Lomer Keswick MTX Review

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Dark brown leather, thick rubber sole, and bright red laces. It’s the classic walking boot look that’s been around for decades, and I can’t help but love it. It only takes the quickest of glances to know exactly what these boots are made for: long days walking in the British hills and mountains.

There’s nothing particularly new or innovative about the Lomer Keswick MTX boots, but there doesn’t need to be. Sometimes you just need a classic done right – comfortable, well-made and long-lasting.

No gimmicks and no fuss.

Features

Full Grain Leather
Mer-Tex Waterproof Lining
Vibram Rubber Outsole

Think hiking boots and brands like Salomon and Scarpa probably spring to mind. You’d be forgiven for not recognising the Lomer name, but Lomer are certainly not newbies to the boot-making game. In fact, they’ve been producing boots since 1975.

Based out of Montebelluna in Italy – a region well-known for shoe manufacturing – Lomer has more than 40 years of experience in making great boots.

Much is said about Italian leather and craftsmanship, and the very first thing that struck me when I took the Lomer Keswick MTX boots out of the box is just how well-made they feel. There’s an instant high-quality feel to them.

Comfort and Durability

When you choose leather boots over fabric boots, you might expect them to feel a bit stiff to begin with while you wait for the leather to soften. That didn’t seem to be a problem for me with these boots though. While they are still a little bit rigid and I do expect them to loosen up over time, they were still comfortable straight out of the box and I had enough confidence in that comfort to head out for a fairly long walk on the first outing. And I did so without fear of rubbing or blisters.

The Vibram sole on the boots is going to give you a good grip on a variety of terrains and in a range of conditions. If my experience of Vibram soles on other boots is anything to go by, they’re going to be durable and long-lasting too.

I’ve been genuinely surprised at just how comfortable the boots have been on their first few uses. I had a little bit of heel movement on the first outing that could have caused rubbing if ignored, but it was nothing that wasn’t solved by tightening the laces a bit tighter than usual, and it hasn’t been a problem since.

Waterproof and Breathable

The boot has a Mer-Tex lining that should keep your feet dry by keeping water out while allowing your feet to breathe at the same time. I’ve only worn the boots in dry conditions so far (due to the abnormally dry spring we are having so far), but I did submerge my feet in a stream for a few seconds to see if there was any leakage but my feet stayed completely dry, just as they should.

I wear fabric boots far more than leather boots, so I have to admit that my feet did feel quite hot in the boots under that thick layer of leather. For me, I see the Lomer Keswick MTX boots as an autumn, winter, and spring kind of boot anyway. I always prefer a lightweight fabric boot or even a trail shoe through the summer. So the fact that my feet felt a bit warm in them was fine by me. I might even be glad of that when the colder months roll around again.

The Bottom Line

Lomer might not be a name that you’re familiar with but don’t let that put you off. The Keswick MTX are classic hiking boots that are immediately comfortable and ready to get you out walking. They feel incredibly well-made and if looked after, they are going to be your go-to boots for many, many adventures to come. The full-grain leather combined with a Mer-Tex lining should mean that your feet are going to stay nice and dry in almost all of the conditions that we get here in the UK.

The boots are sold exclusively by Winfield Outdoors in the UK, and the great news is that they are currently on sale for only £125. And a boot this good for under £150 is an absolute bargain in my eyes.