Waterproof vs breathable hiking boots - Top 7 Problem to Know

[@bo1976-p2b]

Thank you for your wonderful insight based on your real life experience. Happy trails !

[@ALinsdau]

Thank you for watching!

[@lyrasunshard3769]

I've decided to return my Gore-Tex trail shoes. I intended to wear it for work since it keeps raining lately, but I sweat ALOT due to random bouts of anxiety. I think leather or synthetic will suit me better

[@joshwilcox8941]

All the questions I have, and go to the almighty KZbin for; Aaron comes through clutch with a vid on it 💪🏼

[@ALinsdau]

Thanks!

[@jongrall]

Surprised you didn’t mention drying time. If you get your feet wet in both boots (e.g. from a stream crossing), the ventilated boots will dry much faster. On very wet trails in warm weather, a ventilated boot is strongly preferred because at least you have a chance of drying them out.

[@ALinsdau]

Too true.

[@NikCan66]

Great to know as the terms are used by manufacturers so often people assume they mean the same thing.

[@ALinsdau]

Very true.

[@jimmyzulu85]

What do you think about leather boots with leather lining instead of gore tex?

[@ALinsdau]

I don't think that'll keep out water too well if there isn't a membrane.

[@brianswift3240]

Great advice. Thanks 👌

[@ALinsdau]

No worries.

[@Y007B]

Hi all :-) ! ...please, I've asked several stores but I can't find stock. Until now I used the Sal0m..n "aero" without goretex, but this year they no longer make them. Merr3ll is out of stock too. I'm looking for something similar, not leather, boots that are made of mesh and very very breathable. Please can you recommend it to me 🙏🏽 (just boots). Thanks!

[@ALinsdau]

I enjoy my Keen Targhee III's Keen Targhee Hiking Men’s boots: amzn.to/3p6Iefc Keen Targhee Hiking Women’s boots: amzn.to/2IkvjWy

[@trytheoutdoors]

Thank you. Do.you ever carry both types of boots on your longer hikes? It's hard to choose if you're likely to encounter the disadvantages for both types.

[@ALinsdau]

I go with my worst case scenario boots as my only boots. Unless, that is, I need double boots or such. I hiked in my Vasque boots for 40 miles into Wyoming's Gannett peak. I would normally never hike in such heavy boots in the summer but I knew I had to wear crampons for the climb. I didn't want to carry my La Sportiva Cube boots just for the climb.

[@TheGloryofMusic]

You respond very nicely to even negative comments! Btw, I never wear socks and am fine doing light hiking.

[@ALinsdau]

That’s great thank you. I always enjoy hearing alternative methods that work out just as well.

[@Ahbustae86]

Looking for hiking boots that will be submerged for sometime. The waterproof boots I assuming would trap water in where as the breathable will allow for drainage. In your opinion, would the breathable be a better choice. I live in Hawaii and I love to fish for bass. I high into valleys in muddly conditions to get to streams.

[@ALinsdau]

The people I know who do that either go with waders, completely waterproof, like people who fly fish: amzn.to/3gjFciz The other option are something like the Croc Swiftwater sandals. I've used them for mucky fishing and they're very nice: amzn.to/3e2dhlT You have to decide between complete protection, very common in the Rockies, or something more Hawaii-centric like the Crocs that allow water to just pass through.

[@alid6331]

informative video, thanks for this. What is your take on the Keens with knee high waterproof gaiters in water crossings? Say water as deep as mid calves/below the gaiter line?

[@ALinsdau]

They'll get drenched in all but the shortest crossing.

[@voodoochyl]

Great video. Thank you!

[@ALinsdau]

You bet!

[@william474]

Great video my friend.

[@ALinsdau]

Thank you 👍

[@bcole650]

I always thought it would be better to have vented because they would have a way better chance drying overnight if near fire or hung in tree, where as if your waterproof boots get wet inside you are pretty much guaranteed to have soaked boots the rest of trip

[@ALinsdau]

Tough call, I've enjoyed wet boots either way.

[@cobbler88]

You are correct. You pretty much need a fire or some heat source either way to dry the boots, but at least with vents you can push a lot of the water out before you take them off. Your feet aren't swimming in there until you take them off, try to press excess water out, then set them by the fire.

[@KWPZ21]

I just want to ask: Do you wear thick socks on hiking shoes or a thin one? I'm asking because if I wear thick socks I go 1 size up.

[@ALinsdau]

I wear this combo: Smartwool Socks: amzn.to/3mTv0mR Wrightsocks: amzn.to/3o85JoC

[@michaelnedsmar9106]

Want to do test if your boots are really waterproof ? Simple , walk in wet grass for 30 minutes. Everypair of fabric uppers will leak and you will end uo with damp feet . Buy leather for waterproof boots .

[@ALinsdau]

Good pointers!

[@markcummings6856]

👍

[@ALinsdau]

Thank you.

[@jeremynicoletti9060]

I'm never buying waterproof boots again. Breathable boots dry out. Waterproofing fails, too.

[@ALinsdau]

Too true.

[@Outdoorswithmikey]

Looks like the only best choice is waterproof.

[@ALinsdau]

Waterproof is a bit hot in the summer. It's a trade for sure.

[@joshuaswanson3068]

Sounds like breathable are pretty much Inferior to the waterproof version that seemingly do it all

[@cobbler88]

But how many of these things - like maybe getting your feet dirty - do you consider to be problems that you seriously need to address? It sounded like you have to take pretty much either pair off if you're going through water deeper than a puddle. That being said, I went through a snowfield with my vents yesterday. NOT fun. But I haven't tried it with WP boots, so I can't really attest to their virtues over the vents. Plus, with Merrell, you have the WP version AND a GTX version. I imagine ventilation is different even between those two models. I do know that a point that was not brought up - a pretty important one - is that vents dry much faster than do WP boots because they don't trap water inside. You'll likely need to use a fire or other heat source anyway, but you may be wearing damp shoes for days if you are out in WPs.

[@ALinsdau]

Tough part - waterproof will make your feet steamy.

[@ryaniam22]

Most people don't need and will hate goretex waterproof boots. Goretex boots don't dry out. They take forever so it it's cold out and you sweat your done. On a week long freezing weather hunt your toes are going to get frostbite. Even in the hot summer goretex boots suck. One you will beget drenched in sweat so bad might as well jump in a creek. In the heat even goretex doesn't dry out. Gortex is so overrated in footwear. For day hunting or day hiking goretex is OK.

[@jorybrass6623]

Sorry, like many hikers, you've confused "ventilation" (or air permeability) with "breathability" (or moisture vapor permeability) and mistakenly think that "waterproof" and "breathable" hiking boots are opposites when most waterproof boots "breathe." "Breathability" and "ventilation" refer to two different things in outdoor gear. The boot you keep calling "breathable" is the Merrell Moab Ventilator, which is named for its "ventilation," not it's "breathability." Almost everything in this video is factually inaccurate and reflects common misunderstandings of waterproof-breathable footwear.

[@ALinsdau]

Good to note.

[@Romaniour]

When you on a hard and long hike, one cares less about technical details and more about weather your feet dry or not, does not matter because of ventilation or breathability.

[@zoesmith1536]

Too long bro. Make it short and snapy.

[@ALinsdau]

Noted