Leather Lined vs Goretex

TEmbry

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
654
Location
Anchorage AK
Hitting the final stages of researching which boot I'll go with next and was wondering everyones opinions on which option is better? As a background, I bowhunt only which typically means all my hunting is August/September hiking. I do hunt wet areas like Alaska as much as I do dry areas like the southern desert/high alpine.

I have all but settled on getting a set of the Lowa Tibet boots (in the wide version after measuring my foot)... but can't decide between leather lined or goretex.

Is it realistic to expect the leather only option to be waterproof? It confuses me a bit because the manufacturer description makes it sound like the non goretex dissipates heat/moisture much better... but this leads me to question the waterproofness of these models.
 

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
6,210
I have a pair of leather lined Russels and they are awesome, but not waterproof. I wax the hell out of em and that helps, but if its real wet, or snow, it eventually seeps thru.
 

JP100

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
1,227
Location
South Island New Zealand
There is no such thing as water proof in my view. just how long you stay dry for. the gore tex will be better when new. but I find after a few months the liners start to fall to bits(depends how much you wear em). But the gore tex will definitely be more water proof I would say.
 

Renoit24

FNG
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
71
Location
El Paso, TX
I hunt desert areas in nm and Texas, so I decided to buy lowa baffin pros which are the non goretex lined version of the Tibets. They breather very well in warmer temps and don't make my feet sweat too much. The leather will eventually soak up moisture in rain and snow even with some good waxing, but I decided to buy a pair of Rocky goretex socks for these occasions. They keep your feet dry and you only need to wear them when necessary.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
3,431
Location
Humboldt county
I will never own another pair of goretex lined boots, I have some lowa leather lined boots that I've had for 3 years and absolutely love them, I use obenhaufs a bunch and if I think it's going to be real wet I'll lather them up with snow seal. And I've yet to get my feet wet, although I do wear gaiters. I hunt In The pacific NW so wet is something I know about. I could imagine eventually in deep snow they may seep but just rain and puddles they have stayed dry. Goretex is awesome for the first year. After that my feet get soaked, I just think the repetitive motion of constantly creasing kills the membrane. The leather lined takes more effor to upkeep, and to keep waterproof but it's well worth it, I have no doin my boots will continue to last, instead of buyin a new pair every year.
 
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