I made three mistakes in my running shoe management in the last few months.
1) I tried to test the LOWA S-Cruise WS with Gore-tex in the middle of summer, when they first arrived. They were warm. Very, very warm.
2) I forgot to remove my expensive Superfeet insoles when donating my last pair of running shoes to Goodwill. Somebody is getting a ridiculous deal when they buy those.
3) I waited way too long to re-test those LOWA runners!
It’s November now, the rainiest of months in the notoriously damp Northwest. After my first few tries to test the LOWA waterproof trail running shoes, I shoved them into the back of the closet and forgot them. I get sent a lot of shoes and another pair of running shoes came in and I was distracted.
Then the leaves fell with the rain and I realized this pair of running shoes I had on had absolutely no traction in the rain. Rendered useless in Seattle, I threw the pair aside (you won’t see any review of that in these parts–YUCK!). Haunted by the sliding, I dug through my collection to find a shoe that would be better suited for the rain.
What, I thought, could be better for the rain than a waterproof shoe? Right, I was! Each step was comfortably landed, stable and sturdy. That warmth that was ridiculous on a hot July day cuddled my feet and kept them cozy as I splashed down a mud-covered trail. I was surprised at how light the shoe was, given the support it offered both my foot as a whole and my arches–for the first time since losing my Superfeet, I felt like I was running long distances in complete comfort.
While it’s billed as a trail runner, I’ve got to be honest, on wet days, I’ve been pounding pavement in the S-Cruise as well. It’s not overly heavy and given the trade off of excellent support and traction, these make for a good all around running shoe.
These would make the perfect packer for any trips that might involve hiking in damp or wet conditions, or even long walks in variable weather. I first envisioned taking these on a trip to the Hoh Rainforest on Washington’s Olympic peninsula, but then I had a flashback to standing, drenched, in a rainstorm, skipping over and around puddles and slush in Time Square. I definitely wish I’d had them on for that day.
Want to get a pair of your own? Buy LOWA here.