Lowa San Francisco GTX Review: Casual and Versatile Travel Shoes

So-called packing experts frequently instruct not to travel with more than 3 pairs of shoes.

With the San Francisco shoes from Lowa, you could possibly get by with just one.

The Lowa San Franciscos are casual-wear shoes, ideal for city walks and day tours. They have a nubuck leather upper, clean design, and utilize Gore-Tex Surround waterproofing technology, which uses a “patented open construction [that] allows moisture and warmth to escape from below the foot”.

I tested these shoes at home in New York City and while traveling around Ecuador – walking around the Cuenca and Quito city centers, taking light hikes, walking at steep inclines, on wet surfaces, stairs and on cobblestone streets.

Here are some pros and cons of the Lowa shoes I’ve come across after testing them out:

Pros:

• Lightweight, one pair of the shoes in size 9 weighs 21 oz (1.3 lbs), (not taken from manufacturer specs, independently weighed using my luggage scale)
• Comfortable – I wore it on long day trips, and even during a redeye flight
• Soft, cushioned insole
• Completely waterproof with Gore-Tex waterproofing
• Breathable
• Durable and easy to maintain nubuk upper
• Versatile – able to worn with jeans, shorts and chinos

The San Francisco GTX shoes are suitable when worn with jeans, short, chinos or khaki pants. They can be dressed down and used for active excursions, or dressed up for dinners in the city. I’m not sure about wearing a blazer with these shoes, but you could get by with wearing the San Franciscos with chinos and an oxford button down.

I wore these shoes with low cut ankle socks, usually Icebreaker merino or Injinji toe socks.

Notice that the sole has triangular ‘holes’. These work with the Gore-Tex Surround, allowing for more breathability. In the image above, you might also be able to spot a tiny pebble in the sole – they can get stuck, although it really isn’t a big deal.

Cons:

• A little pricey, retail $225
• Minor issue: small pebbles can get stuck in the sole

The Verdict:

The Lowa San Francisco GTX shoes are a pair you should consider packing for your next summer vacation. The versatility allows them to be worn with most outfits and on most occasions, meaning less shoes you need to pack.

The San Francisco shoes cost retail $225 and come in 4 colorways: Anthracite/Blue, Brown/Orange, Navy/White (which I’ve tested) and Olive/Red. The price is a bit steep, but you should be able to log a lot of miles in them.

Where to get it:

• You can find the Lowa San Francisco GTX shoes on LowaBoots.com
• Also on Zappos.com

What are your thoughts on these shoes? Leave a comment below.