O-p8,9 Iowa profile 9/19/08 1:08 PM Page 9
www.sgb-sports.com
SGB
Outdoor Retail - LOWA
Sports and Outdoor
They [Lowa] pride you’ve worn a good quality leather lined boot, and you’re Vibram sole, leather upper, it's GoreTex lined and
themselves in how they go Zephyr GTX Lo prepared to look after it, you wouldn't need the available in a boot and shoe versions. The loyalty to it is
about making the best GoreTex membrane. Having said that, for tremendous; after many
quality boots first and someone that suffers with cold feet might Munro miles consumers look to
foremost, which is benefit from the extra insulation that the Renegade again, so
probably why they are the Gore membrane gives. we’ve got that
used by the armed forces Cosmetically, from the sort of
both in the States and the outside heartland
UK. These would have area
been through quite a volume; the
lengthy specification and 'brown
procurement exercise by the boot
powers that be. territory',
Also Lowa has innovated on the technical side, as but what I
they established a method of bootmaking around the felt we
GoreTex lining's capabilities. A lot of manufacturers were Stirling and Munro both look identical, needed to
making a GoreTex bootie to then seal inside the boot so it’s the inside where the differences are, in attract to
they could use the brand name. But the foot bed you then that Munro’s got a full leather lining and the the Lowa
put on top of the GoreTex bootie can shift and rub and Stirling has a full GoreTex lining. We find that brand was a
work its way through the GoreTex membrane, which both boots sell equally as well in the UK. There are younger person just
breaks the waterproof seal. Lowa patented a method of so many GoreTex lined boots out there now, that getting into the outdoors,
sealing the GoreTex on the sides and the upper of the boot it’s quite difficult to find doing lots of adventurous
that doesn’t affect the durability of the fabric. It’s that a good quality things in their weekends and that's where the Bora and
investment in innovation that puts Lowa ahead of the non-GoreTex Zephyr come in.
rest. boot, for
SGB: Tell us about the new products for Spring/Summer 09…
SGB: Tell us more about the Stirling and the Munro boots, as Stirling DM: What we’ve got coming new for next year is a range
they were developed specifically for the British market? of what Lowa market as a crossover product; whether
MW: We commissioned from Lowa just two and a half you’re walking, cycling or going on one of these high
years ago the Stirling and the Munro boots that were co- rope courses that are popping up round the country now,
developed with some good input from Graham Bora and Zephyr are the multi-activity products with a
Thompson, creating a full leather boot with a GoreTex or bit of a younger slant.
gloved leather lining. We’ve had such good feedback It’s a technically engineered very lightweight product
from our retail customers that we are continuing and which has a wrap-around protective frame; this is
the sales are very positively improving, so much so that injection moulded around the boot. The frame, called
Denmark and the Benelux countries are now looking at ALT, is injection moulded as apposed to glued meaning
taking on our Stirling and Munro for their markets as it’s pretty permanent; you’re not going to get any
well. peeling off. It also gives really good abrasion resistance
around the outside of the footwear, as it’s rubber takes
David Morton: Basically in any knocks and scrapes. The ALT frame gives a good
the UK, we couldn’t find degree of stability to the foot and dispenses with the
anything from the Lowa need for extra foam padding therefore improving
collection that really the people that don’t want the breathability.
satisfied what the hardcore GoreTex in their footwear. The So based on that ALT frame we’ve got three
UK retailers wanted, i.e. other thing we did for Munro products which will all be GoreTex XCR lined.
one-piece uppers with less and Stirling, just over what There is the boot called the Zephyr, the mid cut
stitching detail, which Lowa offered, was to slim down product called the Bora and the shoe: the
therefore means they have less the heel fit a little; we do find in Zephyr Low, which is identical to the
to go wrong. Just the UK people to tend to have boot in construction and cosmetics.
taking out the quite slim heels, but they need We then have a non GTX shoe
stitching lines the width in the front end of developed for travel
makes the the boot. and warm
uppers as simple climates called
and as SGB: What's your best the Vento Lo
waterproof as seller right featuring the
possible; there’s now? same ALT frame
not a lot of DM: Our number one technology.
point in taking selling product in the UK is Zephyr GTX Mid AB
very high Renegade, which is also
quality leather number one in Germany. To view the latest footwear from Lowa please visit
and thumping a Renegade is our entry-level www.lowa.de or call TKC on Tel: 0870 870 0150 for more
thousand stitch holes through it. Renegade walking and rambling boot and it's information.
From my own experience once easy to get on with. It has an easy fit, with a
SEPTEMBER 2008 9
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