Good footwear lining materials most fundamentally provide optimal temperature regulation. Moisture produced during physical activity must be allowed to escape be transported away from the foot. In that way heat build-ups and blisters can be prevented. The materials must also be guaranteed to dry quickly after use in order to minimise the waiting time after an adventure. At the same time the surface must feel good to touch, and it must lie in footwear without creases or folds, in other words conform smoothly over the last, so as to provide a comfortable fit and not to cause any irritation.
GORE-TEX® Footwear Lining
A two-layer lining material is bonded to the GORE-TEX® membrane to create the GORE-TEX® Footwear System which keeps the footwear waterproof yet still breathable. It prevents water from seeping into the footwear, but still lets your foot "breathe" and creates an ideal temperature-regulated environment in the shoe. This, too, even in the cold, in the snow and in the most adverse weather conditions.
There are various types of GORE-TEX® linings used to suit particular activities and environments.
Find out more about moisture management in GORE-TEX®
Leather Footwear Lining
LOWA uses soft, buttery Nappa leather from cows that is 1-1.5mm thick. It is not dyed, therefore retaining its open pores. That means its ability to absorb water lies somewhere around 200 per cent of its own weight.
Its large capacity to absorb moisture as well as the comfortable fit of a leather-lined boot enables long and pleasant wear time while still maintaining dry feet that don't overheat. Occasionally on lengthy treks, for example over several days, one has to take extra care to allow sufficient drying time of a leather-lined boot.
Fabric/Synthetic
When it comes to footwear linings, LOWA prides itself on a perfectly combined mix of polyester and polyamide materials. With that we achieve a high level of comfort in our footwear based on the combination's multi-faceted characteristics, including its ability to dissipate heat and moisture, high abrasion-resistance and durability, as well as its pleasant hand (feel).
Cambrelle® is probably the most well-known synthetic lining for its moisture management characteristics and its exceptional resistance to abrasion. It is teamed up with GORE-TEX to provide GTX Duracom, a lining used in footwear subject to rigorous use such as the military.
