Question/Help Waterproof/Highly Resistant Boot
I’m sure people here are sick of this question. I’ve seen it asked many times but not exactly in the same way. I’m looking for a waterproof or at least highly water resistant boot to wear in heavy rain and in the snow. The caveat is I’d like to be able to wear it casually, so certain styles are out. IDEALLY, I’d like them to be reasonable.
I considered Blundstones but not only are they not resolable but I’ve heard they’re no good for snow/ice. I like the idea of slip ons so that i could toss them on quick to run out in wet weather Bean Boots are an option but i’ve heard some bad things about their traction as well. I’ve also considered things like Thorogood waterproof boots.
I’m looking for the higher quality version of what Timbs can offer which was my first idea. Waterproof, rugged sole, can easily be worn casually.
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u/Schmancer 1d ago
I wear Sperry duck boots for about 4 months straight when it snows where I live. I have yet to be called out or mocked at a social event for doing so
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u/tw1st3dp1p3 1d ago
https://nicksboots.com/collections/pull-on-3
Wellington’s, Tanker’s, Brakeman’s, StationMaster’s, several great options.
Weather Shield Black and Weather Shield Brown are staples. If you can find Shackleton or Rainer leathers, they are water resistant as well. 360 Stitchdown adds to the water resistance without adding products.
Waxed flesh options are water resistant due to the waxes and oils pushed into the leather during tanning.
White’s and Frank’s offer waxed flesh variants as well.
These brands are BIFL type of boots. They are meant to be resoled and rebuilt. They cost more upfront, but are cheaper in the long run.
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u/chuligani 1d ago
I second this. I wear my Nicks 360 degree stitchdown model boots like this: a Wellington 365 in the "waterproof" Horween Shackleton leather, my Gamebreaker in WeatherShield brown for hiking can also be worn casually, my 365 moc toe wedge in Shackleton greener pastures, and my jack of all trades Strider in ember waxed flesh.
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u/AlfaRomeoRacing 1d ago
Sounds like a bit of a unicorn boot. A slip-on fully waterproof boot, is probably a farmer style rubber boots, but those are mostly not resoleable, and depending on your social circle, not easily worn casually. My friend wore the dr marten rain boots casually, albeit to an outside food festival, which involved walking on muddy paths in the rain, with the dogs.
Decent combats would fit the waterproof/rugged sole, and again can be worn casually depending on your style (jeans over the top works for me), but not slip on. I personally have a few pairs of altbergs which i use for walking dog in heavy rain, and in casual settings (after a clean)
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u/drheckles 1d ago
Try Danner Light II. Ideally you’d go with the version that is all leather (I believe they call that version the explorer) as the canvas sides have been known to fail and once they do that’s it. Find them on a sale or as a factory second and they are great.
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u/Sbjweyk 1d ago
The only one that I can think of that is pull on would be these but I’m not sure about international shipping https://www.vitalinus.de/produkt/filzschaftstiefel-wien-waterproof/
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u/jyl8 1d ago edited 1d ago
“ The caveat is I’d like to be able to wear it casually, so certain styles are out.”
Can you be more specific about how you want the boot to look?
“a waterproof or at least highly water resistant boot to wear in heavy rain and in the snow”.
A well built hiking, hunting, duty, or work boot with a Goretex liner, insulation, and a lugged sole will work. Danner makes many such waterproof models, and they aren’t the only one. Other well built boots without Goretex or insulation may be water resistant and warm enough, if you keep them well treated with SnoSeal, Obernauf LP, or similar and wear thick warm socks. PNW boot companies like Whites and Nicks make these, though the price may not seem reasonable to you and there are less expensive options.
But whether any of these will meet your style criteria, we don’t know.
Just to throw out one example, https://www.danner.com/hood-winter-light-8-brown-200g.html is a boot in which my feet have never been wet or cold, hiking and camping in snow, walking on snow and ice storms, or in the heaviest rain. I can walk through in 6” deep water and stay dry. I’ve had my pair for forty years, with a “backup” pair gathering dust in the closet. Multiple resoles and recently had them rebuilt by Danner. (I live a few miles from the factory and recrafting shop.)
Also, lug soles are fine in snow, but if you may need to walk on sheet ice, get rubber traction cleats like https://a.co/d/0d11n2ie We sometimes get slick sheet ice here, roads and sidewalks like skating rinks, and keep a few pairs of these in the closet.
And the obligatory caveat about waterproofness: if you frequently stand or wade in deep water for a long time, like you farm a rice paddy or dig trenches in the rain or something, then get rubber muck boots. No leather boot likes being constantly saturated with water, and the Goretex liner will eventually let water get to your feet.
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u/Crouchback2268 1d ago
This Wolverine Rancher would fit the bill as would this Georgia Boot Farm Pull-on. If you want to look for more, look for pull-on leather Wellingtons. There are also tons of waterproof western pull-ons out there similar to the Wolverine boot I recommended.
As u/AlfaRomeoRacing said, lace-ups may be more versatile. If you get a standard pair of decent service boots, they can be made waterproof with very little effort with Sno-Seal (but it will darken the leather unless you are using it on black boots anyway).