anothers opinion on the performance of goretex

ANOTHER ALMOST CRITIQUE OF GORE-TEX!

I say almost because Matt does make what I consider a false claim. Otherwise he makes very good points as to why any film used in a boot or footwear in general in unacceptable.

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Why Do Gore-Tex Boots Get Wet Inside?

Matt Heid

April 1, 2013

Gore-Tex hiking boots are supposed to be waterproof, right? Well, they are—except when they’re not.

My standard hiking footwear is a pair of Vasque Sundowner Classics, which include a Gore-Tex liner. I’ve worn them in nearly every outdoor condition imaginable and most of the time they have effectively kept my feet dry, yet I’ve found myself in certain situations hiking with soaking wet feet. There are two common reasons this occurs, as well as a third potential issue that can affect heavily worn or used footwear.

His statement “most of the times they have effectively kept my feet dry” I do not believe for one second.

First of all, Gore-Tex is a completely waterproof barrier that blocks liquid water from passing through. So unless the Gore-Tex membrane has been punctured or damaged (see third point below), it will block water from entering the boot. Gore-Tex is also breathable—it allows a small amount of water vapor (i.e. your sweat) to pass through from the inside out.

This paragraph denies his statement. G-T is not breathable nor is it vapor permeable so sweat does not go through it.

Failure Point #1: Loss of Breathability
Even in good conditions, Gore-Tex doesn’t allow sweat to pass through faster than you produce it, especially when you’re exerting yourself. This is especially true for your feet, which are the second sweatiest part of your body after your armpits. And this limited breathability is completely eliminated if the surface of your boots gets saturated with water, which is inevitable in sustained wet conditions. Once this occurs, you’re essentially trapping all of your foot sweat inside your boots, which can build up enough over a day’s hike to make your socks feel noticeably damp.

Loss of breathability? How can you lose what you do not have in the first place? Otherwise he makes good points.

Failure Point #2: Your Socks The second common reason has to do with the fact that there is a giant hole in your boots. You know, that spot where you stick your feet in. Out of that hole emerges your ankle and lower leg, which are covered by a sock. And that sock is a moisture-sucking conduit straight into your boots. If you’re hiking for prolonged periods in heavy rain, postholing in snow, tromping through tall wet grass, or any other number of situations that expose your socks to moisture, they will get wet and start wicking water into your boots.

All good points that I never considered.

When it comes to hiking for prolonged periods in such conditions, you can wear rain pants that extend over the top of your boots, or waterproof gaiters that cover your boot tops and ankles, or you can even wear both. I’ve tried it all. And in my experience, these methods do help—but they only delay the inevitable.

He should try my gaiters I believe they will work better regardless of the boots being worn.

If you’re just wearing rain pants, water slowly works in from underneath. If you’re just wearing gaiters, water slowly leaks in from the seals on top, bottom, and/or closure system. If you’re wearing both, you’re creating a sweat box around your lower legs that is both unpleasant and amplifies your own internal moisture production—and water still slowly works its way in through the gaiters.

Failure Point #3: Gore-Tex Damage
The final reason Gore-Tex boots leak is because the Gore-Tex membrane itself is compromised in some way, either from footwear use and abuse which results in a puncture or small tear or because of manufacturer defect (the least likely cause).

It generally takes a lot to damage a Gore-Tex membrane in hiking boots, given that it’s sandwiched between the boot liner and outer fabric and not directly exposed to the environment, so odds are this is not the reason why your feet are getting wet—even though this is the conclusion many folks first leap to.

His conclusion should have been to not buy Gore-Tex boots since they never have worked in the first place.

I always wonder if any employees of the Gore Company ever take note of the many, and there are many articles exposing the reality of their product as a product that does not work. I think yes and if they were to bring these articles to the attention of the upper Escalon of the company they would probably be summarily dismissed.

The above article was sent to me by a customer believing it would be of interest to me; he was right. I have no problem publishing other people’s articles that expose true information about materials or products used by companies serving the outdoor user market place. The more you read other people’s accounts of products the better you are able to make intelligent decisions about the products you purchase.