20 Best Waterproofing For Hiking Boots (2023 Updated)

I use Angelus paints and finishers for my custom shoes and this added layer of protection is great. No one wants to throw their fresh kicks in the washer and there’s nothing like a wet day stepping in mudd to ruin a good mood.

With this I can just wipe off most messes and walk on.

Yes! Much better that Ugg repellent. I am not referring just the excellent quality, but to the easier application. I spend five minutes in applied the Angelus spray repellent on a tall Uggs boot, in a very uniformed way, at the contrary the one that use before.

It was absolutely amazing!!!! Other brands take hours to soak into the shoe, leaving an oily film and in the end don’t even protect the shoe at all, and the proce was skyrocketed unbelievably!!!! But this product surprised me, because not only was it below the expected price, withing the first 2 mins of spraying it on my shoe, I had to run outside to not be late for school, And the water just ran right off!!!! No oily residue, no change of color in my shoe, no regrets!!!! I absolutely wncourage you to buy this spray even if you dont mind your shoes getting wet or dirty, it just keeps them in amazing condition!!!!.

Finally a shoe that fits. I’ve tried 4-5 brands of hiker’s for daughter so nice she was about 12 and she always complained the didn’t feet right. Now 19, she is moving to AK, so having quality is a priority.

We went to sporting store, again, and tried on 7-8 pairs and a Columbia pair fit, but what was in stock was more a hunting boot. but we had a size and, being older, she realized that it was the arch that did not fit in keen, vasques, rocky or the Walmart hikers.

We ordered these and after keeping them on 10 minutes, she asked if she could wear them all the time. THAT is the statement that says it all. Her everyday foot wear has be converse all these years, and didn’t enjoy hiking or hunting near as much in other hikers because her feet hurt, and she always opted to wear her converse, which have limitations when hiking on uneven rocky terrain.

I can’t tell you how happy we are that after 7 years, we finally found a hiker that fits comfortably and has all day comfort. I did add silicone repellant to the fabric weave area and seal oil to the boot leather, as stated these are going to be daily wear in AK.

And because they are on sale, I’m ordering a second pair for a Christmas present.

I love these shoes! I’m a digital nomad who moves every 3-4 weeks, and I like to do a lot of outdoor activities wherever I’m at. So I need a shoe that can handle a variety of terrain and weather. These shoes are it!! These shoes have tackled the cliffs of Gozo, the snowy trails of the Königsee in February, the forests and the water-laden tunnels of Madeira, etc.

, not to mention plenty of airports and cities because I wear them when I travel. Long story short: They’re great “all-purpose” hiking shoes. Getting down to technicals, these shoes do have less cushion/drop, which I personally like as someone who has worn low-drop shoes for years now.

They also offer light ankle support without being super heavy or rigid. (I considered a Salomon hiking boot before finding these, but it was way too clunky and confining for my taste). Waterproof-wise these hold up like a champ 9/10 times.

Of course, you’ve got a limited depth of water you can go in and I wouldn’t simply stand in a stream for hours, but they’ve held up really well in river crossings, standing water, marshland and even medium-snow.

I love these boots. I find they fit and feel like good quality tennis shoes. I have 3 pairs because they fit well and are comfortable and wear much better than tennis shoes. I should mention though as someone else pointed out, if you do not use the top lace guides push them closed with pliers!! This is very important!! I also was tripped by the loop of the lace on the right foot catching in the eye on the inside of the left boot.

(I do not use the top lace guides) I slip my feet into my boots without lacing each time so I have them loose at the ankle. I do not need the ankle support, but I like that they are tall for keeping water out of the boot and ankle protection.

I waterproof them with silicone to protect them and they have always kept my feet dry in wet environments. I have a pair of 7. 5 to wear with light weight socks in the summer. That is what size I wear in tennis shoes.

I also have a pair of 8. 5 to wear with medium socks. I recently bought a pair of 9’s to wear with really heavy socks. I do replace the stock insoles with more padded ones and they fit fine. I have somewhat wide feet and often purchase wide shoes, but the regular width on these fits me fine.

Such a good kit! Lifted the stains & marks of my shoes so well. Did find that the bristles of the brush came out though. Great value for money & super convenient especially with the little case.

Thought my white trainers were ruined after getting caught out by the great English weather but this kit brought them back to life! The brush scrubs really well without being damaging and you only need a small amount of solution so the bottle will last a long time – an extra bonus is that is smells great too!.

Honestly found using this quite stressful (hence the 4 not 5) the first time but only because I didn’t want to ruin my brand new and coveted tan mini Windsor and didn’t know if this would work despite reading the reviews.

Keep the faith is all I can say! When you spray it on, the colour changes – it’s wet so it goes dark brown. The instructions say rub in with a soft brush. I bought one from the cobblers and brushed in, let it dry as instructed , then reapplied and let dry.

The back of my lovely suede bag went all rough and had (brush) marks on it and I honestly thought I’d ruined it! Had I brushed too hard? I decided not to tackle the front and to be ultra careful when I used it.

I then tried the back of my coin purse but this time I rubbed it in with my finger. Again the same result of roughness vs the side I hadn’t sprayed. On reflection, it’s probably as it’s wet. However- when you wait another 24 hours as they tell you too, I was relieved to feel the back of the coin purse and it had returned to 99% of its soft fuzzyness.

And…on doing the water droplet test on it, the splashes rolled off! Phew! Have not tackled the front of my bag yet, but I have 2x sprayed my Tan Regina boots – however I did rub it in with my finger ot a brush.

This is an amazing product. I used this on my mini Windsor before using it and I feel confident that it will protect my bag from marks. Having two young children, I was scared of sticky fingers ruining it.

The instructions are simple to follow, the only thing is with it being a pump spray it tends to spray in clumps so you need the brush to spread the product around the fibres. The bottle comes with a stopper so you can prevent little hands getting it and spraying it everywhere.

The suede looked a little dark when first sprayed but once dried out, looks perfect. I’ve used my bag a few times now and marks just brush off.

So easy to use, I just followed the instructions and I still have some left. The first time I wore my boots outside it started raining. I just let the boots thoroughly dry out before I wore them again and they are absolutely fine.

I would thoroughly recommend this product. Normally I would just use the spray protection but as these are suede I decided to splash out to keep them looking good. My only question that I have is how often should l, or do l need to repeat the process to keep my boots waterproof, protected and looking great? Great product and I will definitely buy again and will recommend.

After buying a set of Meindls 6 years ago for Elk Season wanted to try a new conditioner / protector / waterproofer to protect my investment. Saw a friends expensive leather hunting boots fall apart after they sat in his hit garage for 4 years.

Used to use sno-seal another beeswax based formula for years but I’ll stick to this going forward. Seems to last longer and hold up to more obuse. I’ve never gone a season without harvesting many times within 65 yds so I laugh at these guys who say the pine/beeswax smell might spook game.

Anyways it fades after a week or so and smells very natural. Does darken the leather a bit but that fades as well. I use it yearly.

I have been using Kiwi Mink Oil on my Wolverine boots for years. I recently took the plunge and bought myself a pair of Danner Explorer’s & actually looked seriously into leather care. My Wolverines have held up for about 8 years now, so the Kiwi has obviously worked.

However, I right away noticed how different these products are. The best way to explain the difference, is that the Obenauf’s literally disappears into the leather, (not right away, the next day) and leaves things dry, soft, and smooth like skin.

My Danner’s were a little stiff out of the box. I aplied the LP and wore them round the house. They felt like gloves the second day. The LP soaks into the leather, whereas the Kiwi sort of sticks to the surface.

I have used and abused my wolverines over the years, crawling under the truck doing a clutch recently. I cleaned them up and put on the LP. BIG difference from the Kiwi. I felt good enough about the LP to write something and hopefully help those that are looking into taking care of their leather, just as I have.

I Love my boots. I don’t spend much money on clothes and the like. My Danner’s will be well used, sometimes abused, and taken care of with the LP. I’m sure there are other “Natural” type products that work.

But, I’ll be using this from now on.

I’ve used it for ten years. Great leather preservative. If it does change your tan leather color, it will be toward a deep latigo brown. Melt it in with a heat gun or hair dryer if you can. Leaves a light, natural scent and preserves for years.

A fantastic product I will continue to use.

Tried this on my Blundstones after washing them with saddle soap and treating them with an oil conditioner. This product feels waxy not oily and was easiest to apply a small amount at a time with my hands.

I waited a couple days for it to dry before adding another layer, as it suggests. They look great, are shiny, and waterproof. The white wax did show up in the creases after wearing them for the first time after treatment as the wax coat broke but can be rubbed back in.

So far, I prefer this to Nikwax.

I had a similar product from Grangers before, this one seems to be thicker but worked just fine. It feels more protective when you put it on, and prevents your shoe from wet effectively. I tested it by walking with rain jacket in a 10mm/hr rain and my shoes were dry.

The only down side is it leaves a slight yellow tone on your black shoe.

Very easy to work into both smooth and rough leather, and a little seems to go a long way. Gave my walking boots two good coats and my Australian type leather hat one, without making much of an impact on the tins contents.

Both tested the following day and found to be 100% waterproof. Although the wax is clear (Vaseline colour), it does have a slight darkening effect on the leather. But as I just wanted a easy waterproofing solution for my boots this wasn’t an issue.

I am on my third pair of these, and considering buying a fourth in the absence of a better option for the price. I walk a 5 kilometers (3. 1 miles) in 43 -44 minutes, twice a day, summer and winter, on paved sidewalks and gravel paths or on the snow above.

-35C with the wind today, and my feet were comfortable. Good cushion for impact for my application, but a bit thin under the ball for activity on rocky ground, or for digging a garden. Padded cuff keeps the snow out, except for very deep snow — and make for a poor fit with some pants cuffs.

Treads last a year for me, which is satisfactory for the price in my mind. Interior fabric wears through at the toe about the same time. Inner toe cap is plastic, which does not breathe, and cracks, which might becomes a greater friction point if it now splinters.

I note the image on Cabela’s shows the speed hooks each have two anchor points, but this is not what I have received and is not what I see on the Timberland site. Mine have one anchor point, and one of the hooks on a earlier pair pulled out under light use.

I cobbled a fix for it so got my year of use out of it. Two anchor point would for sure be better. By measure on one of the old metal foot scales, my size is 13+3/4, so a size 14 practically speaking.

I found the size 14 in the Flume was too small, which may be due to the fact that I wear heavy wool socks, always. The size 15 is a little bit loose, which I greatly prefer over a little bit tight. Overall, these boots are “Satisfactory”.

Not outstanding. Not great. But most certainly not “BAD”. With size 14 or 15, “Satisfactory” meets my needs and I am glad to have them. Relatively good value for the price.

These were comfortable right out of the box. Good quality leather uppers and quality construction overall. I used these for early deer season hunting recently, and they were great. Lightweight, and waterproof.

I like these boots because they are form fitting and agile. They feel like they?re part of me. I live and spend my time in the Adirondacks so it?s a very diverse climate. I am confident these will do great in most active conditions all year round aside from heavy deep snow.

Tread is aggressive but not bulky or obnoxiously stiff. These are Sturdy, supportive, and flexible. I condition all my boots in sno-seal because of the diverse climates and is helps with waterproofing.

It darkens the leather to almost black, but with a set of paracord laces, they look great. Classic but modern looks and technology. Will recommend and buy again.

So, I took a chance on this boot when my old stand by was no longer available (Sundowner’s RIP) mainly because of the looks. I know, lame reason. However! I work in and out of the office and need a strong, durable boot that doesn’t look like a strong, durable boot.

The Terra GTX basically checked all the boxes I needed. It looks great and fits into the new “Business Casual” realm that the HR thugs promote, and it works in the woods. How, you ask? Glad you did. Great support, good arch, nice foot bed, and best of all.

they are so light. Like that topping that Grandma used to put on homemade pies. (Thanks Grandma!) I’ve put them them through bona fide heck and they still look and feel great. I will probably buy a reserve pair for the closet.

just in case I go hiking in there.

I bought a pair (grey outlined in purple) in 2014 and loved them so much that I wanted to buy a pair in 2015 because my toe would jam into toe point going down slight declines. So I bought the green color shoe a 1/2 size bigger in summer 2015.

I wear 6. 5 usually, but find the 7 much better fit. I no longer have the toe jamming issue and can wear thicker socks as the weather gets colder. Been wearing for 6 months EVERYDAY. I wear them as everyday shoes as well as I hike a three mile loop most days with slight elevation gain and loss.

I have also worn them occasionally in dry conditions for 6 mile AT hike, which involved some rock scrambling. I have low arches and find these shoes fit very well. I can wear all day long just in everyday wear and they feel great.

I haven’t taken any strenuous all day hikes. These shoes are waterproof. I have had multiple experiences in the rain with these shoes. Just last weekend, I ended up along northern California coast and it poured rain, while my jeans got so soaked that rain ran down my leg and into the heel of my shoe, the shoe itself was dry.

I don’t think this rain entry was a shoe issue. The only thing I’ve noticed as a critique is that during/after a rain the shoes slip a bit on leaves (fall on East Coast) while ascending small hills (these are groomed trails I’m talking about here, but heavily covered in leaves).

Shoe remains in great condition after 6 months of everyday wear! Anyway, I love these shoes and continue to promote to friends because they are lightweight and satisfy most needs, but if I were doing extended backpacking, I would carry another boot with me because of the slippage.

Additionally, while the support is fabulous for most days, I would want a shoe to come up over my ankle for navigating rocks or heavy, uneven terrain (perhaps the Ahnu Sugarpine waterproof boot would suffice, but I doubt it will perform differently regarding slippage than this equivalent shoe?).

Yet balancing weight of boot and needs of terrain is always a consideration. I will be buying more of this product!.

i bought these before a camping trip that would involve several hours of hiking to get to our camp site. as i had only a pair of very “breathable” running shoes, i thought i should get something waterproof and more comfortable for the trip.

i wasn’t too thrilled about the style — i got the red ones, which made me feel a little like ronald mcdonald–but once i started wearing them i didn’t care how they looked. these were immediately amazing, no need to break them in, no blisters or anything.

they support my ankles and give my toes plenty of room. even walking through deep puddles, i have not gotten my feet wet once while wearing them. on our way out of the camp site, we had to cross through some rather swampy terrain and one of my companions ended up calling me “legolas” after i was the only one who got through it without wet socks.

all credit to these shoes. i have taken to wearing them to work every day just because i can’t imagine myself putting my feet into something less comfortable, now that i have this option. they can get quite warm, which has led to me taking them off occasionally under my desk to cool my feet down, but as the weather gets colder i’m sure i’ll appreciate it.

i have already recommended these to several people — one of the girls at my work asked me where she could get hiking boots, as she was going camping for the first time, and i was so excited to point at my feet and jump up and down and tell her how comfy they are.

I switched a number of my items to Merino (cycling/hiking and some of my everyday). It is/was an investment and I try to take care of my stuff. I have tried a number of Merino cleaners, but this one is the best.

Local shop is not carrying anymore, so to find it at my fav online retailer is a bliss. Simple… cold water in a small bucket with your Merino items, wash/press by hand… let it stand for 15/30 minutes depending on how dirty it was… pour your items and water on your washer (gentle cycle) and you are done.

Smells great, cleans and keeps your wool better than if you had used soap. I’m trying to add a bottle or two on my every purchase… :).

Simply put this is the very best merino wool cleaning product I have ever tried. I have used it for a decade and have Icebreaker wool items that still look and smell good 9 years later because it cleans the fabric without chemicals.

It thus prevents damage and enhances longevity while making it smell good. All in all, I always wash my Merino wool clothing with this and always will. No cheap but worth every penny.

My wife and I have used Grangers cleaners for years and have been really impressed. We really appreciate this one being so concentrated, however it didn’t quite seem to clean as well as the ultra non-concentrated version using the recommended dose.

After washing there was still some normal dirt on the pant legs. While we still like the cleaner, we may need to use a little stronger dose then specified next load.

Was on a search for hiking boots for narrow feet that would hug my feet instead feeling like an oversized cardboard box. These feel so soft and comfy! I have a sore toenail issue on on of my thumbs and need to size up – but then the shoes end up too wide.

With the Alp Mates, I feel they still hug my feet and hold them in place. I did get a bit of sore toenail still, but less than with other boots that don’t hold my feet in place – and it slides forward on downhills.

My concern was that they aren’t made of goretex, but other waterproof material, and I still haven’t tested them in serious puddles, so can’t speak for that. Also, I got the impression they are a bit hotter than my goretex shoes and don’t breathe that well.

but not sure. I didn’t get any stinky feet after intense hikes. But I also wear merino wool socks, so. In general, I really recommend Salewa, I had their Alpenviolet boots and oh, I loved them dearly, it’s the comfiest thing ever.

Just decided I need to get bigger size boots after having my toenail partly separated twice over 3 years.

First hats off the MEC. I ordered these on a Monday and Canada Post delivered them on Friday the same week. I have put about 50kms on these boots which I originally bout them as my daily dog walking boots.

No real break-in period they are comfortable and the claim “No Blisters” has proven true. Today took them on a 10 km hike with Micro Spikes on Ice covered with snow and easy light boot to wear. the temp this morning was -10C and I wore a Mid-weight Icebreaker Merino Wool sock and the feet were warm.

However any cooler and not sure if that would be the same result as they are not insulated more of a fair-weather boot. You really can lock in your heel with the cable system Salewa provides on their Boots.

Once the snow got too warm for the Micro Spikes the grip alone on these boots on Snow-covered Ice was pretty decent.

The previous edition of this shoe was the Mt Maddsen. Cosmetically, the Keele Ridge is a simplified version of the Mt Maddsen. Comparing performances, the Mt Maddsen is superior. The Keele Ridge has a bellow tongue and that is an improvement but it suffers from a weird Ortholite insole and silly little round laces.

The round laces are impossible to stay tight, even double knotted, because they seem to be coated with DWR. I switched out laces for the Mt Maddsen flat fabric laces and the shoes stayed tightened: proof that the round laces are problematic.

I permanently replaced the round laces with leather laces treated with Sno-Seal and the laces stay tight all day. Contributing to the inferior fit of the Keele Ridge is the weird Ortholite insole. It’s too soft.

When I’m hiking over rocks, I like to know where my feet. The Mt Maddsen insole is less spongy. I switched out the Ortholite insole for the Mt Maddsen insole and the shoe improved immediately.

I just purchased my 2nd pair for just when my current pair wear out. I walk about 60+ KM a week and find these shoes to be comfortable, lightweight and durable. Having had them for a few months now, the insole has had no sign of major wear, the treads still look fairly new.

I’ve walked in these now in rain and snow and they have been fairly waterproof and have kept my feet dry. I’m writing this review because I hope that Timberland continues to make great products like this, its difficult to find good shoes for a reasonable price!!.

These are very comfortable and supportive hiking shoes. They are like slippers to wear straight out the box. Whilst they are notionally Summer weight, I have three pairs on the go at once. They also make a great year round casual day wear shoe, and are also very waterproof for hiking.

An awesome deal when they are a BOGO. Recommended even at full price though.

I think they have a good price-quality ratio. I weigh a 38 and since they have no means I have asked for a 39 and I am equally comfortable without noticing that it may be a bit bigger than necessary (my foot is narrow and you do not have the feeling that it is loose).

At least for my foot the last is comfortable and enveloping. There is adequate cushioning between the interior and the sole. I have put them the first time walking 16km through different mountainous terrain: puddles, stones, earth, tailings, etc.

and the feeling is very good, they grip, they are stable and you have the feeling of standing protected when you jump between the rocks, you can not appreciate the Hardness of these on the sole of the foot.

I need to test them more thoroughly to see if the sole slides according to what surface or its behavior in more humid terrain, but so far very happy, very comfortable. In terms of aesthetics, a very good finish can be seen, well finished and adequately protected at important points.

Also, personally, they seem very cool to me. Satisfied with the purchase.

Arrive in just 4 days. I had had bad experiences in terms of waiting in the past, but this time the shipping was really fast! Shoes are comfortable. Maybe I was expecting them to be a bit more tessellated, but it is certainly a good quality / price ratio.

I took a number more and I feel comfortable (already tried in two simple and not too long excursions). The waterproofness still has to be tested, but I’m satisfied anyway!.

I have not been able to test them yet because I received them a few days ago. I hope to try them this Sunday. At the moment very correct, they look very well finished and of good quality. I have tried them to walk around a bit and they are very comfortable and keep your feet warm.

The right number, I use a 39 and asked for a 40 just in case and it turns out that 40 is perfect for me. I recommend asking for one more number if you buy them.

This is my second bottle to protect my boots, and give them a treat to clean them up! I was recommended to selection this product as it was best for my boots! The instructions are easy to follow and providing you follow said instructions works well.

There is room for improvement as this still hasn’t protected my boots completely but it gives them a fighting chance!.

I used the protector spray on my tan handbag and shoes. Before I started wearing them out of the house. It has served its purpose wonderfully when I have been caught in bad weather. My items are still looking as good as new.

The smell is quite pleasant and it really doesn’t take long to dry and leaves no marks.

First impression was that there’s loads in this product, I was expecting it to just cover my Regina boots but there was loads left over. The look of this product is so simple and perfect. Since this product is an aerosol it covers the whole shoe easily.

No leftover residue on the shoes.

Hi there F & F I bought my lovely tan Reginas from Equitogs in Sussex. I forgot to buy any cleaner from them, so I bought it online, as I actually live miles from Equitogs in Surrey. I have not worn my them yet and/or put any photos up about me wearing them.

I wanted to waterproof them first as they are precious but I didn’t want to be precious with them when wearing them, as life is too short. I am actually chatting on the F & F FB group now about this kit – I used the brush in the kit on my suede Reginas when waterproofing, but it is too harsh a brush and it has made lines on the suede.

I used Liquiproof. I actually bought a gorgeous new soft horsehair brush to use for the task, but thought I should use the F & F brush, after all, they supplied it in the kit!! I shall contact Customer Service as after a pretty grotty year (to hard to go into here) (I also worked really hard to buy these) I didn’t want to ruin them before actually wearing them outside.

I haven’t checked on the boots yet drying in the spare bedroom ( I liquiproofed them on 23rd December) and frankly I am scared to go and look. I have broken my feet in the past and I was just so thrilled to be able to find some boots that felt comfortable to me.

I had to go and try on every style in a store, as my feet aren’t quite the right shape now. I wouldn’t dream of buying any footwear online, hence a long journey to my nearest stockist. I have given one star as the brush didn’t feel right when I used it, but thought it must be correct.

Best wishes Cathy.

Great products I bought to give my Regina’s a first liquid proof and also to freshen up my old boots , following instructions on the applications process works really well and makes the old boots shin like new and my new boots can be worn knowing I really don’t have to worry as they are fully protected.

Doing the tap test you see the most amazing result as the water literally repels off the boot leaving no marks on the suede. Absolutely amazing, the kit coming in the cutest little bag to keep it all organised and perfect for travel.

Would also make the best protection present for anyone getting a new pair.

Although o did return this I am still going 5stars. I didn’t pay much attention to the size of the bottles so when they came I knew I’d need more. So have bought bigger bottles separately. Great easy instructions a nice little kit if you’re out and about.

Provides great protection.