When it comes to testing kit, there’s no better place than the rugged beauty of Snowdon. Earlier this month, Broadway Manager Melissa and her partner took on the challenge of Wales’ highest peak - laced up and loaded with some of our favourite performance gear.
With the Lowa Renegade Evo GTX and Lowa Innovo GTX boots underfoot, and the trusty Osprey Tempest 22 backpack in tow, Melissa put these essentials through their paces on one of the UK’s most iconic trails. From steep scrambles to rocky paths and wind-blown ridgelines, the kit had to deliver on comfort, grip, and support - and it didn’t disappoint.
Read on to hear how the day unfolded, what Melissa thought of the gear and why Snowdon remains a must-hike for adventure lovers across the UK.
"The first weekend of July we were thankful to see some rain at the beginning of our hike up Snowdon - it had rained a lot the night before so the grass was wet and waterfalls were flowing. This was no problem for the Renegade Evo GTX and the Lowa Innovo GTX boots!
Women's Renegade Evo GTX Boots
The Renegade’s new design of no stitching on the inside upper construction of the nubuck meant that they were much easier to bed in. Having only had the them for a few days, this boot was definitely the best for the job: fully waterproof, extremely comfortable in the 5.5 hours of constant wear, and came into their own along the rocky Pyg track where you need to feel the ground beneath your feet to ensure you are stable and well balanced. The Vibram sole did exactly what it is designed to do; walking through waterfalls, lake openings and puddles - its grip didn’t fail once.
Arriving at the summit in the clouds we witnessed lots of people taking boots off and applying plasters, and some even gluing shoes back together and changing soaking wet socks. Thankfully we didn’t even have to contemplate doing any of those. We stayed at the summit to celebrate and capture our achievement, then hiked back down Llanberis track to witness more stunning views and test the boots on flatter terrain. I wasn’t surprised at how great the comfort was after hiking and scrambling most of the day. A great boot for a great hike!
The Innovo’s are perfect for anyone with a wider foot. A combination of fabric and suede makes for a very breathable but waterproof boot - it was like putting on a pair of slippers from the first wear. Wading through the lake and really pushing the Gore-Tex membrane to its limit with fast-flowing water, as soon as we came out the other side they were dry like they were fresh out of the box - the water just beaded off. The flexibility was superb - some rocks I had to climb were waist height on Pyg track so angles were definitely tricky and would have taken much longer if I had a very rigid boot.
The grip, although not Vibram, was never an issue up wet rock and I always had grip even on the loose volcanic rock. I felt completely stable and secure in the boots due to the stability frame, and even though it was very humid and wet on our hike up and down Snowdon my feet were completely dry. With this being our first big hike in the boots, I had no aches, and I actually kept the boots on for the drive to our stay and went for another walk when we arrived back in Conwy Valley.
The Osprey backpack I cannot fault, packed high with essentials and clothing for unpredictable weather changes, I still had room for more! I had a 2-litre water bladder, 2 water bottles, a power bank (just to make sure I could capture the views!), waterproof trousers and jacket, a bag cover, a mid-layer, first aid essentials and our lunch for two for the summit. Still also having room for souvenirs at the top! I never felt like I was carrying any weight at all, and with being extra careful with balancing due to rock angles I felt secure, and the bag was easily adjustable with the Airscape back panel.
My phone with its case could fit easily into the hip belt and never obstructed our climb, also the bladder hose was able to be fastened on to be in easy reach. Although the weather was humid and wet in the clouds, I found the airscape back to be very breathable, and the water repellent treatment worked like a dream to the point where I never needed the waterproof cover. We have since used this bag for a Malvern Walk for our family of four, finding it very versatile for all needs and locations.
