Goretex vs leather lined boot

[brettpsu]

Lowa Tibets, Lowa Renegades, Meindl Hikers, Asolo 520 and Crispi Kanada all with goretex and all leaked within two years, some within a couple months. Two or three times a year I would use conditioners on them and clean them so it's not like I abused them. I'm tired of spending good money on "waterproof" boots to have them leak within a year. Has anyone used the same boot in GTX and leather lined? If so how did the leather lined boot do in wet environments compared to the GTX? What treatments did you use on the leather lined boots? How much better fit in the leather lined boot?

 

[wapitibob]

I'll be 60 in a few months and every boot I've owned over my lifetime has leaked in less than a year. I believe it comes down to foot size and the flexibility of the boot itself. Friends with size 10 feet have gone years without a leak. 13's, none of us. Our old logging boots were leather only and we had enough oil on them that it came thru to the inside. I believe you'll need to get to that level before you have any waterproofness. Aron logged on the wet side, ping him about his logging boot procedure. Most of the guys used Whites or Wesco's and they were leather only.

 

[rangerdye]

If your Goretex boots are leaking contact GTX customer service and send them back. They have a superb guarantee and should replace them with no hassle. I just got a new pair because my old ones were leaking. We'll see how these hold up.

 

[Whisky]

I'm gonna be wearing Leukotape on my feet all season but my boots will not be Goretex. Trying Kennetreks as some buds have had great luck with their waterproofing. So far so good in trying to wear them in, other then the hotspots.

 

[gauge]

I have the Lowa Leather Lined Renegades now for early season. I love them. I treated mine with silicone spray, and I also wear gators when it is wet out. I have never really had trouble with getting wet feet. These are my first LL boots, and I really struggled getting away from gore-tex before I purchased them. In the end, I can not think of a pair of gore-tex boots that did not eventually leak. Good socks and a good pair of gators go a long way. For me, the LL boots are worth it simply for the comfort. They also will dry out faster when they do get a little wet. When it comes to a pair of boots that you are going to be putting a lot of miles on, especially early season elk hunting, LL's are hard to beat, in my opinion. Although, it does really dependon the climate and time of year you plan to wear them. Hope this helps...

 

[Dos Perros]

I've used the Asolo 520s for four hard years now, most hunting birds which I believe is harder on them as you're always walking through wet grass. They have yet to leak (as all goretex boots eventually will). I've killed a half dozen pair of Danners and other Asolos in quick order, but these 520s are nice. I often treat them with Nikwax and that helps tremendously. I think any one piece smooth leather upper treated often should perform well for many years.