Footwear: do you need waterproof?

[Pilsprog]

My partner and I plan to walk the Camino Frances starting around the end of May in SJPDP. Any advice on whether we should wear waterproof footwear for the rainy/muddy conditions? The boots I'm breaking in aren't waterproof but I've treated them with NikWax. We live in the high desert southwest US and though we encounter some snow/ice, we haven't had a chance to practice hiking in rain yet. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[wayfarer]

IMO you should, I encountered some very wet weather in May 2012 and would hate to think what it would have been like if my boots were not waterproof. As it was they got wet a few times which made walking very uncomfortable. Wearing wet boots is also a very easy way to get blisters.
Have a great Camino.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I vote no. I've never worn waterproof shoes and I've walked in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November.
I don't wear boots, however.
I wear New Balance trail runners.
If they DO get wet, which they never have, they are dry by morning.

From what I understand, waterproof shoes often hold in the sweat, which tends to cause blisters.

 

[HermanTheGerman]

I vote a big YES to waterproof footwear, but it also depends on what your definition of waterproof really is.

 

[Kanga]

My partner and I plan to walk the Camino Frances starting around the end of May in SJPDP. Any thoughts appreciated.

So you will actually be walking in June, possibly into July? Hot summer weather. Think about what you would feel most comfortable wearing in hot weather.

If you are really unlucky and get a cold snap in the mountains, that is only going to be a day or two. After Pamplona even if you get rain, it's unlikely to be cold. So do you prepare for two or three days or for the other 30?

So many people agonise about the cold without taking into account that summer in Spain can be very hot!

In summer feet can get just as wet from perspiration as rain. Heat plus moisture plus friction is the recipe for blisters.

 

[backpack45scb]

My partner and I plan to walk the Camino Frances starting around the end of May in SJPDP. Any advice on whether we should wear waterproof footwear for the rainy/muddy conditions? The boots I'm breaking in aren't waterproof but I've treated them with NikWax. We live in the high desert southwest US and though we encounter some snow/ice, we haven't had a chance to practice hiking in rain yet. Any thoughts appreciated.

I think you are starting too late to expect many continuous days of rain. My recommendation would be running shoes or trail runners which are NOT Gortex. You want the shoes to dry quickly once they get wet. I use Asics Gel Nimbus and just wear liner socks. If I am going early enough or late enough in the season to expect lots of rain, I carry a pair of SealSkinz waterproof socks. Your feet get damp in them because of sweat, but your feet stay warm. I still wear the liner socks.

I do have a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX boots which I used one April. They worked well, and my feet stayed dry, but they were heavier than my Asics and were warmer than I liked on warm days. Heat and moisture create blisters. I would be concerned about any footwear that requires breaking in. Wear something that is comfortable from day 1, but be sure that it is a half to full size larger than your normal size. On multiweek hikes, your feet will expand.

About hiking in the rain. Will the water run down your legs into the top of your footwear? If so, you want fast drying shoes. We wear rainpants for extended periods of rain. My wife hikes in shorts and Dirty Girl Gaiters for intermittent rain.

 

[Olivares]

My boots were waterproof and they got soaked in because when it rains torrentially on the Camino water will seep in no matter what and there is NO waterproof against that! I dried them out that night using a hair dryer/blower but that was pure luck to find a hair dryer to begin with. This is one reason I am bringing a second pair (hiking sandals) when I get back on the Camino this coming June.

 

[Larry from Sydney]

I have 'waterproof' ankle high boots but like others will take the luxury of also carrying a pair of trail shoes as well in case the boots get wet - don't count on a set weather pattern as you are walking across Spain and it can change many times in a day - consider what is comfortable on your feet and consider gaiters as they will help divert runoff from going into your shoes - protect your feet as they carry you

 

[Glowdog]

It might rain during your camino, or it might not. You can't base whether or not you need waterproof boots on that unpredictable unknown.

Personally, I think boots - waterproof or otherwise - are unnecessary for hiking unless you are hiking in snow, or carrying a heavy pack through lots of water crossings. But for general, 3-season, light-load backpacking (i.e., the camino), boots (especially waterproof) are unnecessary.

If the weather is bad with lots of rain - you will get water in your boots at some point. If the weather is hot - you will sweat in your boots. You are more likely to get blisters wearing those wet, heavy boots, especially if they are waterproof and slow to dry.

Personally, I wear Asics gel trail runners or Keen Voyager (not waterproof) hiking shoes. I apply Body Glide (and sometimes a "fingerless glove" gel toe separator) and a single thin or medium sock layer. My feet get wet, even soaked, sometimes - but everything dries quickly and I never get blisters.

This is just my experience. I have been hiking all kinds of trails and roads, in all kinds of conditions, with all kinds of weight on my back. I started off years ago with heavy, waterproof boots and it was killer.

 

[Dutch]

Even if it rains, it's not going te be cold. End of May indeed means most of the time you will be walking in June and depending on where you end, maybe even first part of July.
June is everything BUT a cold month. It can be warm to hot.

In warm weather i can only say, stay far far away from anything gore-tex like. You want maximum breathability and you wont get that with waterproof boots, shoes ect...

 

[jayree]

Personally, I think boots - waterproof or otherwise - are unnecessary for hiking unless you are hiking in snow, or carrying a heavy pack through lots of water crossings. But for general, 3-season, light-load backpacking (i.e., the camino), boots (especially waterproof) are unnecessary.

If the weather is bad with lots of rain - you will get water in your boots at some point. If the weather is hot - you will sweat in your boots. You are more likely to get blisters wearing those wet, heavy boots, especially if they are waterproof and slow to dry.

Personally, I wear Asics gel trail runners or Keen Voyager (not waterproof) hiking shoes. I apply Body Glide (and sometimes a "fingerless glove" gel toe separator) and a single thin or medium sock layer. My feet get wet, even soaked, sometimes - but everything dries quickly and I never get blisters.
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I agree completely with Glowdog. I hiked the CF in September 2012 in NB low cut trail shoes without problems or blisters. BodyGlide (the one containing dimethacone) and thin socks worked flawlessly for me. On a few days it rained hard but my feet didn't get that wet. Some used gaiters or plastic bags to keep their socks dry.