Running with wet feet, in wet socks, in wet shoes is the perfect recipe for blisters. It’s also a fast track to low morale. Nothing dampens spirits quicker than soaked socks. On ultra runs, I always carry spares. And when faced with wet, or even snowy, mid-winter miles, the lure of weatherproof shoes is strong. Anything that can stem the soggy tide is worth a go, right?
This isn’t as simple an answer as it sounds. In the past, a lot of runners—that includes me—felt waterproof shoes came with too many trade-offs, like thicker, heavier uppers that change the feel of your shoes or a tendency to run hot and sweaty. In general, weatherproof shoes are less comfortable.
But waterproofing technology has evolved, and it might be time for a rethink. Winterized shoes can now be as light as the regular models, breathability is better, and the comfort levels have improved. Brands are also starting to add extra puddle protection to some of the most popular shoes. So it’s time to ask the questions again: Just how much difference does a bit of Gore-Tex really make? Are there still trade-offs for that extra protection? And is it really worth paying the premium?
I spoke to the waterproofing pros, an elite ultra runner who has braved brutal conditions, and some expert running shoe testers. Here’s everything you need to know about waterproof running shoes in 2026. Need more information? Check out our guide to the Best Running Shoes, our guide to weatherproof fabrics, and our guide to the Best Rain Jackets.
How Do Waterproof Running Shoes Work?
On a basic level, waterproof shoes add extra barriers between your nice dry socks and the wet world outside. If you’re running through puddles deep enough to breach your heel collars, you’re still going to get wet feet. But waterproof shoes can protect against rain, wet grass, snow, and smaller puddles.
Gore-Tex is probably the most common waterproofing tech in footwear, but it’s not the only solution in town. Some brands have proprietary tech, or you might come across alternative systems like eVent and Sympatex. That GTX stamp is definitely the one you’re most likely to encounter, so here’s how GTX works.
The water resistance comes from a layered system that is composed of a durable water repellent (DWR) coating to the uppers with an internal membrane, along with other details like taped seams, more sealed uppers with tighter woven mesh, gusseted tongues, and higher, gaiter-style heel collars.
The DWR coating is the first line of defense. “DWR is a finishing treatment on the outer surface of the textile to minimize the amount of water pickup. It gets water to bead off, so your uppers don’t soak it in,” says Mark Abof, Gore-Tex’s global product manager. If you step in a puddle and the water doesn’t rise over your heel collar or laces, the water will shed right off. I’ve tested this on quite a few Gore-Tex trail shoes, and it works.
But DWR on its own is not enough. “If you just had a treatment on the surface, over time it degrades,” says Abof. That is to say, if you run through puddle after puddle or have heavy rain constantly hitting your uppers, eventually the DWR will wash off and your shoe will let moisture in. That’s why Gore-Tex uses an inner membrane to prevent the water from reaching your foot.
There are different ways to deploy waterproof membranes in running shoes. The older solution is to add a sock-like waterproof bootie inside the shoe. But these booties can change the way a shoe fits and feels on the foot. The extra layer also adds weight and hampers breathability. “But that leads to trade-offs. It doesn’t fit the same, there’s wrinkles, there’s creases, it’s hot,” says Abof. Hot, sweaty feet are just as much the enemy of comfort, and overheating barriers made waterproof shoes less viable outside of wet winter months.
But the technology has moved on. While some shoes (including GTX shoes) still deploy the bootie solution, Gore-Tex has a new waterproofing method called Invisible Fit. A one-piece waterproof membrane is bonded directly to the upper, which removes much of the extra lining. That means the shoe weighs less and has fewer insulating air pockets that can trap heat and moisture. It helps waterproof shoes feel more like regular shoes.
“If you talk with the Nikes and the New Balances, they spend a lot of time on their lasts,” says Abof. (A shoe last is a form, or mold, that the company uses to design how the shoe fits and feels.) “If it’s a New Balance last, they want that shoe to fit like a New Balance shoe,” says Abof, adding that Invisible Fit “is the biggest one way that can most significantly move the needle is making the fit and feel [of waterproof shoes] feel like a standard shoe.”
Waterproof shoes are often still heavier than their regular siblings, but in some cases, GTX Invisible Fit shoes now weigh the same and sometimes less.
Is Waterproofing Now Standard?
Does this “invisible” tech mean we’ll see more of the most popular road shoes now offer waterproofing?
“No, I don’t think so,” says Alex Filitti, full-time shoe tester and founder of Meta-Endurance, a media outlet that’s focused on endurance sports. “If anything, brands seem more focused on reducing weight, improving foam performance, and increasing comfort and breathability. Waterproof versions will likely remain as side options or winter variants, rather than becoming standard in the most popular road models.”
All the extra tech also comes at a cost. You can expect to pay a weatherproof premium of somewhere between $10 and $40 more for a Gore-Tex shoe or a running shoe with a waterproof equivalent upper.
Here’s a handful of the most popular waterproof running shoes for comparison:
Do You Need Waterproof Shoes?
For most of us, most of the time, the experts aren’t convinced. “I would consider waterproof shoes mainly in cold and wet conditions,” says Filitti. “For example, winter runs in regions where rain, slush, or snow combine with low temperatures. In those situations, keeping feet warmer and drier can genuinely improve comfort. But when it’s 3 to 5 degrees Celsius [37 to 41 Fahrenheit] with rain, I’d still rather prioritize breathability and comfort over waterproofing.”
“For the majority of runners, a well-draining, breathable upper paired with good socks usually works just fine,” Filitti concludes.
One runner who knows a thing or two about running in harsh conditions is elite ultrarunner Damian Hall, cofounder of The Green Runners.
Hall is a four-time finisher of the UK’s Winter Spine Race, a brutal nonstop, 268-mile ultra where race conditions range from pelting rain and deep snow to ice, wet bogs, and freezing gale winds. Despite that, Hall says he never seriously considered reaching for waterproof shoes.
“For really long stuff, one of the biggest causes of blisters and foot problems is going to be wet feet, moisture, and friction. So it’s something we’re trying to avoid. But generally, I found them not worth bothering with,” says Hall.
“What I found in the past is basically water will get in over the top. So especially something like Spine Race, you’re going to splash in a big puddle, or probably a river, and then basically water gets in anyway, quite easily, and then the waterproofness means the water sort of stays there. You could end up with worse foot problems from having wetter feet that way,” Hall says. The only time Hall likes a waterproof shoe is when the fields are wet the first thing in the morning and you’re only doing a short run.
Waterproof shoes are improving. I’ve run in a number of trail shoes with Gore-Tex Invisible Fit, and now that there are fewer trade-offs, in some conditions, that extra protection is welcome.
“One of the main differences is that overall fit can be retained, and shoe weight differences are not so drastically different,” says Taylor Bodin, chief trail shoe tester for Believe in the Run, a gear running reviews site.
“For example, the Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL was able to be virtually the same shoe as the standard model and performed on par with its non-GTX counterpart. In the aforementioned shoe, it is not like I could ford a river and come out the other side dry. The shoe was only truly waterproof up to the top of the toe box. Without special closures or a booty, there’s really no way to keep all of the desired water out,” says Bodin.
But if you want to save a bit of money and still protect your feet, Hall has a secret weapon for running in challenging conditions. “The truth is, a lot of us use waterproof socks. But that might be an entirely different debate.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: wired.com
