Lowa boots are very well made and hold on a ridge like a goat. However, if you're gonna put in quite a few miles, I definitely prefer a lighter boot. Lowa boots are heavy! If it's fairly cool, I wear my 20+ yr old Russell's with some built in Thinsulate. They're a bit heavy too, but fit like a glove. If it's not in the 30's, I personally prefer hiking shoes such as Salomon's or Kenetrek Bridger Ridge.Both are lowcut but are "waterproof."