Is anything breathable (so called breathable--not plastic) waterproof?

[Wise Old Owl]

Footwear

Footwear feels like it is leaking.

Are your feet feeling clammy? First check this list to see if you are doing everything you can to help it keep your feet dry and comfortable in your GORE-TEX® footwear:

Are you wearing the right socks?

Cotton and wool socks might seem like natural choices, but they could be the reason why your feet are feeling clammy and uncomfortable. These ultra-absorbent natural fibers can retain your sweat until your socks are completely damp. Perspiration never has a chance to evaporate away. Stick to synthetic fabric socks and the new technical wool blends, which are designed to wick moisture away from the feet, where it can then pass out as vapor through the footwear.

Does your footwear have the appropriate level of insulation?

Overly insulated boots can make your feet so clammy and sweaty that it feels like your footwear is leaking, even though it's not. Check with a specialty footwear retailer to see what level of insulation is recommended for the temperatures you'll be facing and your planned activity level. That goes for your socks, too - make sure they aren't causing your feet to overheat.

Could water be getting in via the top of your boots or shoes?

Water-splashed socks or damp tucked-in pants can wick moisture down into your footwear without you even realizing it. All of a sudden your feet feel clammy and uncomfortable. If you're going to be out in the rain or splashing through streams, a pair of gaiters can help keep water out of your footwear.

Are you taking care of your footwear?

A little maintenance goes a long way in protecting the waterproof GORE-TEX® membrane inside your footwear. Shake out any loose dirt or gravel from inside before they have a chance to abrade the lining. Be careful around barbed wire, fishhooks, nails, and anything else that might puncture your footwear. And guys: keep those toenails clipped so they don't abrade the inner lining.

I've tried all the above and I'm still having a problem with my footwear.

If your problem has not been addressed above, or if you've tried these steps and still believe your footwear may be leaking, call us toll-free at 1 800 431-GORE (4673) or send us an e-mail to discuss your situation and, if necessary, receive a return authorization number.

[Wise Old Owl]

i think rocky goretex socks are on my list of top five winter hiking gear options! recommended by Sgt Rock, and I have really enjoyed them.

Huh? 60+ bucks a pair? did I read that right? I am perfectly dry in my Walmart Hunter's socks. Thick too! cusionney... Yea I made that up Cusionnnnnny....

[Rain Man]

Seriously, my experience is that nothing breathable is waterproof for more than a few minutes of exposure to water. $230 saloman boots with goretex, $75 timberland boots with goretex, and omnishield rain suit are examples that are fine for a splash or a short rain shower but I have found nothing that keeps me dry in a 30 plus minute rain.

I agree with you.

I don't see how any "waterproof" socks can keep your feet dry, as feet sweat so much. As far as other rain gear, I've had everything from inexpensive "breathable" Frogg Toggs to very expensive "breathable" GoreTex and knockoffs, and even plastic ponchos, and NOTHING keeps water out for more than a few minutes. It's a fraud except perhaps the first day out of the package in a controlled laboratory environment.

The fine print on all those products says that any sweat and/or foreign substances (dirt, grime, and mud), inside or outside, will destroy the surface tension quality of the fabric and as soon as that happens, water WILL go through.

I've hiked in downpours in Tennessee and New Hampshire and Pennsylvania and all places in-between ... and even with full rain gear, I've gotten soaked to the skin.

Now, realistically, I think of all "GoreTex" rain gear as mostly wind gear.

If you wash and re-treat your "GoreTex" gear, it will refresh the water-proofness temporarily.

RainMan

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[Country Roads]

I have had pretty good results from a Frogg Toggs rain jacket (the heavier one that is kinda fuzzy, not the thinner, smooth one). Over an hour in hard rain, on my daily walk with temps in the mid-50's: I did not overheat, I stayed dry. Other jackets cause me to overheat and I end up wet from sweat.
My jacket is a Women's size medium. It weighs 12 ounces. The sleeves are not too long. The jacket is not too long or too short. Only complaint is that the cord on the hood is too short and the hood is small, but adequate. It has no pockets, but that is not an issue for me, because pockets are just another potential leak place. A plus is that the pouch it comes in makes a camping pillow case, since it does not make me clammy like a stuff sack would.