Are Xsensible shoes waterproof/water-resistant?
There is a clear distinction between waterproof and water-resistant.
Waterproof means that the shoes keep water out even when submerged for an extended period. That is, if you were to stand in water for a day, the inside of the shoe – and therefore your feet too – would remain completely dry.
Water-resistant (NOT waterproof) means that no water will enter the shoes when they are exposed to water for a short period. Walking briefly in the rain won’t pose any problems, but if you walk through wet grass or under wet conditions for longer, then you’ll get wet feet. We can never say for sure how long your feet will stay dry in water-resistant shoes, as this depends on a variety of circumstances.
By contrast, when it comes to waterproof shoes we can say that your feet will always stay dry (as long as the water doesn’t run into the top of your shoes).
By applying the membrane and sealing the stitching, we keep water away from the leather, therefore making it ‘waterproof’. This also applies to the bottom part of a shoe or boot. (For a shoe, this is approximately 3 cm above the edge of the sole). This means that if the toe of the shoe is completely submerged, the water may run in along the lacing. For boots, this is a little higher.
Waterproof means that the shoes keep water out even when submerged for an extended period. That is, if you were to stand in water for a day, the inside of the shoe – and therefore your feet too – would remain completely dry.
Water-resistant (NOT waterproof) means that no water will enter the shoes when they are exposed to water for a short period. Walking briefly in the rain won’t pose any problems, but if you walk through wet grass or under wet conditions for longer, then you’ll get wet feet. We can never say for sure how long your feet will stay dry in water-resistant shoes, as this depends on a variety of circumstances.
By contrast, when it comes to waterproof shoes we can say that your feet will always stay dry (as long as the water doesn’t run into the top of your shoes).
By applying the membrane and sealing the stitching, we keep water away from the leather, therefore making it ‘waterproof’. This also applies to the bottom part of a shoe or boot. (For a shoe, this is approximately 3 cm above the edge of the sole). This means that if the toe of the shoe is completely submerged, the water may run in along the lacing. For boots, this is a little higher.