How breathable are Trail Runners with Goretex?

[Hiker9999]

I've heard some people say that trail runners with Goretex don't breathe well and they end up with wet/sweaty feet, while others say they are an improvement in breathability and dry time over waterproof boots. What is your experience?

[rocketsocks]

They suck when wet.

[Venchka]

They suck when wet.

What he said.
And they are hot and sweaty most of the time.

Wayne


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[Dogwood]

"I've heard some people say that trail runners with Goretex don't breathe well..."

Compared to?

"...and they end up with wet/sweaty feet..."

Maybe. Maybe not. Depends. For example, if deciding on a Gore tex WP shoe for shallow/not deep slushy not deeply muddy cold/cool weather on well maintained granite based or similar harder ground based pedestrian only trails taking into account everything on feet such as socks(of what type) and with knowledge and a willingness to manage what sweat MAY occur through airing out feet occasionally and by adhering to a good wicking system cumulatively of all that is on the feet your feet do not have to sweat. Helps in recognizing not all WP shoes are made the same hence don't all equally have the same breathability issues. For example, certainly should be obvious such things as a mid or low cut WP shoe would likely be more breathable than a taller stiffer tighter WP shoe. Also recognize Gore Tex or WP membranes come in several versions varieties ie; eVent, proprietary membranes, etc. And, MOST OF ALL, recognize no piece of hiking gear/outdoor gear functions optimally without factoring in the user! Gear does not operate in a bubble!

My experience is, based on MY type of hiking across the U.S. in all 4 seasons, NOT just on the Appalachian Trail or east coast, I rely on WP shoes much less frequently than I did in the past. But, for some conditions I certainly do have several different WP models all in mid to low cuts though and more than one pr as light wt trail runners. For mild weather I prefer non WP models hands down. Only one model of my four WP shoes has a Gore Tex XCR membrane, two pr have an eVent WP membrane, and one pr has the Keen.Dry WP membrane. Since I mentioned WP membranes, in my experience, that even though two different model pr of WP shoes may use the same version of GoreTex as their WP membrane of choice how that membrane is designed and constructed and sandwiched into the shoe factors into the overall WPing experienced in practice of the shoe model.

[Traveler]

As a general rule, I have not had many problems with Goretex footgear. The real Goretex fabrics tend to keep external moisture out in most conditions you would expect them to, and have little problem wicking internal moisture out. However, a lot of manufacturers especially in the low shoe market, are promoting their own water proof material. The non-Goretex fabric shoes in my experience do a much better job of keeping foot moisture in than they do in keeping extraneous water out, I no longer consider using this stuff. I will look at Goretex fabric if its the real stuff, they tend to work a lot better, but my experience may differ.

[Offshore]

I found Gore-Tex footwear to be hot and sweaty and take forever to dry out, if at all. Except in the dead of winter, I just go with non-Gore-Tex and risk getting wet feet knowing they'll dry out. With Gore-Tex, I found I'm guaranteed to have wet feet that stay wet. It's sort of the same idea as "breathable" rainwear - it isn't really. You'll get wet from rain or from sweat - take your choice.

[Just Bill]

https://www.altrarunning.com/men/lonepeakneoshell

The Lone Peak with Neo-shell material, and perhaps a WP gaitor looks interesting for slushy snow conditions...
Other than that Gore-tex type footwear has generally proven disappointing for most.

[Slo-go'en]

I must be the exception. I only wear GTX boots and don't experience any of the problems others complain about.

[Dogwood]

https://www.altrarunning.com/men/lonepeakneoshell

The Lone Peak with Neo-shell material, and perhaps a WP gaitor looks interesting for slushy snow conditions...
Other than that Gore-tex type footwear has generally proven disappointing for most.

There ya go. Not overly constricting allowing forefoot to splay more naturally with a decent quality WP membrane NOT inside the shoe as a bootie but ON THE OUTSIDE quite possibly drying faster and allowing greater breathabilty in that air/vapor/moisture has to wick/transfer through fewer layers. But you have to take in other faetures IF that is the appropriate hiking shoe for you OTHER than just WPing.

[EVC]

I've been considering it for snow conditions for the warmth factor and to keep snowmelt from reaching my socks. Other than that, I will never buy another pair of waterproof buckets for me feet again.


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[HooKooDooKu]

I've only used true Goretex boots (GTX) with a liner sock (to wick moisture away) and a wool sock.
In dry conditions, I've found my feet stay reasonably dry.
But in wet conditions (where the outside of the boot stays wet due to rain or wet foliage), the required wet/dry differential doesn't exist to push moisture thru the Goretex and the foot wear doesn't breath at all (resulting in damp to wet feet depending upon how long your feet are in the boot).

[Hiker9999]

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the shoes get pretty wet inside for many hikers.

[EVC]

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the shoes get pretty wet inside for many hikers.

Very much so. The best advice I've been given is to accept the fact that your feet are going to get wet no matter what material you choose. The real goal is to find footwear that will dry out the fastest.

Anyone who suggests Gortex will dry faster doesn't understand how the material works.


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[FloydBanks]

Returned my Merell Moab Waterproof because my feet baked in them on the trail.

Just ordered a pair of the Merrell Grassbow Trail Runners. Have Higher hopes for them.

[Just Bill]

The bottom line-
If you don't like the shoe itself- it doesn't matter what it's made of.
There are ways to waterproof or protect your feet in the cold- there is no way to make a poorly fitting shoe fit.

On "waterproof shoes" in general.
Unless you're wearing hip waders, there is always a puddle deeper than your shoe.
Waterproof works in both directions.

[Slo-go'en]

Very much so. The best advice I've been given is to accept the fact that your feet are going to get wet no matter what material you choose. The real goal is to find footwear that will dry out the fastest.

Anyone who suggests Gortex will dry faster doesn't understand how the material works.

Gortex doesn't have to dry out fast since it never gets wet. It doesn't hold water, it keeps it from passing through in it's solid state, but allows water vapor to pass through. How fast the rest of the boot dries depends on what material the rest of the boot is made of.

It doesn't matter how fast a boot will dry if it's always wet out. Many a morning I've watched hikers cringe as they put on their cold, squishy wet trail runners in the morning while I put on my slightly damp on the inside GTX boots.

[EVC]

Gortex doesn't have to dry out fast since it never gets wet. It doesn't hold water, it keeps it from passing through in it's solid state, but allows water vapor to pass through. How fast the rest of the boot dries depends on what material the rest of the boot is made of.

It doesn't matter how fast a boot will dry if it's always wet out. Many a morning I've watched hikers cringe as they put on their cold, squishy wet trail runners in the morning while I put on my slightly damp on the inside GTX boots.

I see what you're saying and you are correct from a certain frame of reference. (Or, from a certain point of view, to quote Obi-Wan). But, you've introduced a couple of assumptions in your statements that I'd like to explore a bit. I agree that if you keep the water out, you're gonna be dry. Yes!! Totally agree. But, I submit that, keeping the water out is the problem.

I think you'd agree that if water passes through the top of your boot and gets inside, you're gonna be wet for a very very long time!! My personal experience with Gortex boots suggests you'll be wet for much longer than the guy wearing regular trail runners.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking, that's totally contrary to your original premise which suggests, I wouldn't be wet if I had Gortex footwear to begin with.

Perhaps, but......(there's always a "but", isn't there) lol

We have to look at the source of the moisture before assuming Gortex can keep the water out. You haven't mentioned rain or anything so, I'll assume the sources of water come from two places. Stream crossings and perspiration.

I'm pretty careful with stream crossings so, here's where Gortex goes wrong for me. The greatest source of moisture for me, outside of stepping in a stream or walking in rain, is perspiration running down my legs and into the shoe. The water treats my Gortex like the Maginot Line and simply, goes around.

Gortex cannot keep up with the volume of perspiration entering the shoe. By mid day, I'm sloshing my way down the trail. My feet are soaked and will invariably resemble overdone raisins by the end of the day. Not fun.

Why? Remember, Gortex is a semi-permeable osmotic membrane that allows vapor to escape, not aqueous H2O. There's very little vapor in my shoe at this point. Even if there was, an osmotic membrane requires a differential to function. Mid-summer in Virginia, it's nearly as hot and humid outside my shoe as it is inside. Nothing's going to move very quickly across a membrane in that environment because there's no driving force drawing moisture from one side of the material to the other. The inside of my shoe continues to build moisture as I slosh along. Now, some is vaporizing is occurring and escaping. I'm not arguing that. It's just not enough to keep up.

In the winter, it's a different story! The temperature and humidity outside the shoe is vastly different!! In addition, my rate of perspiration is significantly less. In this case, Gortex makes a lot of sense. Just like it would out west where the air is dryer year round.

In the summer conditions, my only hope is to push the water out of my shoe mechanically. e.g., by allowing it to gush out the sides as well as vent with large amounts of airflow as I walk. Hence, the non-Gortex dries faster since liquid water can pass in addition to vapor. It can keep up.

One other thing to remember is that you're comparing a boot to a trail runner shoe. Have you checked to see if people with Gortex trail runners are as dry as you in the morning? Only then can the assumption be made that it's Gortex that's keeping you dry and not the fact that you're wearing boots or perspire less, etc. There are a slew of different factors that need to be looked at.

I'm NOT bashing you're post. Nor am I suggesting your boots do not work for you. They clearly do. There are due many factors involved that are beyond our scope. I'm only clarifying my thought processes and why I would choose not to use Gortex in the Summer vs Winter.



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[Slo-go'en]

I've had my boots fill up with water during a heavy rain from running down my leg or if the trail turns into a deep stream. But once I dump the water out and ring out the socks, it doesn't take long to dry out the inside of the boot. I typically prefer boots, but I have used GTX trail runners, which are a little more prone to filling with water in moderate rain, but once again, don't take long to dry.

My feet don't sweat much and I don't hike much when it's real hot and humid. That's why I live in northern NH :) Maybe I wouldn't feel the same way about GTX boots if I had to summer hike in Virginia or a hot and dry part of the country like California or the rockies. There is never one solution for all conditions, but if you spend a lot of time on wet trails in a wet climate, GTX is the way to go.

[Just Bill]

My feet don't sweat much and I don't hike much when it's real hot and humid. That's why I live in northern NH :) Maybe I wouldn't feel the same way about GTX boots if I had to summer hike in Virginia or a hot and dry part of the country like California or the rockies. There is never one solution for all conditions, but if you spend a lot of time on wet trails in a wet climate, GTX is the way to go.

You're in the right spot. As just said on another thread, the right tool for the right job.

[shelb]

They SUCK when wet....


...
And they are hot and sweaty most of the time.


It is almost impossible not to get your feet wet... even when trying to avoid puddles, you will tramp through enough wet stuff, and it will seep into the shoe.

GOOD NEWS!!!! If you DO NOT have Gortex, your shoes/boots will dry MUCH faster! After the danger of continuous "wetting" is past, change to dry socks. This will help your shoes dry faster!

I carry 2-3 pairs of socks in addition to the one I wear. This allows me to switch into one and have another as a spare or two... When I get to camp, I switch to crocs, and put my shoes and socks out to dry.

My opinion: NO GORTEX for a hike lasting more than a day....

[EVC]

You're in the right spot. As just said on another thread, the right tool for the right job.

Absolutely! Some of the best advice out there, ya just know when to use which tool


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[Berserker]

My personal experience with Gore Tex shoes/boots is that I sweat more in them, and they take longer to dry out once they are wet.