Are boots ever totally waterproof?

My Salomon Mega Trek's have done well, but a friend's Scarpas seem to be the best. If you really want to stay dry get really good gaitors, use them properly and thick gortex boots or plastics. Most of the water that ends up in your boots is probably coming in at the ankle.

Frosty ice i also thought the water was coming in from the ankle so on my last hike i took extra caution,as soon as there was any moisture about i put my gaiters on.

When i took my boots off because my feet were wet, one could clearly see my pants were dry and just the front of the boot was wet inside.

So here is a way if you want to check if your boots are still waterproof, fill them with water and see where the leak.

I agree. Its also the only way to try and get all the sand out of the gortex. Which seems to be a big cause of the boots wearing out.

According to the Salesmen at C U M (acronym to protect the identity of same salesmen)some of their boots are - quote "Totally waterproof" unquote -.
Gentle questioning often indicates that these good souls have never gone above 1800m, and whilst having 'often played in the snow', this has been done on the front lawn of Champagne Castle Hotel ****.

So lets look to the "TRUE Men of the Mountains."
Whilst they would, on any given evening, silently remove your fancy R2800.00 GoreTex clad, Vibram soled boots from your tent flap, and make haste into the inky dark - Guess what? - Give them a week and they're back in GUMBOOTS! Now those are as waterproof as a Ducks A**e! Ever walked in GUMBOOTS!?

Hope that kinda answers the question.

I have a pair of LA SPortiva's. Good boot at a reasonable price. Had it for 4 years and probably have done close on 800km's of hiking in them. They are not waterproof anymore and will soak through in long wet hikes. So far no problems but I can see a smaal section stitching on a seam coming adrift. I will hike tehse untill they cry no more.

Is there such a thing as water proof boots or are we all being cond into buying WP boots by the various companies. I make a special effort by wearing gaters and waterproof pants so that water does not get into the top of the boot but my Salomon Mega Trek 6 starts getting wet through the seams etc in rain and snow after about 2 hrs. I have done 400km in them. I paste nick wax onto them after evey hike. These type of boots should do better as far as I am concerned
Regards
Todd

You can... gumboots

I'll let you guys know how my Scarpa Manta's are like when I eventually get them...

As ST² said, besides a ducks bum, nothing is waterproof!

In my 19 years of hiking, I have had 3 pairs of boots:
1) Dachstein with gortex inner.
2) La Sportiva Makalu with Dry best.
3)New pair of La Sportiva Makalu with Dry best.

The principle behind gortex and other propitiatory products, is a micro-pore layer sandwiched between two fabric layers, is that the pores are 20 000x's smaller than a drop of water, thus preventing water from gaining entry, but 700x's larger than a molecule of water vapor, thus allowing it to breath.

You do need to look after your boots though, removing grit from the boots so that it does not wear through the lining and also cool air dry them once you have used them. Don't leave them in direct sun to dry, or near a fire. This won't help the inner fabrics and other layers.

However, on areas of the boot where there is flex or intense creasing, ie around ball of your foot, I would imagine that over time, the layers will break down.

I think my Dachstein's were the most waterproof, perhaps because of gortex, however they did have a shiny seal on them, whereas my Makalu's have a roughout leather, which without Nikwax, will let water in. Having said that though, if you walk a couple of km's through wet knee length berg grass, they are likely to get wet unless you are wearing knee length snow gaiters, which can get rather hot, especially in summer when everything seems to ooze water.

I can however rate the Makalu's as a good boot, but like most boots, are not 100% waterproof once they have been used a bit.