Whether or not you believe in the terminal consequences of wet feet, most people look on boot waterproofness as a desirable feature. But how useful really is it?

Wet conditions call for a boot with
a waterproof/breathable liner.

It turns out that under some conditions watertight boots are an advantage, and under others they can be a distinct disadvantage. Considering the extra cost of boots that feature waterproof-breathable membrane liners and higher quality leather - the tag-team duo that fends off exterior moisture — it pays to know whether you need that extra dose of insurance.

A Stacked Deck

Feet are little sweat factories equipped with more sweat glands per square inch than any other part of the body. They're capable of spewing several cups of sweat per foot during a long day of hiking. Then there's the slop we outdoorspeople choose to recreate in. Rain, snow, mud, bogs, streams; they're all out there looking for a weak chink in our booted armor.

At this juncture in the evolution of boot-making, good breathability is difficult to achieve at the same time as waterproofness. That leaves you with a tradeoff to make, the ultimate resolution of which will depend greatly on where and when you travel in the outdoors.

If you hike mostly in dry conditions when it's warm to hot, then a boot with a waterproof/breathable liner would likely cause your feet to feel hotter and sweatier than a leather or leather/fabric boot without such a liner. Conversely, if you hike in cool, moist conditions, then a waterproof/breathable liner would be a good investment (see"Who needs watertight boots?").

Who needs watertight boots? The conditions you usually hike in dictate whether you buy boots that are watertight or boots that are more breathable: Watertight Breathable Multi-day trips. X Cool and wet X Warm and dry X Snow and mud, 32 F X Snow, 20 F or less X

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