Non waterproof boots with gaiters for Oct. camino. Thoughts?

[Acordner]

I can't stand goretex boots. I hate the weight and the sweaty feeling you get when it's above 0 degrees. I have non waterproof Merrell hiking boots that I love and am pairing them with gaiters. Anyone have thoughts on this since I will be walking in Oct.? Anyone tried this combo?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Anyone tried this combo?

All the time. It works!

 

[jstorybook]

If the boots have vents then the gaiters will not keep the water out. Should you ever get blisters and you walk through areas where there are ample amounts of cow manure on the road and your feet do get wet--well lets say the results may not be good. I used Merrel boots and Keen boots and the problem with both is that the vents cannot be covered by the gaiters--but then may be you have found gaiters that do so--and may be you have boots with no vents.

 

[scruffy1]

The walkers of the world are divided concerning gaiters, those for and those against. I was always in the anti-camp until last year and now am a fanatic, wouldn't walk anywhere without them. The appearant mud on certain parts of the Camino is not mud, the path is also used by cows going back and forth - gaiters won't totally protect your boots but will do wonders for your trousers, rain mud dust sand gravel sized rocks no longer a consideration. There are many effective gaiters many which are not expensive, they don't weigh all that much and if they do bother you why leave them on the share table at an albergue or chuck them and go on. I remain mad about them.

 

[mbiven]

I can't stand goretex boots. I hate the weight and the sweaty feeling you get when it's above 0 degrees. I have non waterproof Merrell hiking boots that I love and am pairing them with gaiters. Anyone have thoughts on this since I will be walking in Oct.? Anyone tried this combo?

I can't stand goretex boots. I hate the weight and the sweaty feeling you get when it's above 0 degrees. I have non waterproof Merrell hiking boots that I love and am pairing them with gaiters. Anyone have thoughts on this since I will be walking in Oct.? Anyone tried this combo?

Walked the Camino October 5 thru November 2, 2012. Wore nonwaterproof Merrells, no gaiters. Worked well for me. Some rain, mud, ect. Boots/Feet got wet a couple of times. Stuffed boots with newspaper at night to dry them. Rubbed vasiline on my feet each morning and evening. No problems.

 

[Canucks]

I couldn't imagine wearing those yesterday or perhaps even today on the camino. It would have been gross.....wet and muddy....so, your answers will be weather dependent.

 

[heitgl]

I'm going crazy trying to decide on this same thing! I have tried on probably 20 pairs of shoes. I assumed goretex would be the best. I hate stiff hiking boots so am trying to find a pair of trail running shoes with goretex, like solomon. I guess the other debate is running shoes vs. boots. Would love to wear my comfy broken-in running shoes with gaiters but don't want to have soaking wet feet. Leaving in 2 weeks!

 

[Acordner]

I leave in 10 days. I can email you and tell you how much I hate and/or love walking in my non waterproof shoes combo!

 

[gerardcarey]

I wear merrell moab mids waterproof (but NOT goretex). These are much more comfortable than the goretex style. The goretex seems to stiffen up the footpad as well as the uppers. I also get 1/2 size larger in the wide version.
Buen Camino

 

[Acordner]

So is the consensus that I am an idiot if I don't get something waterproof for my feet for October?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have never used waterproof boots. I am not sure that your feet stay dry in them in sustained, heavy rain. There are puddles, streams on the pathway, splashes, and the area around the laces that let water in. Take comfortable footwear, and plan to dry your feet and boots at night. Putting up with the negatives of waterproof boots on the days that it does not rain may not be worth the relatively minor protection that they give you. In light rain, pants legs and gaiters keep the water out just fine, at least for me!

 

[peregrina2000]

So will someone enlighten me as to the difference between goretex and non-goretex waterproofing? My go-to guy in our little outdoor store tells me that Merrell and the other companies just came up with their own goretex equivalent so they didn't have to pay for the goretex name, but that the ingredients and the end result is pretty much the same. Is this not true?

 

[gerardcarey]

My go-to guy in our little outdoor store tells me that Merrell and the other companies just came up with their own goretex equivalent so they didn't have to pay for the goretex name

Hi Laurie, I think that's pretty much true. There's a $20 difference between Merrell Gortex and Merrell 'homebrand" waterproof Moab shoes for example, and IMO you can tell the difference when comparing the fit. Anyway both seem good at waterproofing.
When it comes to clothing it's more complicated. The Goretex and Event brand are market leaders in Breathable/Waterproof fabrics and again you will pay a premium. I'm sure you've seen Goretex jackets ranging from $100 to $400+. There are design differences of course but the price difference is also due to the varying levels of quality available, both of the fabric and presumably of the coating.
A good example is the Berghaus Paclite Jacket - Gortex, which was recommended as a good lightweight hiking jacket, and it was, unless you were wearing a pack. After a short time my jacket leaked where the shoulder harness rubbed against the jacket.
With a bit of digging you will find there are some quite good explanatory utube videos available, well I hope there still is.
Sierra Trading Post have a reasonable waterproofing guide to most of the major manufacturers. The video gives a simple exlanation of the industry standard for quality, or 'waterproofness'.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp..._medium=Catalog&utm_campaign=waterproof-guide

Regds
Gerard

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for all that information, Gerard. It sounds like you really know your stuff. I will be back with questions galore next spring, because after 13 years of Caminos, I've decided to clean house and start with new clothing, except for my marmot precip pants and my new Ferrino trekker.

 

[bmj91]

Please get waterproof shoes! I was one of the dummies that thought my regular trail walking shoes would be perfect because they were lightweight and breathable. Had two horrible rainy days with streams and mud for the first two days and got 12 terrible blisters. Your socks get wet and then it is the end because friction causes blisters. I ended up ditching my shoes in Logrono and bought a new pair of shoes that were 1 size bigger so I could wear two paris of socks. And keep in mind that your feet will expand from the heat and exertion so add a size or so when buying your shoes. My biggest mistake was my shoes on my camino, dont make the same one as me

 

[Kathy F.]

I wore Merrell mid-high Moab Ventilators, not waterproof, during the very wet, muddy and cold Camino this past spring. My tech pants served as my gaiters. Very pleased with the results. My feet got wet, yes, but the high tops kept mud and stones out. The bottoms of the pants got zipped off and washed each night if they got too muddy and dried in a snap. The boots were lighter than waterproof gore-tex and that was important. The boots dried each night with two changes of newspapers, once upon arrival, once just before retiring for the night. Take care to keep your feet as comfortable, clean and dry as possible. Pay attention to your socks!! Get a good boot fit (slightly larger than normal) and lace your boots correctly - it may take several kilometers to figure out the perfect combination. Take it easy in the beginning so you don't get blisters. Your feet will be your most important piece of equipment, your knees your second most important (hiking poles, hint, hint, no matter how dorky you may feel). Buen Camino.
Kathy

 

[unadara]

Thanks for all that information, Gerard. It sounds like you really know your stuff. I will be back with questions galore next spring, because after 13 years of Caminos, I've decided to clean house and start with new clothing, except for my marmot precip pants and my new Ferrino trekker.

Laurie
Can you start a new thread and let us know what you buy and why you make the desicions, I love camino gear and have worn out some! boots ! love to hear your updates.

 

[unadara]

Thanks for all that information, Gerard. It sounds like you really know your stuff. I will be back with questions galore next spring, because after 13 years of Caminos, I've decided to clean house and start with new clothing, except for my marmot precip pants and my new Ferrino trekker.

Sorry Laurie
I have not heard of the Ferrino before, just goggled it, have you a link to a thread where you talk about it's quality and how long you've used it?
Thanks

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Una,
Well, I actually haven't used it yet. But I read lots of threads and went through a long process of obsessing before I bought it, and you can see some of that here:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/struggling-to-decide-on-rainwear.19137/#post-141824

I just think that probably they are all pretty comparable, and the amount of condensation inside will have to do with the condition I'm in and the weight I'm carrying more than anything else. But one of the clinchers for me was that the ferrino did take a 2000 mm water column (and though I don't know exactly what that means, I figure it has to be better than the ponchos that take a 1000 mm water column!)

Good luck with this, Una.

 

[Caplen]

While it is important to have quality, lighter-weight gear….. it is also important not to obsess overly much about it. There is no 100% perfect gear solution. Remember, the Camino is not a backcountry hike. There may be some days you are cold, some days you are wet, and some days you are cold and wet….. and muddy. With basic gear and commonsense, you will live through it. You are never that far from “civilization”.

I use Keen mid-boots, not waterproof. They are lightweight, well-ventilated, supportive and protective, with a generous toe box. When they do get soaked, they dry relatively fast compared to heavier, waterproof boots. I replaced the insoles with Superfeet. I carry 2-3 pairs of quality socks and Vaseline. On a rainy day, I may wear liners, but usually not. I don't bother with gaiters. If my boots get wet, they can get stuffed with newspaper that night.

Just did an overnight canyon hike where I was hiking in the (very rocky) river 80% of the time (anywhere from ankle to neck deep) for 2 days, in my Keen boots, with backpack. No newspaper - primitive camping that night. No point in even putting on dry socks the second day. My boots fit well and I take care of my feet – no blisters, no problems.

I usually carry a trekking umbrella for sun and light to moderate rain.
http://www.golite.com/Chrome-Dome-Trekking-Umbrella-P928.aspx

I have a cheap campmor backpacker’s poncho for deluges.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___77706#

I don’t care if my arms/legs get wet, as long as my core and gear are dry and I have plenty of ventilation. Can’t stand sweating in rain gear (or in sunblock/hat - thank you umbrella!). And the poncho is multi-purpose – emergency shelter/blanket, ground cloth for picnics, drape for bunk privacy.

And I didn’t break the bank.
Anyway, everyone hikes/pilgrimages differently. You'll find what works for you. But don't get the impression from a gear-intense forum like this that you have to spend a ton of money and months of research and make the most perfect decisions or your Camino will be miserable/chronically uncomfortable/ruined.

 

[whariwharangi]

Most of the camino Frances is hardened and well drained. In my opinion you don't need gortex lined boots to keep your feet dry so it is just a nice to have option.

I walked from SJPdP to Finisterre Oct to Dec last year. I did not often encounter conditions of mud, water, or what we'll euphamistically call other material that was deeper than the sole of my boot (about 1/4 inch or 7mm). Where the deep stuff did occur there was almost always an alternate path around it. I usually found a high spot under cover to wait during the Galacian rain squalls.

My feet got soaked the first day by rain that blew sideways for a couple of hours. Even gortex will not keep you dry in conditions like this.

I wore gaiters the whole trip for the purpose of keeping material that I kicked up out of my boots.