Breathable Winter Boots

A boot that breathes is crucially important in keeping your feet dry – particularly if you spend many hours outdoors or are doing strenuous activities, such as hunting, construction work, etc... The reason breathability of a boot is so important is that a boot that breathes allows your foots perspiration (also known as water!) to escape. The breathability of the boot essentially allows your foot to vent its sweat through the shell of the boot. When it comes to the ability of a boot to “breathe”, there are two excellent types available.

The first type, and the most popular type of breathable boots, is made out of Gore-Tex and similar type waterproof fabrics. These fabrics are specifically designed with micro-size pores to allow perspiration from the foot to escape from the inside of the boot while at the same time preventing water from entering the boot from the outside.

The boot is able to vent the foots moisture while at the same time preventing external water from getting inside the boot because external water droplets are significantly larger in size than is water vapor. Thus, internal perspiration from the foot escapes – while external moisture is prevented from entering the boot.

Generally, most Gore-Tex boots are a mix of leather and Gore-Tex fabric. The Gore-Tex fabric itself never needs to be treated – only cleaned occasionally. However, the leather part of the boot will occasionally need to be coated with waterproofing treatments and cleaned.

Sorel type boots (or boots that have a leather upper and a rubber lower) do have a problem in terms of breathability. While the lower rubber on the boots works wonders in making the boots 100% waterproof and making them super easy to clean (no small consideration in muddy conditions), the lower rubber effectively prevents the foots perspiration from escaping. Happily, there is a way to combat this – by using the proper sock.

The second type of breathable boot are shearling boots, popularized by the craze around Ugg Boots. The inner fleece of the Ugg Boot is a natural breathable material. The fleece not only absorbs the perspiration – it also allows the perspiration to escape, too. And similar to more traditional winter boots, the fleece also repels water from entering the boot at the same time.

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