In 2011, LOWA Boot’s General Manager Peter Sachs attended a wedding at the Sierra Club’s Clair Tappaan Lodge near Yosemite National Park. As he explored the surrounding trails, he watched people stumble along trails in tennis shoes, flip flops and street shoes. It occurred to him then that these hikers might not have experienced that difference that an authentic hiking boot or shoe can make. Out of this insight, the LOWA Demo Center concept was born, first at the Clair Tappaan Lodge and quickly followed by three more peppered across the country. The LOWA Demo Center gives new hikers and explorers the chance to experience the comfort, fit and performance of authentic hiking boots for free, with the hope of creating lifelong outdoor enthusiasts (and ideally, LOWA fans) in the process. In this spirit, LOWA invites visitors to “Take a Hike on Us!” at their Demo Centers at the Clair Tappaan Lodge; the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Joe Dodge Lodge and Mohican Outdoor Center; and the YMCA of the Rockies at Estes Park Center and to date, thousands of hikers have taken them up on the offer.
The LOWA Demo Center Program at the YMCA of the Rockies is surrounded on three sides by the Rocky Mountain National Park, which was recently recognized as the #1 Outdoor & Adventure Destination in the United States. Colorado and out-of-state visitors have the opportunity to check out a pair of LOWA’s at no charge by visiting the Demo Center where several models are available for a day of testing from Memorial Day – Columbus Day. “The Demo Center allows potential LOWA consumers to try before they buy,” commented Peter Sachs, general manager of LOWA in the U.S. “Our goal is to help everyone realize the benefit and enjoyment of top quality footwear designed for specific terrain as opposed to everyday-casual or basketball-type shoes frequently seen on the trails.”
Now in its third year, the Demo Center at YMCA of the Rockies/Estes Park has a selection of men’s, women’s and children’s boots, ranging from from sturdy trekkers like the Camino GTX® Flex to light trail shoes like the Tempest Lo. LOWA is confident that getting hikers into the right footwear for their activities will make their time outside better. As Peter Sachs likes to say, ”Happy feet mean happy hikers.”
The LOWA Demo Center at YMCA of the Rockies is open daily from Memorial Day through Columbus Day.
YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center
2515 Tunnel Road, Estes Park, Colorado
970-586-3341
For more information about the LOWA Boots “Take A Hike on Us! Program” visit www.lowaboots.com
