Trailrunners: Waterproof or Not?

I prefer non waterproof as my feet always end up wet anyways and at least the non-waterproof trailrunners breathe. In some parts of the country they would dry quicker too, but they don't dry in the southeast. I even wear non-waterproof trailrunners while post holing in heavy snow. My feet do get wet, but they stay warm enough as long as I am moving.

GTX is code for 'cost extra.'

waterproof and not water proof will both get wet but the not water proof will dry much quicker.

Trailrunners: Water"proof" or Not?

Easy. Not.

Water"proof" shoes may do very little to keep moisture out, but they definitely do a splendid job at keeping moisture inside the shoe… bad.

when it's not really wet, non waterproof is more breathable which feet appreciate. When really wet… well trail runners have the giant hole that lets your foot and water in. So waterproof doesn't keep water out, and make the shoe take longer to dry.

Like Brad, in many conditions my feet are fine when wet provided I am moving. If it's hovering around freezing I will sometimes use a pair of rocky gore-tex oversocks which do a better job than "waterproof" trail runners.

Unlike Brad, while I have done postholing in breathable trail runners, that's not my first choice. That's the one situation where I like a waterproof shell on my footwear.

–Mark

not water proof

Short, quick hike or run… waterproof is ok.

But more often then not, I prefer non-waterproof, highly breathable.

I don't believe there is such a thing as waterproof railrunners. There are non-waterproof and those marketed as waterproof that let water in the top and will leak over time. Maybe my experience was unusual but three attempts and I'm done. Also, if you do get water in GTX it takes forever to dry.

I prefer not waterproof. Non-waterproof trail runners seem to dry more quickly when they get wet. I do have a pair of Gore-tex socks for cold and wet conditions…

Non-waterproof gets my vote.

For normal conditions, I use quick drying thin synthetic socks and a lightweight non-waterproof shoe that expels water well (ie. minimal padding to soak up the moisture). This setup is fairly comfortable when wet and it returns to mostly dry quite quickly.

If it's really going to be sloppy conditions or you really like keeping your feet as dry as possible, then use Rocky Gore-Tex socks over top of your regular socks. This works much better at keeping water out than a waterproof shoe. If your socks are getting damp/wet from sweating inside the Gore-Tex sock then you can change to the next pair if you wish. Usually you can hike for several hours or most of the day before you really start to notice things are getting clammy.

If you're in conditions that are cold and wet, then you might want to use waterproof footwear, but it would need to be taller than a trail runner (ie. boots) and you'd probably want gaitors to prevent water/snow from entering the top. Even with this, the waterproof socks aren't a bad idea because if your waterproof footwear gets wet then it's wet for good. If the waterproof socks get wet inside, you can just change your inner socks and you're back to being dry.

I prefer non-water proof for most conditions. But there is a lot to be said for GTX in mild conditions when you are hiking on a lot of sandy, dusty terrain. Amazing how much cleaner your feet are, which is a blessing in the desert when often you cannot afford to waste water washing feet.

winter is the only season I'd consider gore trail runners- as other have said- too hot, too long to dry when they do get wet

So, do people have a recommendation for good shoes (or brands) in terms of trail runners?

I've stumbled across posts like this one: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=21279 but having a few more data points for opinions on shoes never hurts.

Waterproof low tops is like locking your convertible with the top down :) You will only keep the shortest thieves (or puddles) out.

I wear waterproof lightweight mid-high boots for winter/sloppy trails. When it warms up you want the ventilation.

> do people have a recommendation for good shoes (or brands) in terms of trail runners?
We do have quite a few reviews of fairly good joggers on this site.

Cheers

Mostly not waterproof.

I do what Dan posted above. Rocky Gore-Tex socks work well for me. I've used my runners with the Rocky socks when I've snowshoed.

But there are times when I wear my gore-tex mid-boots. Really cold, wet times.

If you are not confident about a particular choice and you can afford it (or borrow) then try non waterproof, but take along gore tex boots. I did that when I first tried the snowshoeing with runner and rocky socks on a short trip.

I prefer non-waterproof footwear. (Except when it falls below 20F, around which temp I switch to waterproof rubber mukluks with vapor barrier liners.)

Rocky Gore-Tex socks gives me the option of making any footwear I own waterproof, and they're much easier to find and repair leaks. Below 50 or 60 F, I'll likely be wearing them if the trails are wet. Their height is at least equal to most boots. If a water crossing will flood them, they're easy to remove in order to just wear the shoes to protect the feet. Then, they protect my socks from the wet shoes.

Rocky Gore-Tex socks seem to run small. For wearing with a thick pair of wool socks along with a polypro liner sock, I prefer to size up two sizes.

Nick says: "I prefer non-water proof for most conditions. But there is a lot to be said for GTX in mild conditions when you are hiking on a lot of sandy, dusty terrain. Amazing how much cleaner your feet are, which is a blessing in the desert when often you cannot afford to waste water washing feet."

Very good point, Nick! A huge amount of fine dust seeps through non-GTX trailrunners' fabric! Of course, that porosity is what allows them to dry quickly too.