Why Footwear Matters to This “Perfect Product Tester” - By Lanny Barnes

I have always said that my hunting has made me a better shooter and my shooting has made me a better hunter.

It was definitely true when I was training for the Olympics in Biathlon as it originated as a form of hunting on skis. Now that I am focusing solely on shooting competitions, there are a lot of things that can cross-over from shooting competitions to hunting and vice versa. 

For each discipline however, there are very specific things that I do in each that help me be on my game when I am out in the field or at the range.

When I am training for shooting competitions, mainly 3-gun and practical shooting on the move, I do a lot of strength, sprints, and plyometrics. This helps me get that explosiveness going from target to target and cutting quickly on a dime.

However, the training I do for hunting is usually the complete opposite; I am usually doing longer hikes, runs, bikes and sometimes adding a weighted pack or wrist weights to achieve what I call “strength endurance.” This helps me to maintain a certain level of fitness and helps me to be able to handle a full day of training and have the confidence I need to take that ethical shot when the moment arises. 

I have always been one of those people that never takes the easy route.

I prefer to take the harder road rather than find the most efficient way of doing that. The same can be said for my hunting and shooting.

When I am out in the field on a hunt, I am not going to pass up the potential for an opportunity to harvest some good organic meat for the freezer because the mountain in front of me looks too steep. I am also not going to back off on the throttle in a shooting competition when the conditions are marginal. 

One of the things that gives me the confidence to do this is proper footwear.

Yes, in all seriousness, it does make that much of a difference and that is why I wear LOWA.

Before I discovered LOWA, I couldn’t go the entire archery season without blowing out a pair of hiking boots. I always sneak when I need to, but I put in a ton of miles to get back to where the elk haven’t had a lot of pressure from people. I would also dangerously slip and slide my way through a match in rainy weather because I had worn down the tread quickly on my shoes, until I found that the LOWA sole will outlast any shoe on the market. 

How do I know, you ask? Because I’ve tried them all.

You could say that I am what companies call the “perfect product tester.” I put myself through some of the toughest torture tests to see what I am made of and in turn have had the opportunity to see what the things I am using hold up as well.

So, if you haven’t given LOWA a try for your tactical shooting or hunting, take the word of a three-time Olympian and professional shooter - these boots work!