"Lowa Banff--Great Deal" - Review of Lowa Banff Backpacking Boot - Men's

This is a great boot at a great price! After about 20 or so hours (reviewing posts on different boots over about a 2 month period), I settled on what I wanted in a boot. 1) mid to heavy-weight all leather construction (both inside and out) backpacking boot with as minimal seams as possible—maximum breathability with maximum water protection; 2) no insulation—good for hot or cold weather (always use thick socks, but vary the material for insulation quality); 3) no Gore-Tex—again, maximum breathability; 4) Vibram sole with rubber toe rand—the standard for traction and durability; and 5) fully replaceable insole—does any off the shelf boot come with a great off the shelf in-sole (that is, off the shelf for less than $200)? One thing I've learned in my 40+ years is that a great pair of insoles can really make or break all but the worst of shoes. Lowa's Banff matched the above and can't be beat. I've had them for about 2 weeks now and wear them everywhere. They are stiff, but are slowly working towards perfection. The all-leather liners feel smooth to my fingers, but hey—my fingers aren't in the boot all day either! I purposely purchased a half size up to accommodate a thick sock—the right choice. The boot doesn't seem too narrow, but is just a bit tight with my thickest combo sock. I wear it most of the time for the break-in period. I put on a few layers of waterproofing on them right from the start, and so far no problems; but hey it's winter time and not much water around. Lastly, I didn't mention looks in my desired characteristics. To be honest, didn't much care because I expect that most of the time they'll be covered with the elements (mud, grass stains, horse ****, etc); but for those interested, I get a lot of good comments from others on how they look. Bottom line: Very satisfied so far!
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