Anyone regret buying a NON gore-texed boot?

[Spiny Norman]

Got my eye on the Scarpa SL, all leather, no breathable waterproof liner. Was feeling positive till it rained all day.

Yes I know Sno-seal and nikwax and Limmers boot grease but a couple thousand flexes is going to drive water thru the leather.

So tell me your sob story of immersion foot and blisters and frozen feet or conversely, that everything worked out fine and the comfort was worth a little moisture every now and then.

cheers, Spencer

 

[DougPaul]

I dislike Gore-Tex lined boots. I have warm damp feet and Gore-Tex reduces the breathability of the leather resulting in damp feet. My feet tend to stay drier in unlined boots.

Unlined boots also dry faster. (Water is driven through Gore-Tex by your body heat. With no heat, the Gore-Tex is a waterproof layer.)

Waterproofing with SnoSeal has always worked well enough for me. After some time and multiple applications, the leather gets pretty well saturated and the treatment doesn't wear off quickly.

Even Gore-Tex lined boots should be treated to protect the leather from water damage.

Doug

 

[DSettahr]

Hiking boots is something that the hiking community has never, and probably will never come to a consensus on. Everyone has their own individual tastes, and it's really just best to go with what works for you.

That being said, I personally am an adherent to full leather gore-tex boots. I spend a lot of time in the woods for work, and other shoes simply haven't lasted as long, been as comfortable, and kept my feet as dry. Even those tend to wear out on me after about 2-3 years, though.

 

[audrey]

When I used to wear full leather boots, well waterproofed, I found them as dry as Gore-tex. But they required fussy cleaning and greasing, weren't as comfortable, gave me blisters, and took too long to dry.
Because of the shape of my foot, I am a very happy Keens wearer even if the tread and/or stitching don't last more than 2 years. Their Gore-tex hasn't failed me yet.

 

[Peakbagr]

Wow, 2 and 3 years.
Other than my old Limmers, I ruin a pair of boots in a season. Then again they are cheepo EMS boots.

Merry Christmas everyone !

 

[dug]

With a full leather, waxed boot, Gore-Tex serves little function. The idea behind Gore-Tex is letting water vapor out while keeping water droplets from coming in.

If you properly seal your leather boots, the vapor has no where to go, and the sealant will keep the water off your boot anyway.

 

[Tim Seaver]

The lighter weight winter Gore-Tex boots that are becoming more popular now seem to keep the water out pretty well for the first few hikes.
After that, not so much. The Gore-Tex will leak LONG before the sole is worn out. Like a lot of Gore-Tex stuff - it works GREAT....when it's brand new.

Even the FAQ from Gore-Tex won't make any claims as to lifespan, other than:

What's the life expectancy of a GORE-TEX® garment?

It really depends on you. The GORE-TEX® membrane won't deteriorate with time, and our garments are guaranteed to be durably waterproof and breathable. Just use common sense and wear your garment for its intended use; i.e, don't wear a lightweight cycling jacket on a backcountry camping trip. And obviously, a ski instructor who wears his or her garment every day will need to buy a new one sooner than a skier who takes his or her garment out twice a year will. If you maintain your garment properly, you can expect it to last.

 

[DSettahr]

Wow, 2 and 3 years.
Other than my old Limmers, I ruin a pair of boots in a season. Then again they are cheepo EMS boots.

I use Asolos (the TPS 520). They seem to hold up pretty well. I also find them to be pretty comfortable, with practically zero break-in time needed. I can wear them straight out of the box on a 4 High Peak day and not get blisters.

 

[vinovampire]

Nope, I've got no regrets.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

No regrets -

 

[JoeCedar]

For several years of active winter hiking I have used Merrell winter boots (the names and designs tend to change each year, my newest pair is similar to the Isotherm 8's). Most of them have a rubber bottom and a leather/synthetic top, and include insulation (Thinsulate or Primoloft, etc.), and some have waterproof membrane layers. As far as breatheability of winter boots, forget it. Significant water loss won't happen with any winter boot. Just get some excellent wool socks (I always wear a Smartwool liner and outer medium weight or heavier wool sock) and you will be all set. The wool and boot liner will hold the moisture from a full day's hike and still keep you warm. Sure they will be steamy and wet when you take them off, but so what?

 

[Maddy]

100% YES!
Keep in mind that these were not "boots" but very expensive Cascadia running shoes. Fortunately for me there was a terrible sizing error and REI took them back. I could not believe hot soaked my feet were.


My leather boots have been great with Snowseal. I will surely never again forget to check The GTX factor on any other boots/trail shoes that I purchase.

 

[freighttrain48]

I use Asolos (the TPS 520). They seem to hold up pretty well. I also find them to be pretty comfortable, with practically zero break-in time needed. I can wear them straight out of the box on a 4 High Peak day and not get blisters.

Just to add to what you said in your first post, I bought the tps 520s this spring and after every hike my feet felt like hamburg. I put 60 miles or so on them before bringing them back to rei. I agree that footwear in general is very different from person to person. I have found happiness in Invo8 roc lites in the summer and keen summit counties in the winter(leather goretex mix).

ps Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!!

 

[paul ron]

I had the ASOLO 5xx GoreTeX as well n hated em. At the end of the day they smelled like a dirty gold fish bowl besides fall appart in no time at all. I returned em to ASOLO with a bit of an argument. They insisted I use NikWax after tey replaced the first pair, but it seems that stuff clogs the pores as revealed on autopsy.

I do notice that socks makes more of a difference in keeping you feet dry. I use the Columbia Merrino Wool backpackers that are nice n thick for winter hikes n I am toasty warm n absolutely dry.

Happy New Year everyone.

 

[dirtpig67]

My feet sweat a lot so tramping in GTX is fairly pointless as my feet end up soaked with sweat wearing that stuff. About the only time I prefer them is in winter conditions where it is cold enough that my feet do not sweat and getting your feet wet could be dangerous. Outside of extremely cold conditions, I find that a all leather boot with leather interior works best for me as the leather tends to wick away moisture better.

Also, tramping (hiking) here in NZ almost always involved walking through streams and generally wet conditions so you almost always have water go over the tops of the boot eventually. Gaitors help some - but wet feet is just a part of NZ tramping. I have a pair of Limmer Standards which work pretty well for high alpine stuff but for the really wet conditions nothing beats a pair of all-leather boots with no lining. They don't soak up the water like the Limmers do. I used to work as a wildland firefighter in Alaska, and the standard firefighting boot is made by the likes of Whites or Nicks. I use a pair of these now for a lot of NZ tramping as they are great for the conditions: http://www.nicksboots.com/specialorder.asp?myItem=64T+8+inch+Alaska+Tundra&myImage=64TALASK200.jpg&myTxt=%3CBR%3ENicks+Alaska+Tundra+is+%3Ci%3Ebuilt+to+order%3C%2Fi%3E+and+is+shown+in+Chocolate+Full+Rough+Out+with+an+8+inch+top+and+built+on+Toe+No+3.++Stock+sizes+only.%0D%0A%0D%0ASimilar+in+construction+to+our+Forester%2C+the+Alaska+Tundra+was+developed+for+smoke+jumpers+working+in+rugged+Alaska.++Featuring+a+special+Vibram+lug+flat+sole+construction+for+better+flotation+on+soft+ground.++The+Alaska+Tundra+is+ideal+for+marshier+conditions.++Rough+out+leather+provides+extra+protection+from+sharp+rocks+and+branches.++Completely+rebuildable+for+years+of+extended+service.

I have noticed that kiwi's don't have the adversion to getting their feet wet that American hikers seem to have. It is just not a big deal to them. Heck a lot of "trails" are actually walking straight down the middle of a ankle-knee deep stream here. Talk to an American hiker and most would rather catch the plague rather than get wet feet on a hike

 

[ChacoTaco]

Have been researching a good winter boot for my first full winter in New England and the Merrell Whiteout 8 are going to be my choice. Hopefully will be on my first snowshoeing trip in the near future.

 

[Little Rickie]

I use Asolos (the TPS 520). They seem to hold up pretty well. I also find them to be pretty comfortable, with practically zero break-in time needed. I can wear them straight out of the box on a 4 High Peak day and not get blisters.

Ditto. I carry extra socks and have never had to used them.

 

[sierra]

I wear gore-tex lined leather boots in the winter, they breath fantastic and I never get wet feet or cold feet. I wear leather non gore-tex boots in the summer, they breath much better then gore-tex in the heat and properly treated are totally waterproof.

 

[Mike P.]

My .02

In winter & vey late fall or early spring up north, I'm wearing plastics, the only thing I've found that will take walking in 2-5" inches of slush all day when the trail fills up with water.

I seldom ever wear rain pants either, in winter I need more breathability (not done a Winter presi-Traverse but some two & three peak trips in the southern peaks & singles up Madison & up Adams) & in summer, wet legs not an issue. (A couple of fall rainy hikes I wish I had worn them) Point being that only on days where it poured all day & I wish I had worn rain pants have I also had wet feet but that also came from over the top too.

(Leather w/o & with G-Tex & various others work for the occasional 2-4 puddles, & barely submerged rocks on stream crossings.

After many years, my feet have been tortured, calloused & blistered enough that from May to October, many times I just go through the brooks, especially on the way out, and let my feet dry as I keep walking.

If for some reason I had to climb Allen today, I'd probably cross the Hudson in Sandals, bring a towel & foot warmers to put in my boots upon reaching the other side. (It was cold Veteran's Day weekend but we only crossed the river & then went back to the car - one of the boys did as I did not as I said - stay here - & crossed too but he was in jeans.)

 

[snoshoovt]

Winter boots

FWIW for the past 10+ years my winter boots have been the Lowa Banff leather, no goretex. Infrequently I use my old Sherpa neoprene covers on them, and at Baxter and the like I carry insulated overboot gaitors but have never used them. My feet are narrow and my Lowa's are narrow size so that made the difference for me, but other than the good fit, they've served me fine. Boots are a very individual thing, for sure, so this is just my .02.
John