Bushwalk Australia

I have become frustrated with shoe manufacturers claims that there shoes are "Waterproof" when in fact, they are not waterproof at all. And by waterproof I don't mean 20 minutes or so, I mean waterproof as in all day.
On certain tracks, having a pair of free draining shoes/boots makes more sense and I understand that argument, but I would like a pair, preferably lightweight shoes/boots, that are waterproof for trail walking in rain and puddles.

I currently have a pair of Zamberlan Vioz GTX that are truly waterproof. They have a Gortex liner which seems strange seeing as they are a full leather boot, my feet have always been dry in them but they do get hot at times. Problem is they are heavy at 1.8kg and have quite a few miles on them now, so I'm going to need a replacement soon.

If anyone has found a pair that are waterproof, even if they are not lightweight, I'd love to hear about them.

I can’t comment on boots as I don’t wear them outside of snowshoeing these days but I can recommend waterproof socks like these - https://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/antu-b ... se/CY001-P

These are absolutely fantastic for walking through muddy places like the budawangs and in the snow in trail runners.

You could pair these with a lightweight non waterproof boot like the inov8 325 and have the best of both worlds - https://www.wildfiresports.com.au/inov- ... gKMV_D_BwE

I've found synthetic boots with GTX liners to stay quite waterproof, (Salomons for me) but they need reproofing occasionally, with tech wash and then DWR spray. Being synthetic they're relatively easy to wash. The easier method is to coat them in a waterproofing wax like you would a leather boot, but that wears off pretty quickly.

My waterproof socks just arrived and I'll be trying them soon. Much easier to replace than boots I'm hoping, even if they don't last as long.

If they're Goretex then they should be waterproof (unless of course the water comes in through that big ankle sized hole at the top).

You can test them in a bucket and if water comes through then they can be replaced under the Goretex guarantee (yep, it's a real thing!), provided the boots themselves are still in decent condition.

However it's just as likely that you'll get wet from sweat.

I've had a few pairs of Asolo Fugitives and found them to be good for waterproofness. A bit heavy for many people today though (myself included - I'm transitioning away to trail runners).

Crollsurf, I was happy with my Zamberlans too until the sole decided to part company. I have replaced with Vasque Erikson. They are lighter (in my size 13US comes in at 1600gm compared with 1820gm for the Z’s) but full leather with a rubber rand on the toe. So far, they compare well with the Z’s but it’s early days and with no wet, multi day trip done in them.

I'll give the waterproof socks a try. I believe they are not long wearing and not easy to dry but I like the fact you are not limited to only shoes that are so called waterproof. And the disappointment when you find out they aren't.

Always wanted a pair of Inov8 and Salomon but they don't fit my feet. Once I get the waterproof socks I'll test them with an old pair of TNF shoes. Might try a pair of Hi-Tec or another light-weight brand and hold on to the Zamberlans for walks that require better foot protection.

I'll check out the Vasque Erikson too once the Z's die

Mont bell make the 'alpine cruiser' which I have. They have gtx and come up high. However on the heavy side. They have held up to lots of offtrack walking. I did find that it did leak water where the goretex was sown into the sole. So I made up some runny seamsealer and after carefully masking the goretex with masking tape i poured it in the inside and smeared the sole and edge well. Works well now and haven't had water come in again. It also has stopped the sole from accumulating dirt and smelling.
But the boots are shanked so no flex. Only insole that worked well with it was blundstone ones. Their rather comfy in that combo.

crollsurf wrote:I'll give the waterproof socks a try. I believe they are not long wearing and not easy to dry but I like the fact you are not limited to only shoes that are so called waterproof.

The socks are;

cheaper to replace than shoes/boots
faster to dry than shoes/boots
lighter to carry as spare than shoes/boots

They do have some advantages. But I think the waterproof shoes/boots might be a touch warmer, important in a cold climate.

To avoid making a new thread I'll ask here

Any recommendations for good long distance walking shoes? I love my cheapy boots from anaconda but anytime my group pushes past 5km/h they get awkward to walk in and invariably rub my heels raw, probably because once they get wet, they stay wet for the next few weeks

Lith wrote:To avoid making a new thread I'll ask here

Any recommendations for good long distance walking shoes? I love my cheapy boots from anaconda but anytime my group pushes past 5km/h they get awkward to walk in and invariably rub my heels raw, probably because once they get wet, they stay wet for the next few weeks

Any trail runner that fits properly. Look at inov8, saucony, La Sportiva, Salomon and Altra. I get around 600km out of most trail runners and that’s mostly off track walking.

I hope to pick up a pair of these socks soon:
https://www.dexshellaustralia.com.au/pr ... y-stripes/

Thin and waterproof. To wear canoeing inside diving booties.