Over the past six years of testing various men’s winter boots, rain boots, rain jackets, and outdoor gear, I learned that there’s a difference between products that are waterproof and others that are water resistant. Products that are considered waterproof will do a better job of keeping you dry than water-resistant ones. But what do waterproof products have that water-resistant ones don’t? And just as important, when might you choose a water-resistant product over a waterproof one?
Few materials are truly waterproof
Waterproof shoes and jackets are designed to keep water out completely, and water-resistant materials will repel water for a little bit but will eventually “wet out” and let water in. Confusingly, some companies like to call things waterproof when, in reality, they’re built with materials that are only water resistant.
As my colleague Katherine Gillespie explained in her guide to the best women’s raincoats, the only truly, 100 percent waterproof materials — like vinyl, plastic, and rubber — are impenetrable by water. The same concept applies to footwear: Rain boots constructed completely with rubber will be waterproof. Boots with leather as the outermost material will generally not be waterproof, since leather is more porous and will absorb water, especially if it’s untreated. So look at the materials to determine if the product is truly waterproof. For jackets, look for fabrics with a rubber coating. For boots, look for rubber or PVC, a synthetic plastic made from vinyl.
How something’s designed will determine how waterproof or water resistant it can be, too. Fewer seams and stitches will make it more water resistant. A rubber rain boot is only effective at keeping your toes dry if the rubber wraps around the foot and protects your ankles from seepage, and a jacket with minimal zippers will keep you drier than one with more areas for water to enter.
The trade-off is breathability
A good rule of thumb for footwear and most apparel is that water-resistant items will be more breathable than waterproof ones. Rubber rain boots allow less air to pass through than mesh hiking boots, and waterproof rain jackets made of rubber or plastic might feel heavy and sometimes suffocating on the skin. If you’ve ever felt your skin get clammy when wearing a rain shell, it’s because there’s moisture trapped between your skin and the jacket, with nowhere to go.
On the other hand, many lightweight rain jackets (especially hiking shells and activewear) are treated with a durable water-resistant (DWR) coating, and this combo makes them more breathable than waterproof options. These water-resistant jackets are usually made with a polyester or nylon shell. You might notice that water will bead and roll off your new rain shell, but over time that coating will fade and it will be less water resistant. This could take years, or months, depending on how often you use it, but once that happens, water will seep more readily into the fabric, making you and your jacket soggy.
Waterproof fabric technology is getting better each year, and now you can find jackets and hiking shoes that promise to be both waterproof and breathable, thanks to the addition of a special membrane — a layer in the fabric, below the outer shell, that keeps water out but allows heat and air to escape. Gore-Tex is the most recognizable technology with this feature, and you’ll see it on tags on technical shells, hiking boots, snow boots, and winter boots.
There’s gear to make your stuff more water resistant
Over time, materials like nylon, polyester, and leather will lose their waterproofing strength, which is why it’s common to treat water-resistant apparel with products like wash-in formula (for rain shells), wax dressing or fabric wax (for waxed cotton clothing), or a leather conditioner. I treat my leather Blundstones with plumber’s wax. Gore-Tex outerwear needs care too. Most Gore-Tex jackets will have a durable water repellent, or DWR, coating, so it needs refreshing and regular cleaning like any other rain shell. Use a tiny bit of regular liquid detergent, and no fabric softeners. To restore that DWR coating, use a wash-in treatment or spray, and then tumble dry on low, or iron (with a towel or cloth between the iron and the jacket) to reactivate the DWR. For shoes with Gore-Tex membranes, make sure to keep them clean and free of dirt or gunk.
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