But there are a couple of things about rain boots I really could do without. First off, many rain boots are hot -- and I have an extreme aversion to hot feet. Secondly, many rain boots are just that ... "rain boots;" they're footwear that you might wear to the office, but they're not typically styles you'd wear at at the office -- or too many other places for that matter.
For those reasons, I was more than willing to try out a pair of fashionable boots with uppers made from GORE-TEX waterproof and breathable fabric. After all, the documentation promised that my feet would stay dry and cool through the rainy Fall season, and quite frankly, that was a prospect too appealing to pass up.
About GORE-TEX
When you hear the name "GORE-TEX," you may think of rugged outdoor gear, as the technology has been used for decades in performance outerwear. Or perhaps you've had a pair of GORE-TEX gloves or boots. And while you may have appreciated the fact that the products kept you dry and comfortable, you probably still didn't think of GORE-TEX when you thought about stylish casual footwear.But perhaps you didn't know that GORE-TEX has teamed up with brands and designers like Ara, Stuart Weitzman, Clark's, Merrell, New Balance, MBT, Mephisto, and Ecco to bring us casual shoes and boots that still promise protection and comfort, while allowing us to have footwear that truly multi-tasks.
Testing a pair of GORE-TEX Boots
For my test, I was sent a pair of Ecco 'Shine' boots. I found the boots very comfortable right out of the box, and I was pleased to find that even after wearing the boots for several hours, my feet didn't feel even remotely hot. In short, the boots didn't feel like rain boots at all -- I guess that's because they're not ... or at least, they're not the kind of rain boots I'm used to.The uppers felt like a micro-fiber fabric. They were stretchy and breathable, and the boots looked very nice as well. So good in fact, that I was a little skeptical about whether or not they were really waterproof.
They were.
The first night of testing, I wore them out in a pretty strong rain storm, and went out of my way to step in every puddle I could find. Not only did my feet not feel wet, the boots barely even looked wet. Seriously. I couldn't believe that by the time I'd finally made my way into a lighted store, all water drops and wet spots had seemingly disappeared. It didn't look as if my boots had been out in the rain at all. Unfortunately, my jeans weren't made from GORE-TEX material, and as such, were soaked.
Consequently, I expected one of those dreadful drives home. You know, the kind where your wet pants actually start to make your ankles feel waterlogged? Happily, because the boots I was wearing extended well above my ankle boots, my feet and ankles were never exposed to the moisture from my jeans.
A couple more test runs led to the same results: no wet feet, no hot feet, and little visual evidence that the boots had ever even seen water. I found this so weird that I actually started to think I was maybe doing something wrong. I'm not sure that there is an incorrect way of jumping in puddles, but I was suspicious nonetheless. Unfortunately, the skies cleared, and I was left without rain for the next couple of weeks or so.
So what's a skeptical woman like me to do in such a situation?
Naturally, I put the boots in a sink, and ran them under water. Well actually, I put one of the boots in the sink and ran it under a very forceful stream of water, while I stood the other boot in a bucket of water. Since my flexibility isn't what it used to be, I couldn't do this with my feet inside of the boots. Instead, I stuffed them with paper towels to see whether or not the water would soak through. I left the boots in their respective positions for a bit to see what would happen.
My Review of GORE-TEX Breathable Waterproof Boots
The results? Well, finally, I actually could see evidence that the boots had seen water. There were the expected dark spots, and as you'd expect, several beads of water on the boot that had been under a running faucet.Most impressive and most important to me, the paper towels I'd shoved inside the boots were as dry as a bone. And after a quick wipe with a towel, the outsides of both boots look almost completely dry. Within a few minutes, it would have been difficult to detect that the boots had been exposed to water at all.
These boots were given to me to test, and now that my testing is complete, they'll be donated to charity. So the big question is, would I buy a pair of casual GORE-TEX boots for myself?
Since I work from a home office, spend as little time in inclement weather as possible, and adore colorful rain boots, I'm not sure I need a pair of waterproof like these. However, if I worked outside of my home office, and I wanted a pair of shoes or boots that I could wear at work as well as to work on rainy days, I'd grab a pair of GORE-TEX boots in a heartbeat.
For more information, please check out the following resources:
- Ecco 'Shine' Boots with GORE-TEX (These are the boots I used in my tests.)
- How Far Can One Pair Go? Brand-Name Men's and Women's Footwear with GORE-TEX Technology
- GORE-TEX.COM
