Review: LOWA Innovo Lo Trail Shoe

There's no shortage of trail shoes on the market, but what is in short supply is the same thing that's always hard to find: one shoe that does everything you want it to. After multiple models and extensive trial & error, I found LOWA's Innovo Lo—and my search is over, at long last. This shoe is so good, I bought a second pair—and will probably pick up a third, to keep on the shelf until the others wear out. Which, given this shoe's outstanding construction, will likely be a while.

The regular Innovo Lo ($195) is my sunny-day staple, for daily M hikes, bike-hike combos, and weekend jaunts up nearby peaks like Ellis and Baldy. The heel cup secures and supports my heel, so there's no sliding around on steep descents—that pesky toe-bang is a thing of the past. Meanwhile, a double-injected midsole cushions my entire foot, regardless of surface or distance. The Innovo flexes surprisingly well on uphills, and the tough, tacky tread grabs the ground at any angle. A roomy toebox lets my foot expand when it needs to. 

In inclement weather and on longer, deeper hikes with unknown terrain, the Innovo Lo GTX ($225) offers all the aforementioned benefits, along with waterproofness. This shoe should do just fine turkey hunting, and will be my first choice come late summer, when it's time to head off-trail and scout for elk—the Gore-Tex layer helps ward off wet feet amid those surprise submersions into hidden muck. (One caveat: narrow-footed folks like myself might want to use a grippy Blumaka insole, to prevent lateral movement on steep sidehills.)

As for fit, both models run true to size, which is nice—with other brands, I never know what I'm going to get. Given the toughness of the sole and secure fit, the Innovo is surprisingly light—I wear them on short trail runs, too, especially in rocky terrain. By modern standards, they're not exactly ultralight, but they do protect the underfoot and offer unparalleled grip. Fair trade.

Available at lowaboots.com.