But the digital world is only a half world for true Alpinists. They must be able to feel real life. Things like the prototypes that Alex Nicolai then presented to the athletes. This time, Alex Nicolai, who was head of the development team at the time and was later named Managing Director of LOWA, presented selected highlights of the new collection for 2017, some of which had been developed in cooperation with the professionals. The highlights included the ALPINE PRO GTX, an Alpine boot with a shortened toe cap, a product into which the experience of extreme mountaineer David Göttler flowed. Another was the APPROACH PRO GTX LO, an approach boot with innovative speed-lacing technology, a product that Luis Stitzinger helped to create. The most heads were turned by the new climbing shoe model ROCKET, which was designed in particular for professionals and ambitious hobby athletes. A broad potpourri was presented to the Alpinists, a line of products that accentuated the ingenuity of LOWA.
The prototypes were greeted with warm words of praise and astonishment. A suggestion or two was made about this or that detail, and Alex Nicolai gladly took note of them. There was not a lot of criticism to be expressed. The development team had listened carefully during the first workshop and registered the various wishes and comments that the Alpine experts expressed. The results of this constructive discussion were really impressive. Some of the prototypes and certainly other LOWA models will go on tour with the athletes on the LOWA PRO team during the year.