Lined vs treated leather boots

[cuerro viejo]

I got a littel over 10 years out of my Hanwag Alaska GTX (leather boots with goretex liner) before they started to leak. 10 years of hard use. Months of training hikes every year, piles of hunts in various terrian/weather for spring bear, goat, elk, griz, deer. Lots of hunts that involved multiple creek crossings, traversing across wet slides, backpack hunts etc. where the boots were not able to dry on the outside for the entire hunt but kept my feet dry. Only wetness inside the boots was from perspiration and sock changes managed that. I do use a goretex gaiter to keep my pant leg dry and keep water from wicking in from above.

They needed to be resoled twice, but eventually one boot started to leak. Now I can treat them and only get away with very mild wetting but they' not reliable for later season or wet weather hunts.

From day one, I cleaned and treated my boots (with Obenauf's LP) before and after each hunt and regularily during training (even warm dry summer months). I suspect allot of leather boot damage can occur when used in dry conditions if maintenance is neglected.

I switched to the leather lined yukons about +-6 years and now on third resole. I only own one pair of WB membrane boots now(100yr Special make Alaskan’s) and I havent even broken them in yet. I switch between Yukon and Ancash LL through out the year

I set mine out in sun and oil a few times a year. Then treat with spray.

I can only think of one time I truley wetted them out but they dried that night. Now I don't hunt PNW or Alaska so my moisture type conditions are just occasional rain, dew, and snow.

I go through more socks with WPB membrane boots then leather lined for what ever reason.

 

[Dobermann]

There is no truly waterproof shoe or boot that isn’t rubber. They can be highly water resistant, and that resistance changes with use.

The longest I’ve had a Goretex shoe maintain a real level of water resistance is less than 6 months of use. That was one pair. I had one pair that lasted about three months (90 days). Every other pair, even of the exact same brand and model has been less than 30 days of use, and generally less than three weeks. This has been relatively consistent with those I’m around.

Goretex/waterproof membranes tend to give good initial water resistance. However, to get that you get a boot that doesn’t breath, is very hot when moving, and takes forever to dry once it does get wet inside- which will happen whether from leaking or sweat. In late season multi day hunts this causes them to freeze from sweat or snow and they do not dry out for the duration of the trip. That same membrane that helped when new and dry, now hurts by holding onto water inside it. Even a hot tent at night won’t get them fully dry. Before going to an all leather shoe, I and several others started using non membrane shoes just because they would dry at least. When needed a waterproof sock was used.

A proper leather shoe or boot that has been treated with wax, etc. can be, and is very water resistant- ranging from matching Goretex, to only slightly below it when the membrane is brand new. Within days/weeks that leather boot is as good or better than the membrane from then to the end of the shoes life. The wax/treatment of the leather does wear off, but generally lasts a couple of weeks of constant use and is easy to reapply. I am on the current pair of leather boots for about 9 months of use. I retreat the leather every 30 days or so of use, and they are as good as the day they were bought. This has also been consistent with those I’m around.
The leather, even when waxed is way more breathable than than a membrane boot, when it does get wet inside from snow leaking ir sweat, it dries much faster, and will dry out each night by the fire or stove- especially when it is a shoe or boot that isn’t insulated.



The key with both membranes and leather is that when it is constant water I carry a pair of Goretex socks and put them on. The socks will dry out at night in a sleeping bag, and do a much better job than a membrane in the boot. A leather waxed shoe and membrane socks for when really wet has been by far the most bombproof and best combination across the board, that also breathes significantly better.

I just added a small recent experience with Vivo Forest Tracker ESCs and waterproofness over on this thread: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/vivo-forest-tracker-esc-durability.283540/page-11#post-3130372

 

[Wacko]

I went to non goretex a couple years ago. Lowa's. I did what they recommended - sort of. I used nik wax spray to moisten the leather first, then rubbed in the nik wax cream. Keeps my feet drier than any gore boot has. I also carry the light produce grocery bags instead of gore tex socks. They don't breathe either so...cheap and works for me.

@Formidilosus do you have any brands of boots you find to work well? Seems like finding non waterproof boots is hard to do....thanks!!

 

[bayoublaster7527]

I got a littel over 10 years out of my Hanwag Alaska GTX (leather boots with goretex liner) before they started to leak. 10 years of hard use. Months of training hikes every year, piles of hunts in various terrian/weather for spring bear, goat, elk, griz, deer. Lots of hunts that involved multiple creek crossings, traversing across wet slides, backpack hunts etc. where the boots were not able to dry on the outside for the entire hunt but kept my feet dry. Only wetness inside the boots was from perspiration and sock changes managed that. I do use a goretex gaiter to keep my pant leg dry and keep water from wicking in from above.

They needed to be resoled twice, but eventually one boot started to leak. Now I can treat them and only get away with very mild wetting but they' not reliable for later season or wet weather hunts.

From day one, I cleaned and treated my boots (with Obenauf's LP) before and after each hunt and regularily during training (even warm dry summer months). I suspect allot of leather boot damage can occur when used in dry conditions if maintenance is neglected.

Also had a pair of Hanwag alaskas for over 10 years. Finally got to leaking badly and soles wore out so I retired em.

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus do you have any brands of boots you find to work well? Seems like finding non waterproof boots is hard to do....thanks!!

I use extremely minimal shoes even in very rough terrain.

Some discussion here-

Vivo forest tracker esc durability

I was about to order a pair of the tracker esc boots since their black color is on sale, but found quite a few reviews on Amazon of people saying the lace eyelet rivet popped out not long after receiving them. This eliminates any water resistance when it's the one on the ankle because a hole...

rokslide.com

 

[yfarm]

One issue not discussed is a seamless one piece upper leather boot with a full rubber rand. Regardless of treating the midsole any stitching will eventually leak if not covered by a full rand. Properly treated one piece upper non lined randed boots are remarkably water resistant.