# Goretex Boots



## foxtwo (20 Mar 2005)

Does anybody here have Goretex's. I'm planning on buying a pair. Are they worth it?


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## someguyincanada (20 Mar 2005)

they are worth it if you live on the west coast, they are called wet weather boots for a reason. They are the good to a extent but dont wear them during winter cause you have a twisted ankle from the no grip soles.


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## soldiers301 (20 Mar 2005)

I have a pair of these boots and can say that except when you walk on ice you will be satisfied of your purchase.


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## foxtwo (20 Mar 2005)

Are they waterproof as advertised? ( Not only water resistant ). If so, does that mean I can go walk around a ankle-high bed of water and be 100% dry? That would be awsome  . And whats this about not affective on ice? They are suppose to be really warm in cold conditions also...


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## soldiers301 (20 Mar 2005)

You have the leather that is waterproof + the Goretex Best Defence liner that is waterproof also, so yes you can walk around a ankle-high bed of water and be 100% dry !

In winter condition, if you dont have the combat socks system, dont stay in places. 

The problem on the ice is that the sole freeze and offer zero grip.


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## Duke (20 Mar 2005)

They are designed for cold/wet weather. They are not mukluks. The soles on them do not grip ice well, so if you're not careful, you'll end up going 'arse over teakettle'.

Gore tex (tm) is water proof. It is made from a material similar to Teflon (Expanded PTFE (PolyTetra Fluoro Ethylene)), and allows perspiration evaporation out but does not allow water in. Gore Tex by itself is not a great heat insulator, it is too thin. Even with good socks and thinsulate (tm) insulation they are not Arctic boots. So for a cold wet day, they are great.

If you want to go into any deeper than ankle deep water, get a pair of 'wellies' or hip waders.

PS: There is a surplus store out west that had them listed for about $100 CDN. 

Duke


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## Canadian Sig (20 Mar 2005)

Well I have been issued them for the last 2 years and I have only worn them twice. I found them to feel fairly "clunky" and heavy and the sole system sucks. The army has just gotten around to buying these boots with different soles so that should tell you the extent of the problem. On the other hand some guys refuse to wear combat boots ever since being issued with gortex so it really is a personal choice.


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## Freddy Chef (20 Mar 2005)

foxtwo said:
			
		

> ...Are they waterproof as advertised? ( Not only water resistant ). If so, does that mean I can go walk around a ankle-high bed of water and be 100% dry?...



The Gore-Tex membrane allows water vapour (sweat vapour) to escape from the inside, but doesn't let the smallest water droplets in from the outside. Gore-Tex boots are only effective for ankle-high submersion, as previously mentioned.



			
				foxtwo said:
			
		

> ...And whats this about not affective on ice? They are suppose to be really warm in cold conditions also...



The CF issue wet weather boots have been reported to have sh*tty treads/soles. Gore-Tex just keeps the water out (Re: C.O.L.D. in you winter warfare lectures), so they only keep your feet warm in that respect. I own a pair of Matterhorn Rangers, that have Vibrum Lug Soles (Kletterlift) which are OK on ice, and 200g Thinsulate which are OK for warmth.  

http://www.coveshoe.com/ItemDisplay.asp?Style=1949&CategoryID=33

Spent $200 (CAN) on them, no regrets, they've worked for me for winter in Toronto.

For other seasons/the field, I use jungle boots in conjunction with Gore-Tex over-socks. If I do get into deeper water my wool socks can be wrung out, the over-socks can be emptied/drained, and the boots can drain as I march on.

http://www.altama.com/search_results.aspx?search=search_bycategory&code=jungle

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=710619&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=12855&bmUID=1111351015564

Other threads for Gore-Tex boots:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/1250.0.html

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/25673.0.html


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## Lost_Warrior (20 Mar 2005)

> Are they waterproof as advertised?



Yea, until they get wet.

For some reason, I got stuck with a pair that when it rains, or im wet areas, the left boot becomes like a fish bowl while the right stays dry as a bone.....go figure...


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## foxtwo (20 Mar 2005)

Hahaha sounds like you got a defect there buddy . Okay thanks for all your imput guys. Have a nice one!


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## infamous_p (20 Mar 2005)

i know how you're not supposed to polish them, but im unsure why.... why exactly is this?


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## foxtwo (20 Mar 2005)

Oh, I know why... The thing is: how it was mentioned above, (I'm new to Army.ca so I don't know how to make that box thingy ) the boot allows moisture to escape but not to enter. When you polish them, those little pores or whatever clog up and the moisture cannot escape out of the boot with ease as intended. Rendering that use of the boot useless. One of my Officers told me this, sounds about right doesn't it?


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## infamous_p (20 Mar 2005)

foxtwo said:
			
		

> Oh, I know why... The thing is: how it was mentioned above, (I'm new to Army.ca so I don't know how to make that box thingy ) the boot allows moisture to escape but not to enter. When you polish them, those little pores or whatever clog up and the moisture cannot escape out of the boot with ease as intended. Rendering that use of the boot useless. One of my Officers told me this, sounds about right doesn't it?



that makes sense.. i never thought of that

thanks


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## Canadian Sig (20 Mar 2005)

Well they do issue "paste" (polish) with them so who knows.....lol


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## foxtwo (20 Mar 2005)

No problem 

Oh by the way, I bought them a couple hours ago and they feel great. It was a pain getting the size though since it didnt really indicate what it was. Instead there are a series of numbers. Yeah they are snug and it really does feel much warmer and softer that the good old old combat boot and for a change they're a breeze to get on none the less. 

The paste I guess is just uniform standards to keep them black. Other than that, it beats me!


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## Duke (20 Mar 2005)

You have to distinguish between the *leather* and the *Gore Tex * (tm) membrane.   The leather is polishable, with no damage to the Gore Tex, as the membrane is UNDER the leather and on top of the boot's liner. Normal (not spit/H20) polishing will not diminish the effectiveness of the membrane. It may, with over polishing, cause the leather to breathe less effectively.

Duke


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## kato (20 Mar 2005)

There are many different types and makes of boots using Gortex some good some not so good.The issue wet wheather boot ranks up there in the not so  good good category.They stretch, fit poorly and have as  much traction as Teflon.On the other end of the scale are boots like Danner or Matterhorn,if your spending your hard earned coin you might want to go high end ,you won't be disappointed.P.S. I polish my Danners with Kiwi same as I would MkIII's and have never in 20 years had a breathability problem.


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## Forgotten_Hero (21 Mar 2005)

How much do they cost? Are they more comfortable than the Mk IIIs? Where can I get them?


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## Spring_bok (21 Mar 2005)

Just to add my 2 cents, it is my experience that the soles of the CWW boot is a pain too clean.  Everything gets caught in the grooves, especially if you are working in a gravelled area(Camp Maple Leaf for example).  I do prefer them though over the Gore-Tex boots we were issued in the early 90s.


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## McInnes (26 Mar 2005)

The soles of the WWBs have excellent traction when you walk on dirt/mud/grass/etc. The material used for the Vibram soles were made harder to increase durability. The only problem is when it comes to walking on ice, due to the hardness of the sole there is little traction. However, they were not designed to be a winter boot nor to grip ice. They were intended to be a 'gap' boot between the temperate boot and the winter gear.


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## kato (27 Mar 2005)

I never found them to have good traction on grass or mud and they're dangerous on wet armour


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## medic2ic (27 Mar 2005)

The boots look good... but the minute you hit ice or any slippery surface you're going to be doing what I call the Penguin Jitterbug... taking babysteps and praying you don't land flat on your behind. They keep your feet warm if you keep moving, but if you stand still, they freeze up like hockey pucks. But they do keep your feet dry, thats for sure. 

As for the Prospector boot paste, its not only for looks, but does also provide a weather barrier against water and the like. And makes them look snazzy... I've had mine for about 3 years, and besides looking stupid when walking on ice with them, I swear by them. Much more comfortable then the old combat boots we still have in the system.


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## George Wallace (27 Mar 2005)

One of the Threads here on this topic has the link to the "new" CWW boots soles.  The problem of slipping on ice is being remedied with the newer 'edition' of these boots.  I found that my Goretex Boots (Prospectors) did not slip as much on ice as the CWW Boots.


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## chrisf (27 Mar 2005)

The goretex boots have more problems then perks as far as I'm concerned...

- Big clunky soles, particularly compared to the MkIII boots, which, for all their faults, my have broken in to the point of being slippers... I'm always terrified I'm going to trip and fall off wearing the goretex boots when you're scrambling around on top of a truck trying to arrange a pent-house. Keep expecting the soles to catch in somthing. Glued soles instead of stiched soles would be nice.

- The liner takes forever to dry, goretex is as good at keeping water in as it is at keeping it out. The boots are great if you're wearing them in one spot, and don't go over the top in water, but once you fill them, they're a write off for the next few days. Just sweating in them is enough to dampen them to the point where they're cold and ineffective. An uninsulated goretex boot with heavy socks would be better.

- In the winter, because the boot often traps sweat, the boots freeze overnight, and are difficult to put on/walk in in the morning. 

- Slippery on ice. Yes, the vibram soles are durable, but is there any sense in having a sole that will out last the boot?

There are far better goretex boots out there then the Canadian army issued ones, if you're buying them civvy side, don't waste your money on the issued ones.


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## Canadian Sig (27 Mar 2005)

I much prefer my "old" combat boots with the addition of a vibram sole. The vibram soles that they put on the combat boots work better in cold weather than the ones on the WWB.


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