|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365
Campfire Member
|
OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365 |
The boot salesmen always say "you can stand in a bathtub of water with them, won't leak", but hiking through wet grass is what I consider the real test.
We got blocked out of our pack-in camp this year and settled for a hike-in camp a mile away with some great new territory that came as a surprise. Anyway, luckily we had an extra pair of boots to swap out as needed as the ones we were wearing in wet grass would just get filled with water. Pulling those on in the morning really sucks. My partner swears he will never buy GTX again.
He had Danners and a pair of Merrells, I had two pair of Merrells. Fit and performance was fine, just wet in some cool temps was the problem.
Are there goretex boots that don't take on water hiking in wet grass or do we need to move on to waxed all-leather boots? We wore gaiters.
We just take one pair when we pack in, so would like to have dry feet next year. Do you have to spend over 200 bucks for uninsulated boots to have feet that aren't all pruned up?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,104
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,104 |
Gaiters? I have hunted in snow, rain and wet grass with several different brands of boots with goretex liners (Merrell, Vasque and Salomon). If I am expecting wet, other than shallow streams or puddles, I wear a light pair of OR gaiters or some fleece gaiters with goretex. No wet feet.
Ben
Some days it takes most of the day for me to do practically nothing...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,912
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,912 |
I've been wearing Gore-tex boots since they came out. I rarely spend the day in the rain, but wet grass is common. I've had one pair of Gore-tex boots let my feet get wet. And that as an older pair. I've worn some Danners for 10 years and they kept me dry.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
How high were your boots? Socks that wick water will wick it in as well as wick it out. If your socks got soaked above the boots, they will wick it to your feet. The gaiters should have been a help there.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365
Campfire Member
|
|
OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365 |
One of my pair of Merrell boots is three years old, they stayed dry through a week of rainy days elk hunting the first year before succumbing . The other pair (same model) was wet the first day I hiked in wet grass this year. I also sprayed them liberally with silicone before departure.
Maybe they were just inferior products. I take precautions to not let water wick in from my sock tops, good gaiters.
So a boot like the Salomon Quest 4D should take care of it?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,143
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69,143 |
I've never had wet feet in my Danner or Redwing GoreTex boots.
Last edited by chlinstructor; 09/12/15.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston
Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,766
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,766 |
You were probably seeing wet socks from sweating
The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,639
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,639 |
You were probably seeing wet socks from sweating yup.....I've never had wet feet while wearing goretex boots....unless, of course, I went in over the tops of the boots.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,399
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,399 |
Irish Setters have always kept my feet dry.I like the ones that have the heavy leather above the rubber soles.I do not like boots with the molded glued on soles.If the sole starts to separate,it will trap water under you foot and make its way through the Gore-Tex.These will not leak. http://www.6pm.com/irish-setter-black-bear-804-dark-brownhttp://www.sierratradingpost.com/irish-setter-black-bear-hunting-boots-waterproof-insulated-for-men~p~7632x/?filterString=mens-boots~d~137%2Firish-setter~b~9349%2F&colorFamily=01
Last edited by baldhunter; 09/12/15.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
As Bob Hagel would say"You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong."Good words of wisdom...............
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,822
Campfire 'Bwana
|
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,822 |
Are there goretex boots that don't take on water hiking in wet grass or do we need to move on to waxed all-leather boots? We wore gaiters.
All leather for sure. Gore-Tex is a joke. My current 3/4 wore out pair of cowboy is 10x more waterproof than a couple pairs of 'techno' styled goretex hiking boots that I have owned in the past. Same for rain coats, goretex and it's spin offs turn into a heavy wet POS after an hour or so of rain. I've had terrible luck with it.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,993
Campfire 'Bwana
|
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,993 |
I've had goretex boots that kept my feet dry, and goretex boots that leaked like a sieve.
Any "waterproof" membrane is only as good as the boot it's sewn into.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
Many years ago, when GT was invented, they sold it to manufacturers with little or no instructions on how to use it. Boot and clothing makers didn't bother sealing the seams and most of their stuff leaked. GT got a real bad rap and about went bankrupt. Then they went on a campaign to get it right. They wouldn't sell the membrane to manufacturers unless they passed rigid tests on how they used it. Quality jumped fast but it took years for GT to get it's name cleared. The membrane is good but if it isn't made right, it will leak.
Back in the 70's, I bought a pair of Vasque boots, one of their 1st with GT. They were a joke. My tennis shoes were drier. That was before Gore made them start following directions.
One mistake I've made: I've removed the insoles on boots to make room for heavier socks. That exposes the GT seam under my feet and it will wear out quicker and start to leak. Those insoles are in there to protect the seams so leave them in.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365
Campfire Member
|
|
OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 365 |
Well it must have been the design or execution with these boots. His Danners were several years old, maybe the seams were compromised from side hilling and hard work. Two of the pairs of Merrells were like new. Not bagging on them, just saying they didn't work and it was not nice. Mine were the Reflex model.
Couple of times we took them off, you could wring a cup of water from your socks. Not sweat. After kind of a short morning hunt one day I took mine off and the tops of my smartwools were still dry where the gaiters and pants covered them. Definitely coming in from the front of the boots like it was being forced through the bootie.
He swore he would never wear boots made with it again, I am asking here, from guys who wear them mountain hunting in wet grass, if it was just the cheaper boots. I will gladly pay more to have dry boots in the morning on a backpack hunt.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,130
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,130 |
Glynn: don't bet the house on the Salomon Quest.
My first pair did great for year 1.
Year 2 leaked immediately at even the sight of wet grass.
They are comfortable enough that I bought another pair I found on deep discount and that's the only way I would buy them....on sale.
Regardless of the boot, I think with time the Gore tex liner will develop creases and eventually wear thru and leak. Better quality boots have the liner constructed in the boot so that this takes longer. Cheap boots can be poorly stitched and leak immediately. For me, all GT boots are temporarily waterproof.
Waxed all-leather boots may be able remain waterproof for more years but require more maintenance, sometimes more break-in and are usually heavier. I'm sure there are exceptions to all these characteristics.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,168
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,168 |
If you're walking through wet grass that's higher than your boots it's not the boot's fault that you had wet feet. Your pants got wet and the water ran down into your boots.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 11,300
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 11,300 |
Gore-Tex the membrane is waterproof.
The idea behind Gore-Tex is that expanded PTFE results in a membrane the pores of which are many times smaller than liquid H2O and many times larger than gaseous H2O.
So, liquid H2O cannot physically pass through Gore-Tex, and gaseous H2O readily can.
Issues:
1). Seams. They need to be sealed. The better the seam seal the longer stuff stays waterproof.
2). Gore-Tex degradation. GT is a membrane. To the extent it is protected by exterior and interior layers, it will remain intact and therefore waterproof.
3). Profuse interior moisture. This is often my challenge. Interior moisture cannot escape through the GT membrane if it is liquid, i.e., sweat. Thankfully, you can turn a whole LOT of sweat into gas, as anyone sweaty who has taken off a garment in cold weather can attest. But, I tend to overwhelm the membrane with too much moisture ... I create it faster than it can a) turn to gas, and b) pass through the membrane.
This is the proverbial "internal storm."
A couple of things:
1). I have seen some discussion about exterior layers "wetting out" and purportedly inhibiting moisture transfer through GT membrane.
The opposite is true, especially if it's cold out. Cold water on the exterior of the GT membrane will greatly enhance the transfer of moisture from the interior.
2). The "feeling" of being wet when wearing a GT shell.
Numerous times I have been in prolonged rainstorms wearing a GT shell and felt that, after a while, my shoulders were getting wet. The feeling was unmistakable.
Invariably, at least with my shell, when I later took it off, the undergarment was dry. I finally tried it with a t-shirt under my shell during a rainy round of golf, and after hours in the rain, the t-shirt was dry under the shell.
What happens is that the cooling effect of evaporation occurring on the other side of a very thin shell can make you feel wet. It is not as bad as actually being wet, but evaporation will still chill you. Since the shell is hanging from the shoulders and the membrane is therefore very close to the skin there, the "feeling" of evaporation, i.e., cold wetness, can be felt through the shell after a while.
The answer is a layer of insulation. I like fleece.
3). The greater the discrepancy between interior and exterior temperature, the more readily moisture will transfer.
Proper Gore-Tex membrane is waterproof. Stuff that truly leaks does so for other reasons. Internal moisture is by far more likely to be the culprit if you are wet wearing GT. Sometimes you can feel wet, but really are not.
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." Thomas Paine
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408 |
for extreme wet conditions i like all leather boots liberally coated with sno-proof. i have old leather rockies that i coat with sno-proof, jamming it into the seams with an old tooth brush and melt with a hairdryer and they have never leaked in wet grass, snow, streams, whatever. leather and beeswax is a tough combo to beat.
My diploma is a DD214
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,774
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,774 |
The Zamberlan Ibex GT Pros are an incredible hunting boot for keeping your feet dry. They are the best boots that I have worked with for this in my life. I probably walked more than a mile with my pack in a moulin down the glacier this past and the inside of my boots didn't get a bit damp. I know that I am only 46 but I buy a good pair of mountain hunting boots every year whether I need them or not. (German Meindls from AB Brooks/Hoffman boot company, Hanwag GTX Trappers, Kennetrek Extreme 400s, Lowa Tibets, Lowa Sheep hunters, Cabela's Meindl Denali Hunters(before they got cheaper), and now Zamberlans. Boots are your very most important piece of gear-bar none. The Zamberlans run north of $400.
There are $100 dollar goretex boots that will not keep your feet dry. When I see people complaining about that I just grin a little. Same folks probably have a 20K travel trailer and 20K UTV but can't see spending more than $100 for a pair of Cabela's Meindls from the bargain bin.
I use rubber bands with my rain pants rather than running with gaiters.
What Rem141r says is golden. Treat your boots, shape your boots before the pre-season, during the season and after the season. I use Oberhauf's boot conditioner that works like sno-proof. I met Oberhauf this last summer- he is a character from another time.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 25,828
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 25,828 |
I have used all the tricks on good leather cowboy boots and new Hawthornes. Slather on the snow seal......set em out in the sun at a 105 degrees. Melt it in with a blow dryer. etc,,,etc.
I have never had a pair of leather boots stay water proof for more than 24 hours in extreme wet or soggy snow conditions.
On the other hand, my Meindel gore-tex boots from Cabelas kept my feet dry for ten days last year wading through bogs and creeks. And this was the second year for this pair of boots which I wear all day, every day at work.
Oh, my feet did get wet the first day riding into camp on the horses. A thirty MPH wind driving rain and sleet sideways with a pair of jeans on. It is a bit much to expect any boot to keep your feet dry when the water is running down your leg and into the top of the boot.
But after drying the boots, they stayed dry for the rest of the hunt.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
I agree with Rickbin's post. GT makes a great membrane but they can't fully control how it's made into clothing. If it's not done right, it will leak.
One problem I've run into isn't a problem with the GT. They make boots with the GT booty on the inside and insulation outside. If you're in cold wet conditions, the insulation will get soaked while your feet are dry. It's like standing in a bucket of ice water with your feet in plastic bags.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,054
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,054 |
I don't know anything better than Goretex in wet grass for folks who wear boots a few weeks a year. I've always understood that Goretex had to be clean and that oil and grease would contaminate Goretex Unless it has been specifically approved for use on Gore-Tex, never use any waterproofing waxes, greases, or polishes on your Gore-Tex shoes. Then too Goretex fabric is nice for staying dry on the surface as well as not leaking - but again when clean and properly, freshly, treated. Long time ago there was a fad for putting waterproof boots in fish tanks. About any boot would stay dry indefinitely with no flex and no rub. Silicone seal/spray was notorious for this. For folks who live in their boots and can't switch off daily then only the best of heavy leather - Whites or equivalent or the competition at the top end, used to be a maker IIRC Peter Limmer (or close) in the east who made good mountaineering boots. These are boots that would endure the end of the world as we know it though it might eventually be hard to get them resoled. Now that the best of technical mountaineering boots are all plastic it's harder and more expensive to find and buy a traditional leather boot that really does perform as good as it looks. I buy a lot of Danner at breakroom prices so I can switch off - not always a great bargain; I've bought two pair identical at the same time and found one good one not so good. I don't expect them to last beyond one season if that of really hard use. That's good enough because the boots that would last are too heavy, too hard to break in and balance the trade-offs in the wrong direction for me - I'm about as happy with a Goretex trail running shoe that is about ready to be thrown away after the first time I use them but is comfortable for a weekend. I see jeans mentioned above and cowboy boots for use in bad weather. I used to know a woman whose son met the fool killer on the road - it was a bluebird day and he thought jeans and cowboy boots would see him through it.
Last edited by ClarkEMyers; 09/13/15.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 264
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 264 |
I have a newer pair of Danner Goretax boots. Walked through a hay field heavy with dew a few days ago. The left boot was wet inside down at the toe area. I had a goretex sock sold by Cabela's several years ago. Really kept the feet dry and compfy in boots. It appears they no longer sell them, at least I could not find them on their website. Has anyone ever tried these? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...x_sc_act_title_1&smid=A11VZRB55EQJILLooking for something comfortable and will seal out moisture for long days on an upcoming mountain hunting trip.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,421
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,421 |
If you have goretex boots you need to test them every so often. Put them in the bath tub (dry) and carefully fill them up with water. You will be able to see if they leak. I asked a Danner guy (at the factory outlet) how they test and then "guarantee" the waterproofness....he said "simple. we fill'em with water."
Replace or use your warranty accordingly.
"It's not the arrow, it's the Indian."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 331
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 331 |
I've owned probably 10 pairs of Gore-Tex boots. Invariably they leak with time, and invariably they are dry when new. When the leather stretches enough I think the membrane gives way. Mine usually last for a year or two. I use them for work and they just wear our. Sierra Trading Post has sales and I can usually buy them for under $100--I usually buy two pairs at a time. If you want boots that will last years of usage and be waterproof, you have to buy all leather heavy boots and keep them waxed. I really like the Asolo offerings, as they are light and rigid.
As has been covered, Gore-Tex is indeed waterproof. I kayaked for years using it and it will stay dry, if with some maintenance. I had a drysuit for years that NEVER got wet, even on multi-day kayak trips with constant soaking. My waders are also Gore-Tex and stay bone dry if I stay clear of barb wire.
Also, I understand that Gore-Tex has strict usage guidelines that they require manufacturers to follow. That is one benefit of buying Gore-Tex over other manufacturers.
Last edited by headwatermike; 09/17/15.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
Also, I understand that Gore-Tex has strict usage guidelines that they require manufacturers to follow. That is one benefit of buying Gore-Tex over other manufacturers.
For sure. I mentioned before that in the 1st few years of making GT stuff, clothing makers weren't using it right and it all leaked. Gore about went broke because people thought it was crap. They placed very strict guidelines on how it was used and quality went way up fast but it took them years to get their reputation back.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,993
Campfire 'Bwana
|
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,993 |
I can usually buy them for under $100- I think I've found the problem.....
A wise man is frequently humbled.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
There are some GT clones that have been pretty good, too. I had a pair of Cabelas boots with their DryPlus membrane that lasted a long time. I have a parka with some unknown brand of membrane that I've been wearing for 15 years and it's still pretty much waterproof.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575 |
I've owned several pairs of good GoreTex boots and they worked as advertised. My problem is that I simply wear the insides out over time ... a long time. Not the GoreTex's fault. If Cabela's makes chest waders out of Dry Plus, it certainly is waterproof. Trying to make unlined leather boots waterproof is folly. They may be water resistant for a spell, and that's about it. The nature of the beast. And Bin is right about some waterproof clothes feeling like they leak, but they don't. It's the temp and the 'weight' of the water. I have one of those cheap milsurp Tennier Industries "modular sleeping systems" that comes with a camo Goretex bivvy. Due to bad planning on my part, I slept out on a cot in a rainstorm in the thing. It held perfectly, and in the morning my sleeping pad was holding a puddle of water, being closed cell foam. I actually slept in a puddle, and the thing held. I was impressed. That's a lot of capability for around $100 bucks. It's easy to work up a sweat in GoreTex and get disgusted because it's supposed to be breatheable. Compare it to a garbage bag and it starts to feel real good ...
While not the Grail, GoreTex is a hell of a lot better than stuff out there before it.
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,873
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,873 |
Walked through lots & lots of tall wet grass over the weekend while squirrel hunting. My Danner GT Snake Boots that are 10 years old kept my feet dry as toast.
I too believe wet grass is the true test of any "waterproof" boot.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,383
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,383 |
Creek crossings, calf deep mud, and miles logged soggy muskegs make for a pretty good test of of a waterproof boots too...(grin)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 542
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 542 |
Gore-Tex the membrane is waterproof.
The idea behind Gore-Tex is that expanded PTFE results in a membrane the pores of which are many times smaller than liquid H2O and many times larger than gaseous H2O.
So, liquid H2O cannot physically pass through Gore-Tex, and gaseous H2O readily can.
Issues:
1). Seams. They need to be sealed. The better the seam seal the longer stuff stays waterproof.
2). Gore-Tex degradation. GT is a membrane. To the extent it is protected by exterior and interior layers, it will remain intact and therefore waterproof.
3). Profuse interior moisture. This is often my challenge. Interior moisture cannot escape through the GT membrane if it is liquid, i.e., sweat. Thankfully, you can turn a whole LOT of sweat into gas, as anyone sweaty who has taken off a garment in cold weather can attest. But, I tend to overwhelm the membrane with too much moisture ... I create it faster than it can a) turn to gas, and b) pass through the membrane.
This is the proverbial "internal storm."
A couple of things:
1). I have seen some discussion about exterior layers "wetting out" and purportedly inhibiting moisture transfer through GT membrane.
The opposite is true, especially if it's cold out. Cold water on the exterior of the GT membrane will greatly enhance the transfer of moisture from the interior.
2). The "feeling" of being wet when wearing a GT shell.
Numerous times I have been in prolonged rainstorms wearing a GT shell and felt that, after a while, my shoulders were getting wet. The feeling was unmistakable.
Invariably, at least with my shell, when I later took it off, the undergarment was dry. I finally tried it with a t-shirt under my shell during a rainy round of golf, and after hours in the rain, the t-shirt was dry under the shell.
What happens is that the cooling effect of evaporation occurring on the other side of a very thin shell can make you feel wet. It is not as bad as actually being wet, but evaporation will still chill you. Since the shell is hanging from the shoulders and the membrane is therefore very close to the skin there, the "feeling" of evaporation, i.e., cold wetness, can be felt through the shell after a while.
The answer is a layer of insulation. I like fleece.
3). The greater the discrepancy between interior and exterior temperature, the more readily moisture will transfer.
Proper Gore-Tex membrane is waterproof. Stuff that truly leaks does so for other reasons. Internal moisture is by far more likely to be the culprit if you are wet wearing GT. Sometimes you can feel wet, but really are not. Great info Rick, sums up my experience and research as well. Quality boots and gaiters are my key to dry feet.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,263
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,263 |
What works best for me is to treat any good leather boot with melted in bees wax then Obenaufs over this to soak into the seams. I do this only on the lower half or to where a gaiter will overlap the treated leather. Much easier to keep gaiters in good shape and not worry too much about the boot liner. They all eventually leak.
If I were in muskeg or wading creeks I would treat the entire boot. But since I am more likely to see hot weather I don't want to sacrifice any breathability.
Some people carry goretex socks for creek wading or if the boots start leaking during the middle of a trip. These feel like plastic bags on your feet to me, so comes down to individual comfort level on what works.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 735
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 735 |
Goretex is waterproof to the extent of its mission.
The real challenge with goretex is that it relies on pressure and temperature variation in order to get the vapor to move through the barrier. Kind of like high pressure moving naturally into a low pressure area.
The same principle applies with goretex. The water vapor/humidity inside your jacket needs to be greater than the pressure outside the jacket in order for the vapor to pass. So if you are really working and hot and it's cold out then the vapor will push through the barrier. If the internal temp of your jacket is the same as the external temp then there's nothing going on to push the vapor through the membrane.
If the exterior of jacket gets wet then the vapor can't pass through anyway.
In the end there's one principle that overrides all: the trick is to stay warm when wet. one way or another dampness is going to invade inside the jacket whether it be condensation or otherwise.
Hunt Africa while you can
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,474
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,474 |
Are there goretex boots that don't take on water hiking in wet grass or do we need to move on to waxed all-leather boots? We wore gaiters.
All leather for sure. Gore-Tex is a joke. My current 3/4 wore out pair of cowboy is 10x more waterproof than a couple pairs of 'techno' styled goretex hiking boots that I have owned in the past. Same for rain coats, goretex and it's spin offs turn into a heavy wet POS after an hour or so of rain. I've had terrible luck with it. This in spades! Its ok for light stuff but I'll never trust it to keep me dry for exteneded anything. I had a BRAND new pair once, I didn't have but about 8 hours or less on em in break in, on an AK trip.... crossed a shallow creek about 8 inches or so deep, boots obviously taller than that, and one foot was wet, while the other was dry....
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,249 |
I had a BRAND new pair once, I didn't have but about 8 hours or less on em in break in, on an AK trip.... crossed a shallow creek about 8 inches or so deep, boots obviously taller than that, and one foot was wet, while the other was dry.... I'd bet that a seam was the problem, not the membrane.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
|
370 members (10gaugemag, 260Remguy, 17CalFan, 264mag, 270winchester, 10gaugeman, 32 invisible),
2,501
guests, and
1,199
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,190,598
Posts18,454,430
Members73,908
| |
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
