Goretex shoes vs.

[Nick P]

Given the wet shoes I should expect on my SOBO through start on July 1, I wonder if a Goretex-style shoe such as my merrell moab ventilators will dry out as fast as more leather-plus-synthetic mesh shoes such as my keen voyageurs. This isn't a pure Goretex vs. leather debate, as neither is either, but mostly concerns the durability of these very comfy merrells. Will they hold up after daily soakings? How many states did you get out of your lighter shoes, Fellow SOBOs?
Nick

[Nyte]

I have always found that waterproof footwear of any kind just wound up hotter, my feet would sweat horribly, and they would take forever to try, and so would stink horribly to say the least. I have a pair of the Keen Voyager mids that are my daily wear shoes, and I have no problems in those regards.

[Sarcasm the elf]

As a general rule, if I'm hiking in above freezing temperatures I use non-goretex trail runners with plenty if mesh. As you mention, boots take a real beating from daily use and I've found that goretex light hiking boots tend to loose their waterproof ability after a few hundred miles of wear and tear. Ligher mesh shoes are substantially cooler in high temperatures, dry much faster, cause fewer blister (at less that's the case for me) and really are much easier to deal with than goretex boots.

That said, when I'm hiking and it's below freezing, then waterproof boots are a must for me.

[garlic08]

I hiked through New England on my NOBO hike in June and early July. Good advice above. Well-ventilated shoes worked fine for me. I found it was more important to keep my feet clean, rather than dry. Mud was bad for my skin, water was OK. There was a lot of mud.

I got about 700 miles out of each pair of trail runners.

[Odd Man Out]

I've had both (Moab and Voyagers), but not on long distance hikes. Used both as every day shoes. I had the original non-Gore Tex Moabs, which BTW took on a lovely hue after some hikes in the red rock areas of Bryce and Zion NP. Also, I found the Gore Tex Moabs to be much less comfortable than the non-Gore tex version I'm not sure why there was such a big difference, but the waterproof ones really hurt my feet but the originals were like wearing pillows. I have now switched to Keen Voyageurs. I could get through a MI winter with lots of snow and cold with both. I'm a little annoyed that every shoe store and all their sales personnel assume that everyone should be wearing waterproof shoes. I sometimes have a hard time finding the non-waterproof options, which I prefer.

[q-tip]

++ on Non-Gortex, they take longer to dry, and actually feel a bit heavier when wet, my experience, NOTHING keeps you dry on the AT but a tent or shelter at night, well mostly.....

[JAK]

From my own experience and reckoning, the real devil is water absorbing padding. Padding makes it easier to fit more people comfortably with fewer sizes, but if you get a perfect fit you should not need any padding at all really. So from there you can have a non water absorbing mesh that is either very breathable, so you can add waterproofness with waterproof socks or liners, or less breathable and more waterproof, and just use regular hiking socks and drying the pair you are not wearing. I go for right fit and non-water absorbing first, with little or no padding which absorbs water or melting snow. As long as it absorbs little or no water, you should be able to take care of the rest with the right sock or liner combinations to suit different conditions. My 2 cents. Rules out about 99% of footwear, but there you go.

[slbirdnerd]

I have the GoreTex Merrell Moab ventilator boots for slogging around at home in winter, errands, etc, and they are still hot. I have the same she, low (not boot), not goretex which I hike in regularly. I've got some new trail runners I plan to use on my section in June. I'd probably recommend the Merrell Moab ventilator low (not waterproof) for you.

[Kerosene]

Another vote for non-waterproof boots. I used Gore-tex boots for decades and switched to mesh boots (Montrail Hardrocks) a few years ago. What a difference, at least for temperatures above 40. My various Gore-tex boots made my feet sweat quite a bit (I could wring out a cup of sweat after a few hours on a warm-ish day), and once they got wet they would never dry by the end of my week-long section hikes. Now, I just don't worry about it and on a reasonably dry trail my feet and socks will be tolerable a few hours after getting dunked.

[bamboo bob]

I also use Montrail HardrockS. Waterproof shoes are great for short hikes. On the AT it rains a lot and waterproof shoes will just keep the water in. In the old days I used leather Scarpas. Great boot that lasts for ever. But when wet they stay wet. Same for gortex. I use gortex for winter snowshoeing. Just came in from a snowshoe.

[hikerboy57]

i'll wear goretex boots for winter day hikes, otherwise ive switched to trail runners, for all the reasons already mentioned.

[Nick P]

OK; am convinced that trail-runners are the way to go, even if they may only last two months. Thanks for all the advice.

I think now that I will either start (in July, in Maine) with my New Balance 610v2 and mail drop my Merrells for use in the (Smokies in Nov).

The NB's weigh only 6 oz, and may not have stiffness in the sole that my Keen voyagers do, so I may take both. It would help cut down on blisters to switch them out every other day or so, right?

Lot's of love to whiteblazers!

Nick

[Drybones]

++ on Non-Gortex, they take longer to dry, and actually feel a bit heavier when wet, my experience, NOTHING keeps you dry on the AT but a tent or shelter at night, well mostly.....

+1......................

[Granwalker]

My Moab's are very comfortable, especially with the Softsole insoles I added (no more crushing forefoot pain after 4 miles) BUT, my feet sweat like crazy, soaking my Smartwool socks through. Next pair, I'll lose the Goretex.

[bigcranky]

I like Goretex shoes in the winter, but for warm weather use I find mesh shoes dry out a lot faster and aren't as hot. The mesh Moabs are very good if they fit well. Also try the Salomon XA Comp mesh (for more narrow feet) or maybe some of the Inov8 models.

[Tinker]

[QUOTE=Nick P;1826745]OK; am convinced that trail-runners are the way to go, even if they may only last two months. Thanks for all the advice.

I think now that I will either start (in July, in Maine) with my New Balance 610v2 and mail drop my Merrells for use in the (Smokies in Nov).

The NB's weigh only 6 oz, and may not have stiffness in the sole that my Keen voyagers do, so I may take both. It would help cut down on blisters to switch them out every other day or so, right?

Ship the Keen shoes ahead to the Whites. If you feel the need to keep them, do so. I hiked the northernmost 20 mi. of the Hundred Mile Wilderness in old style Keen Newport H2 sandals and climbed Katahdin in them. My Keen light hiker low top leather/fabric shoes had stretched so much that they twisted around my feet on sidehills. So-called breathable membranes in shoes are subject to contact with lots of salt from sweat, which makes them leak. Gore coats the PTFE membrane with polyurethane to minimize this, further reducing breathability. might as well wear plastic bags over your feet. after a few days in the rain all footwear gets wet from the inside out anyway, as rain runs down your legs into your socks and boots. you have to be covered head to toe in waterproof gear to keep your socks dry (until you soak them with sweat from overheating). Your feet will get wet on a long hike. Waterproof shoes just stay that way longer. For a few days of rain, waterproof socks might help, but they will eventually succumb to the inevitable, too.

[bigcranky]

My wife hikes in her NB610s, and likes them. She has a fairly light pack and wears "barefoot shoes" pretty much all the time, so it works for her.

[Trance]

I wore Gortex boots and loved them..... except for the day it rained nonstop and they filled with water.