Goretex trail runners wet out

The problem with Gore Tex is that once a little moisture gets in there from snow, rain, perspiration, or a creek, it has no way to get out. It just doesn't breathe that much.

"There was about 2-3inches of snow so it wasn't deep enough to go over the top of my shoes."

While it may not have been deep enough while standing still to go over the top of your shoes, it was definitely deep enough for snow to keep "falling in" as you walked. This is precisely why many folks on this site stay away from gore-tex shoes, even in winter, and opt instead for gore-tex or neoprene socks or plastic bags or some such.

+1 to Doug– debris/water/snow always ends up jumping into my shoes.

I'll be tryin the wool sock + hyrdroskins neoprene + trail runner + gaiters(maybe) this winter in the Smokies. For camp, I'm also gonna be trying out some insulated booties (possibly myog– probably syntheic). I'm tired of cold feet in the woods.

Sometimes Gore-Tex shoes, particularly the lighter, more flexible ones, develop leaks in the membrane, either at the seam or at the fore-foot where the shoe flexes a lot. This could be why you're wetting-out.

submerge the shoe in enough water, but not enough to go over the top …

or stand in a sufficient puddle …

does it leak? … yes … then contact gore … they have a"warranty" on goretex gear i believe

if not, then stuff was creeping in over the top or yr foot was sweating enough …

I'll test it out. I was wearing gaiters so i know snow wasn't sneeking in the top. Luckily I had bought some down booties before the trip fore camp or I would have suffered. The snow would accumulate on the top of my shoe so I don't know of having melting snow on the tops of the shoes would make much of a difference