17 techy pairs of shoes that don’t get wet – from budget to cosmic prices

Spring is approaching, the temperatures are favorable for outdoor training and long promenades. But what to do with the faithful companions of this season: rain, puddles, mud? If rubber boots are suitable for an ordinary walk, then for sports and active recreation you need special footwear – which really does not get wet, creates comfortable conditions for the foot and the opportunity not to reduce the pace of life.

PRO-expert Sportmaster PRO

Whether your shoes get wet or not depends on what materials and techniques were used in their manufacture. There are three common methods by which manufacturers achieve protection from moisture penetration: through chemical treatment, special membranes or special shoe construction. Let’s talk about each one in more detail.

1. chemical treatment

The simplest and most universal method. The manufacturer covers the fabric with chemical compositions based on polyurethane or wax, thanks to which the shoes become moisture-resistant. By the way, the technology is also used in the production of sports jackets, raincoats and tents.

Men’s PUMA Aviator Wtr sneakers, 8999 rubles / Sportmaster

The most common name is DWR (durable water repellent). Boots with such a spraying cost within 12 thousand rubles. Marking Water Repellent or Waterproof on the label will tell you that this method of protection is used.

You can achieve a similar level of moisture resistance at home with the help of professional care products specially selected for the material. For example, leather will be protected from getting wet by a wax-based spray or cream, and shoes made of nubuck or suede can be treated with fast-acting impregnators before going outdoors. They will create an invisible hydrophobic layer on the surface of the material.

Men’s sneakers Salomon Speedcross 3, 15,399 rubles / “Sportmaster”.

However, it should be understood that only a small amount of moisture can be dealt with in this way. Treated shoes will not be suitable for serious bad weather, but they will help to move around the street in light rain without fear. DWR is often used in the creation of running and casual models that are not designed for increased slush, mud or puddles.

To summarize, during heavy precipitation or spring thaw it is better not to wear fabric sneakers, boots and shoes. Here and impregnation will not help. In addition, remember that it needs to be regularly updated. Even with gentle wear, the water-repellent layer will not last more than a season.

2. Mechanical protection

In this case, moisture protection is achieved with a special membrane (often Teflon). This is a hydrophobic material with pores that can only be seen under a microscope. And it is made in such a way that moisture easily passes outside, but is not absorbed inside. It turns out that sweat can evaporate, air has free access to the foot, but water from puddles will remain on the outside of the boot.

Men’s mid-calf boots Salomon X Ultra 3 Wide GTX, 19 599 rubles / Sportmaster

The ancestor of this type of fabric is considered to be Gore-Tex technology, which appeared about half a century ago. Initially it was used in boots for mountaineers. Now Gore-Tex can be found in less specialized footwear.

However, most models with membrane are still designed for trekking and hiking, less often – for running on rough terrain and in harsh weather. In normal life, this level of moisture protection is simply not needed. When you consider the prices of such technology, it’s definitely worth weighing up how necessary it is. The average cost of a pair ranges from 13 to 20+ thousand rubles.

The presence of Gore-Tex technology is indicated by the GTX marking in the model name or on the label.

Hoka Toa GTX sneakers for women, 15,990 rubles / AlpIndustriya

As a rule, the membrane indicators look like this: 20K/20K. The first indicates the degree of protection against moisture – in millimeters of water column. The second – vapor permeability in grams per square meter per day. The higher the values, the more severe conditions these shoes can withstand.

Unlike water-repellent impregnation, membrane fabric does not wear out so quickly and can serve for years. However, it is very important to follow the rules of washing and care. For example, you can not use greasy creams and oil-based products. At the same time, a significant part of membrane models are still additionally equipped with DWR technology (see point 1 – chemical treatment) to maximize protection.

Women’s insulated boots Outventure Snowrock W, 5599 rubles (with discount) / Sportmaster

3. Shoe construction

This method seems the most obvious: why use complex technologies, if you can simply create a hybrid of rubber boots and trekking sneakers?

Manufacturers make the lower part of the boot from rubber or other dense waterproof material – it turns out something like a built-in galoshes in a pair. The seams are glued with a special moisture-repellent film, the tongue is sewn to the top of the boot with the help of hydrophobic fabric.

Women’s trekking boots Lowa RENEGADE GTX MID WS, 24,710 rubles (13,591 rubles by card) / Trial-Sport

Most often such solutions are found in outfit for hiking, where they are also combined with Gore-Tex and DWR technologies .

In such shoes, if necessary, you can cross a river in the ford. Although it is better not to experiment.