Waterproof Walking Boots- which ones

[Whittler Kev]

My mates daughter has just come back from rainy and haily Wales after completing her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Problem she had was as the paths were like minuture rivers she had wet feet in her "waterproof" walking boots.
After seeing BG and RM wading through rivers and keeping their feet dry my question is:
What sort keeps your feet dry and how do you make them stay waterproof

Please don't say Wellies, Gum boots, carrier bags , etc as this really is a serious query

 

[Shewie]

The problem with waterproof boots Kev is once they're wet inside they take an age to dry. In persistent heavy rain they'll get wet eventually, mainly from splashes coming over the top and getting inside. One way to prevent that is to wear gaiters, pair them up with a good goretex lined boot and that's about as good as you can get really. The other option is to wear a shoe which will let water in but also drain and dry quickly, I'm playing with this idea for the first time this year and so far I quite like it, hopefully going with this approach on a 200 mile walk next year.
When you mentioned the carrier bags you're not too far from the truth you know, a lot of the extreme lightweight brigade have been known to layer up with socks/placcy bags/socks, they call them vapour barriers

 

[lou1661]

Now thats a tricky question! I used GoreTex lined boots for a few years and found that i was still getting wet feet from sweat, water flowing over the tops of the boots or water from rain or vegetation making my trousers wet and running down my legs, on the inside of gaiters. The same happens with non lined boots exept they seem to dry out quicker.
I think i have come to the conclusion that no matter what if the weather is really wet im going to be too.
Not that much help i know but thats what i have found so far, im interested in anyone elses solutions.
I was up in the Brecon area walking on saturday and of all the people i was walking with no one had dry feet by the end of the day.

Louis

 

[Teepee]

For me, waterproof hiking boots are rarely a benefit. The waterproof membranes are nowhere as breathable as leather or uncoated fabric, so the water is kept out but the sweat kept in. When the boots are soaked through on the outside, water vapour has an even harder job escaping the inside of the boot. They take aeons to dry out when wet.

For me, a good leather boot with minimal sticthing, wicking liner, regularly nikwaxed and changes of socks is a much better and drier way of hiking in wet conditions. If the boots do get wet, waterproof socks like sealskins will allow them to dry out again while wearing them when it dries up.

I find that whether its raining or not, my feet keep about the same level of moisture ie a bit sweaty with good leather boots.

I have some eVent lined trainers that I quite like for launching my boat in shallow water. They are quite good but much sweatier than normal trainers.

Was she wearing gaiters Kev? Its the pathside undergrowth that gets feet really wet when it flicks off when you brush past-it runs down inside the boot.

 

[EdS]

brogues where the traditional answer. The patterned hole decoration was originally right through the shoe to let water out.o

I spend a fair amount of time walking across the fell and bogs - high leg boots help as the top of the boot is above the most of the splashing.

 

[Gill]

Sometimes you just need to accept that you cannot keep completely dry feet and not get wet with sweat while still providing protection to the feet,Like Rich has already stated goretex or other waterproof boots are great if they do not get wet inside ,however if they do they take an age to dry out !For these sort of conditions when it is inevitable where i know my feet will get wet ie canoeing etc i wear these boots ,they are OTB especially designed for the Navy Seals ,They are fantastic the materials used do not hold water at all and when they are swamped with water your walking action expels the water through the sole via small holes.In my opinion these are far better than the much loves 5.10 canyoneer boots favoured by canoists .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTeABQEdqOQ

 

[mrcairney]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTeABQEdqOQ

Nice, but I guess you're gonna get wet feet standing in a puddle with those. Most people hate getting wet feet but as long as my feet are warm, I don't mind it (wool socks are a winner). It's something you can get used to.

 

[Shewie]

For these sort of conditions when it is inevitable where i know my feet will get wet ie canoeing etc i wear these boots ,they are OTB especially designed for the Navy Seals ,They are fantastic the materials used do not hold water at all and when they are swamped with water your walking action expels the water through the sole via small holes.In my opinion these are far better than the much loves 5.10 canyoneer boots favoured by canoists .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTeABQEdqOQ

Where did you get those from Gill, I fancy a pair of those.

I've got 5.10's but I think they're a bit clumpy

 

[drewdunnrespect]

a pair of army issue german parra boots and just a pair of tamarack gaiters and i was fine shin high streem waiding ymmv just my views

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Agree with most of peoples posts. Gently warming the wax with a hair dryer and really working it into the leather helps too, but a few km in wet grass will get through that no problems.

A nice combinatiion are unlined well waxed leather boots, and Berghaus Yeti gaiters. If you are unfamiliar with yetis, they are essentially a goretex zip front welly boot with a tight fitting rubber rand which seals around the sole of your boot. Just about the best thing ever for boggy areas (e.g. dartmoor). That way the goretex covers the outside of the boot, and doesn't eally seem to massively affect the breathability and speed of drying (although it does a little). A rapid wade through a river etc is usually possible too as long as it doesn't go over the top of the gaiters. Ex army issue yetis are availiable via ebay, although the rubber rands are likely to be in a variable state of repair.

 

[Rod Paradise]

I've been wearing these with gaiters in some really wet conditions lately & they've really held up well (apart from crossing a ford that went right over the top of them - with the gaiters sitting in the house - D'OH!! ).

£52 from £130 as well - were cheaper than getting my old boots resoled.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Karrimor-O...K3SC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1316699484&sr=8-4

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I have German para boots & they keep my feet dry in most conditions, including wading. On my everyday pair I use the german army shoe cream, which contains silicon, & it's very effective but on my 'wet weather' pair I use sno- seal.which renders the boots completely waterproof, except & this is the crunch, when walking through wet vegetation for long periods, which just strips off anything I put on them, there must be some wax left though as I have never had any real leaks, just a little 'seepage' through the stitching around the soles. not enough to wet my socks though.
I don't like Gortex, if water enters the boot, I consider I have failed but I should clarify I'm never in extreme conditions nor am I obliged to stay out of doors all day long in wet weather so my views are more 'arm chair-ish' than some.
Someone else said on another thread that all leather boots will eventually leak in wet conditions, it's just a question of time & all we can do is delay the process with waterproofing products.... & that to me sums it up.

 

[telbert]

I just got a flyer through the post from John Norris doing a special deal on these:http://www.johnnorris.co.uk/search/10336-harkila-mountain-hunt-gtx-7in-5801.html
Ive never heard of these boots.Perhaps they may be worth a look?

 

[The Lord Poncho]

The trouble with nubuck leather is that is is basically normal leather, with the most intrinsically waterproof bit of the leather (the outer face) scrapped off. That said, this can be compemnsated by the fact that it can cling onto wax a bit longer.

 

[spoony]

Mendl douvre extreme get my votes, or if its not to rough terrain muck boots.

 

[Mastino]

one word: lundhags. Complemented with good wool socks

 

[spikefxr]

does anyone know how to repair,or someone who could repair a new pair of german para boots.I've tried shoe goo & other stuff and can't get the soles to stick together.I'ts a waste of a good pair of boots

 

[mart]

For walking in Lundhags are very good so are scarpa. I love La sportiva for climbing. Ps yeti gaiters only work with certain boots and these boots need a stiff sole so the gaiter wont pop off at the toe and you still need to superglue them on. Good gaiters mind.

 

[Beardy Adam]

I still haven't found the answer to this problem. As already stated by others, Goretex boots take forever to dry once they are soaked and most of the time they saturate your feet with your own sweat that can't escape, wearing 'liner' socks does little to help this. I've also tried two pairs of leather Scarpa boots and I found them horrible. The Scarpa SL's have got to be the most uncomfortable, unforgiving and horrendously stiff boots I have ever worn in my life. The next time I buy gear I'm going to get something that allows water to run through rather than keep it out. I've read this is what the romans designed their footwear to do when trying to take over Scotland, so it can't be far wrong!

I've got to avoid big chunky boots now as I suffer from knee pain in stiff footwear due to my gait. Pretty sure I'm going to get a pair of Vibram Five Fingers KSO Trek's soon and see how they fare on a day out on the hills and moors.

 

[Tiley]

one word: lundhags. Complemented with good wool socks

Another vote for Lundhags. With gaiters, they will keep out most external moisture. The problem with most 'conventional' walking boots is the padding to protect the foot. Once wet, it really does take an age to dry and then only if you have decent facilities to do so; Lundhags do not have that padding and so, even when you do take a plunge, they dry out quickly. I've always found mine to be immensely comfortable too - another vital consideration.