Waterproofing trailrunners

Hey, I've seen that dog before! :)

For me, "waterproofing" my shoes is a waste of time and money. For 3-season hikes, I would rather spend my time looking for shoes that dry quickly — rather than trying to waterproof them very temporarily.

For winter hikes, waterproofing plus some kind of wp/b barrier might make more sense.

Most trail runners are made of mesh upper bodies, so it is impossible to water proof them. And water proofing will (in most cases) make your feet a sweating mess, as they cannot breath. In most conditions, when these mesh shoes get soaked, it does not take long for them to dry out.

There are some conditions where a Goretex shoe would be appropriate, but this is the exception.

My suggestion is to get a pair of each, if conditions require that you occassionaly need a waterproof shoe.

Can't speak to Brooks, but keep in mind that manufacturers use different lasts (e.g. molds), and not all fits are the same. Try on many brands to find the ones which fit you best.

I find that for running shoes (not trail runners), Brooks fit me best.

For hiking I use Salamon trail runners or Saucony racing flats.

I have never been happy with the fit of Nike, Asics, New Balance and quite a few others. Nothing wrong with these brands, just don't fit me right.

keep the opinions flowing!

Brooks Cascadia`s are sweet for on trail hiking. never tried them for off trail on rocky terrain.

Doesn't work real well when you walk through the creek.
With all due respect, a pointless concept.

cheers

There's no way to keep your feet completely dry while hiking (ie. water crossings), so having waterproof trailrunners just ends up keeping your feet wet! I would certainly rather have an airy, open mesh upper that will dry as quickly as possible.

Yes, water will come in through the tops of your shoes, so you want them highly breathable so they dry fast.

Most people feel that Gortex does not breath enough on it's own, which is why there is a lot of mesh on Gortex trailrunners..

I like having goretex boots in winter(inov8 390's), but if its not early spring or winter, theres no need as stated above. Besides, want an option? buy rocky goretex socks and mesh trail runners. WHen ever you want to be dry, just slip on the socks and your dry.

issac said: buy rocky goretex socks and mesh trail runners.

IMO, this is a thrifty strategy. I use trailrunners most of the time. In the winter I usually use my same trailrunners with my Rocky goretex socks. I have a pair of goretex boots (Vasque) that I sometimes wear in Winter. Based on my experience, the goretex socks work as well as the boots – but are lighter.

In summer I wear the thinnest socks I can find with my trailrunners. They dry out very quickly. No wetter than sweat would cause anyway.