>>23080821You upgraded from the work boots, huh? I bet they were uncomfortable as fuck! Good choice, bro! Lowa are great, and buying the GoreTex version is always a smart move! Never buy walking shoes without GoreTex! It can get a bit pricey to buy new decent quality shoes all the time, especially if you walk a lot (and you're a big guy so they go even faster). I chew through a pair of walking shoes in 3-4 months, but I push them until I get to the 6 month mark. I bought a pair of Salomon with GoreTex a couple of months ago, they didn't stand the test of time since the fabric tore after a month (but to he fair, I abused them a bit, 500km in a month in rougher terrain).
Protip: I bet you also have wider feet like me, when you buy shoes next time, make sure they have an extra wide toe box. I took my old shoes and I made a mental note of everything that wasn't quite right with them. Then I open Meta or ChatGPT, write down all my stats, how much I walk and in what terrain, I write that I need sturdy shoes with wide toe boxes and GoreTex etc. Then I ask for shoe recommendations that suit my needs (give as much detailed info and feedback as possible, use it to further narrow down what you're looking for, you will get surprisingly good recommendations).
Second protip: Don't sleep on the socks, decent socks are a game changer if you walk a lot. Make sure to buy hiking socks. I don't even spend too much, I just buy the mid-range stuff from Decathlon. Two pairs cost like 18 EUR and I had zero blisters since I started wearing them and they also last much longer. Normal socks last me a month or two before I have to buy new ones.
