Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
When my wife retired, I gained a fishing partner. Previously, having her on board either on my boat or with me on trips to other locations was rare. That’s changed and it’s been a personal eye-opener to the Mars and Venus way men and women approach a day on the water when it comes to fishing apparel.
For me (Mars), comfort and function are paramount. A comfortable, tattered sweatshirt is perfect and if I don’t have to be overly concerned about getting fish blood it or other stains, it’s better. I wear a pair of warm, ugly, comfortable boots most days on the water and never give them a second thought.
For her (Venus), style trumps nearly every other factor. I’m confident she’d rather endure cold, wet feet in stylish boots than being caught in a pair of “clumpers” which would be warm and dry. I’m confident because she’s done it – more than once! Mars and Venus.
She spotted and tried on a pair of LOWA Locarno GTX boots at an outdoor writer’s meeting last September and gave them a double thumbs up. LOWA is a manufacturer of high end, climbing, hiking, often technically specific footwear, such as for mountaineering and other extreme sports. Made in Europe, each style is designed for function first, with special tread design and material on the soles, insulation levels, leather and/or fabric uppers and Gore-Tex waterproofing. Each pair is constructed to exacting standards with the highest quality materials available; yet at first glance, you’d guess they were made to look good more than work good.
A pair of Locarno GTX boots arrived on our doorstep a week or so after the meeting, thanks to a collaboration between myself and the LOWA representative. My plans to hide and save them as a Christmas gift were scuttled when Peggy saw the package. By Christmas the boots were already well broken in as well as well traveled. She’s comfortable wearing them when shopping, to social gatherings and they’ve passed muster on boats when we fished together over the winter.
LOWA makes both men’s and women’s boots. Check them out at http://www.lowaboots.com.
FISHING TOYS 