherlands. So overall a thumbs up from us for their site.

Now onto the boots. Here are the specifications outlined on the website:

Specifications

• Walking Shoe
• Brand: Lowa
• Model: Approach GTX Mid Junior
• Colour: Blue / Black
• Type: Multi-purpose shoe
• Walking shoe category: B
• Material: Synthetic
• Lining: GORE-TEX®
• Sole: LOWA Trac Lite Junior
• Removable insole
• Waterproof
• Superior quality
• RRP £81.95 (currently on sale for £57.95)

Our son got them in time to test out in a variety of conditions including mountain terrain on a boys weekend walking and camping trip, valley walks in the Cairngorms and wet bog trotting walks (is there any other kind?) in the North West of Scotland.

One of the first things our son said was how comfy the boots were compared to his previous ones, which were a cheaper Decathlon pair. He seemed very confident and sure footed from the off without any worries of the new boots trips and falls that we sometimes get. The Lowa boots are a mid-width allowing good comfort whilst also not being too square fronted to lose precision.

Next our son mentions that he can’t feel sharp stones through these boots unlike his previous ones. They have a good grippy sole which is sturdy but still has plenty of flex and so on, providing a good balance between support and flexibility to not restrict his feet. He will happily wear the Lowa boots for significant distance and time without mentioning discomfort in his feet such as pins and needles, which has been an issue in some previous footwear.

Finally they are gore-tex lined so are waterproof by design. He has tested this thoroughly, wading through pretty deep puddles and walking across boggy ground, but after his feet were completely dry.

So, overall we reckon that the Lowa Approach GTX Mid Junior boots are a great option, particularly in autumn, winter and spring where wet and slippy ground is more likely to be encountered, and we are confident that these boots will help keep our son warm, happy and safe on our hill adventures over the next six months.

Sometimes it is easy to think that getting cheap boots is fine for children, especially given the speed at which they grow, and indeed there are some good options out there in the mid-range market. However, in our opinion the Lowa boots do justify why they are more expensive and really do add up to good value, particularly if you really like getting out there on more adventurous and further afield walks with your children. These boots are on sale from the website, so check them out if you’re in the market for decent kids walking boots.

Many thanks to Outdoorsupply.co.uk for providing these boots for our son to test. All views and opinions are our own.