SummitPost.org

Luc wrote:Gore-Tex is a liner that will get destroyed in a couple years, whatever you do...

You have to soak and rinse out your boots to maintain the Liner (removing salt from the pores/inside) this applies to G-Tex and leather boots.

the most waterproof boots I've had are my old Salomon's Super Mountain Guides, They're silicone impregnated leather with minimal seams.

I miss the old leather lined boots as well, especially my old Scarpa mountain boots that lasted through several resoles and almost 30 years of use. That said, the trade off for durability was weight. The boots the OP is talking about (Sportiva Trangos, Scarpa Charmoz) are fabric boots, which though much lighter than old fashioned leather boots, will wear out in a few years anyway, so the life of the liner is basically irrelevant.

In re-reading my post I realize I was not clear. Gore-Tex liners in fabric boots may improve the weater resistance significantly. I don't know because I have not used them. I have worn full grain leather mountaineering boots since before Mt St Helens erupted. The boots I have had with Gore-Tex liners (La Sportiva Trango Exteme Evo GTX and the Scarpa Summit GTX) were leather or synthetic leather boots. In my experience, Gore-Tex in these applications did not functionally improve the dryness of my feet. Keeping the boots waxed seemed to have a larger effect on the water resistance than the addition of Gore-Tex.

too miss the old 'waffle stompers' as my brother and I used to call them, but I don't miss the break in period at all. I threw away a pair after 28 seasons of alpine, ice climbing, and mountaineering finally broke the steel shanks loose from the soles. The soles were worn nearly smooth, but the leather upper was still in great shape. Took darn near two years to break them in perfectly.

What the hell are you guys doing to your boots that the Gore-tex liner is getting destroyed? The thing is sewn in the boot. I have boots that are many years old and the gore-tex still works just fine. If you old goats want leather lined boots, Lowa still makes them. The Chief is right, most boots now are made with EVA or expanded polyurethane and can not be resoled.

I never said the Gore-Tex liner is getting destroyed or damaged. I am simply saying adding a Gore-Tex liner to a leather boot does not keep my feet any drier than a leather boot without Gore-Tex.

Luc wrote:Gore-Tex is a liner that will get destroyed in a couple years, whatever you do...

You have to soak and rinse out your boots to maintain the Liner (removing salt from the pores/inside) this applies to G-Tex and leather boots.

the most waterproof boots I've had are my old Salomon's Super Mountain Guides, They're silicone impregnated leather with minimal seams.

I guess I wasn't talking about your post then.

It is good to hear a favorable consensus on Gore-Tex boot liners. I recently bought a pair of Lowa boots, one of their GTX mountaineering models. Perhaps not the biggest bang for one's buck, and the color is kind of bizarre, but the fit and comfort is amazing; not too stiff for the long Class I entrances, yet stiff enough to effectively negotiate Class III.

http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/Disp ... erralID=NA