WATERPROOF LIGHTWEIGHT HIKING BOOTS - minimal insulation

[PaCarbine]

Hello all - i am curious from experience who found waterproof boots that actually stay waterproof after (1) season. (Not water resistant) I am fine with sweaty feet - i can manage that with sock changes. I am looking for which HIKING LIGHTWEIGHT WATERPROOF boot is on the market that actually works and does breakdown.

Please let me know
Regards

 

[accountantsanonymous]

Check out the Inov-8 Roclite GTX 400. Ultra light, stiffness rating of 1, and GoreTex lined. I recently picked these up and plan to use them for archery season in CO

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Inov-8's Roclite Pro G 400 GTX offers the western hunter a flexible, lightweight boot for their early season scouting trips and hunts. This boot was built to keep you light on your feet and quick on the trail. Built with a GORE-TEX liner, your feet will stay dry and...

shop.gohunt.com

 

[PaCarbine]

Check out the Inov-8 Roclite GTX 400. Ultra light, stiffness rating of 1, and GoreTex lined. I recently picked these up and plan to use them for archery season in CO

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Inov-8's Roclite Pro G 400 GTX offers the western hunter a flexible, lightweight boot for their early season scouting trips and hunts. This boot was built to keep you light on your feet and quick on the trail. Built with a GORE-TEX liner, your feet will stay dry and...

shop.gohunt.com

After you used them for a year let me know how they hold up.

 

[Oregonmuley]

Might look into the Asolo GV Hunter. Haven't personally used them yet - just ordered a pair yesterday. There is a thread on these boots and from what others that have used them for 1 + years they seem to really stay waterproof and are a good all around boot especially at the price.

Asolo Made in Europe Hunter Gore-Tex® Hunting Boots (For Men) 47HJC - Save 49%

Asolo Made in Europe Hunter Gore-Tex® Hunting Boots (For Men) 47HJC at Sierra. Celebrating 30 Years Of Exploring.

www.sierra.com

 

[BadTostada]

I’m also looking for a boot like you described. I got a pair of Scarpa Rush TRK’s this summer and the waterproofing has been good so far after 50+ miles but time will tell. Maybe look into Scarpa Terra GTX, full leather and sub 3lbs, seems like that may do the trick

 

[4rcgoat]

I have 2 archery seasons and lots of hiking miles on a pair of Crispi crossovers, never had wet feet.

 

[sargent]

Crispi Lapponia

 

[JeffP_Or]

The Lapponia were my thoughts too but it depends on your definition of hiking.
I just received a pair of the Gen 1 Lapponia last month - they are light and they are comfortable. I chose the uninsulated version for the reason you state.
I can say after walking around in them, they are light mostly due to a narrower sole; they look like high-top sneakers on the foot relative my mountain boots. They do not feel as they would be stable for real mountain trekking or scrambling steep terrain off-trail. This is an opinion so far as I have not put them to that test. I have no worries for their being waterproof based on construction and manufacturer. My plan for them is desert hunting birds and coyotes and general non-severe terrain - which they appear to be good for.

 

[Rokwiia]

Check out the Inov-8 Roclite GTX 400. Ultra light, stiffness rating of 1, and GoreTex lined. I recently picked these up and plan to use them for archery season in CO

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Inov-8's Roclite Pro G 400 GTX offers the western hunter a flexible, lightweight boot for their early season scouting trips and hunts. This boot was built to keep you light on your feet and quick on the trail. Built with a GORE-TEX liner, your feet will stay dry and...

shop.gohunt.com

After you used them for a year let me know how they hold up.

Mine are holding up quite nicely. I've had them for over a year without issue. Very comfortable and lightweight. I recommend them as well.

 

[PaCarbine]

Thank you

 

[jzeblaz]

On my 3rd pair of Lowa Renegades. Light, don't really need a break-in and comfortable as heck. I slid a pair of Sheep Feet insoles in with my newest pair and I hardly notice I'm wearing them. I think that's the greatest testament to comfort you can find.

 

[KnuckleChild]

I’ve had the Salomon quest 4d 3 gtx for a few years and no issues.

 

[somethinglemony]

I really like my Vasque Breeze LT GTX. They do get sweaty, but they are so light and the Vibram soles are bomber. I believe they've been discontinued but have been replaced with a "naturetex" membrane instead of the gore. Not sure of the difference, but they are functionally the same boot.

 

[4th_point]

On my 3rd pair of Lowa Renegades. Light, don't really need a break-in and comfortable as heck. I slid a pair of Sheep Feet insoles in with my newest pair and I hardly notice I'm wearing them. I think that's the greatest testament to comfort you can find.

I've had several pairs of Renegades as well. And totally agree with the comments on comfort. It's a great lightweight boot.

If you treat/wax the leather, they stay waterproof in my experience. If the leather gets water logged due to lack of care and treatment, then the membrane gets overwhelmed and eventually the interior will get damp.

For me, I think it's easier to treat leather to keep moisture away from the breathable membrane. Synthetic uppers can't be waxed, but can be treated with a spray. I haven't found sprays to last as long.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I came to post a similar thread looking for my next pair of boots, and found this one already existed. I put a lot of miles on my boots, cross creeks, hike hard in summers and hunt hard every fall. I've yet to find a boot that's both COMFORTABLE AND WATERPROOF for multiple seasons. My scarpa charmoz were absolutely waterproof for multiple seasons, but so uncomfortable.

My list of comfortable boots that weren't waterproof is longer. Solomon quest 4d's, Lathrop and sons, Danners, and most recently Hanwag makra combi gtx. I was really hopeful for the Hanwags after 1 season, but it didn't last.

I've historically avoided leather because of my perception that water logging is an issue.

I want to find a boot that is as waterproof as my Scarpa charmoz were and feels like my Hanwags do. Surely there is some WKR mountain goats out in rokslide world that can chime in here with some actual results from miles and seasons of testing.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I've also heard guys say that elk hunting is just hard on boots, and a couple seasons of hard hunting is about all you can expect for even the best boots to stay waterproof.

 

[ElPollo]

I don’t know what you consider to be a lightweight boot, but my recommendation would be Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hikers. I’ve been wearing them for about 6 years and have never had any leak issues unless I went over the tops. I wear them daily and am on my 3rd pair. I think they are 3.2ish# per pair. The sole is pretty darned durable and the midsole provides some cushion that soaks up the impact of the miles.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If you have wider feet then the Crispi Summits were worth a look. Just be sure you put green superfeet soles in em.

 

[SpringM1A]

Hiking boots are such a personal thing; I know people who will hike 14ers in Chacos. To each their own; better than flip-flops I guess!

My husband and I use the men’s and women’s version of the Vasque Breeze respectively. They tend to last us about 5-7 years before replacing. We don’t hike with them everyday, the trails we use them to hike on are very rocky with loose talus and gravel, or for backpacking. I feel like a mountain goat wearing them; they are very grippy. I’ve used them with snowshoes too. The last is a little narrow; which works for us, but would not be appropriate for wide feet or if your foot swells a lot while hiking.

For anything less aggressive, we use the Salomon GTX. They are my “do anything” footwear. I wear them every day, from a dog walk down the road, most mid-elevation hikes or trails at ski resorts that are open in summer.

 

[Seeknelk]

If you have wider feet then the Crispi Summits were worth a look. Just be sure you put green superfeet soles in em.

As long as the green super feet don't suck balls for YOUR feet. My feet hate em..