The Lowa San Francisco GTX is the latest in a long line of high-quality Lowa street shoes. I am a massive fan of Lowa and was really excited to try these out. The San Francisco features a GORE-TEX® SURROUND™ for excellent waterproofing and breathability while still allowing drainage if you happen to get the insides wet. Most waterproofing leaves the rubber sole unprotected so your foot doesn’t get clammy, but that leaves a wide open area for water to seep through. Surround fixes that by extending the membrane underfoot and adding ventilation slits in the rubber sole so your foot stays protected and prevents clamminess.
The GTX has a full Nubuck leather upper with a cushioned textile footbed to keep it comfortable all day long. The midsole is comprised of PU Monowrap® for stabilization, and the outsole has excellent grip on the sidewalk and trail. They come in mustard, and dark brown (I tried the dark brown) and the fit was dead on for my 8 ½ size foot. They are available everywhere Lowa’s are sold.
I took the San Francisco’s on a trip to Canada this week and loved how versatile they are. I was able to wake up each morning, throw them on and be ready for a light hike, a day exploring the town or out for a nice dinner. In fact one day I actually did all three, and the GTX didn’t miss a beat. For longer hikes, I still prefer my dedicated hikers, but I felt confident exploring random trails that I came across. They have a surprising grip, stability and I tested the waterproofing when I decided to see what was on the other side of a creek that was just slightly wider than my jumping ability.
I think these would be the perfect European vacation shoe. I have an upcoming trip to Spain, and I hate wearing my running shoes in Europe. Most of my better-looking travel shoes just don’t hold up against days spent exploring Barcelona, but the San Francisco GTX is nearly perfect. From a travel perspective, they are light, stain resistant and pack down better than most multi-purpose shoes.