All Grisport footwear labelled ‘Waterproof’ features a high-performance, semi-permeable membrane that keeps water out while allowing moisture vapour to escape, helping your feet stay dry and comfortable. This includes all footwear labelled as ‘Waterproof’ or fitted with Spo-Tex or Sympatex membranes.
Every waterproof Grisport boot exceeds the relevant British waterproof performance standard for footwear. To achieve this, each model must successfully pass the underwater flex test, remaining completely dry after more than seven hours of continuous flexing while submerged. Many Grisport models continue to perform well beyond this minimum requirement.
Over 95% of the walking and hiking footwear in the Grisport UK Collection is waterproof to UK standards.
Footwear featuring our Gri-Tex lining is classified as water-resistant rather than waterproof. This lining is used throughout much of our Active Comfort shoe collection, providing excellent protection against light rain, damp conditions and splashes while maintaining comfort and breathability.
When a boot fails to last 7 hours from dry, this may be down to one of the following reasons.
Stepping on sharp objects such as broken glass, slate, or jagged rocks can occasionally puncture the sole. As with all outdoor footwear, this type of damage can compromise the waterproof membrane and may allow water to enter.
If you are unlucky enough to stand on broken glass or a particularly sharp piece of slate or rock, the sole of your boot may become punctured. This puncture can again pierce the membrane and allow water into the boot.
Our waterproof footwear is designed to keep your feet dry for extended periods and is tested to meet strict waterproofing standards, typically lasting over 7 hours from complete dryness.
However, performance can be affected if the boots are used in wet conditions over multiple consecutive days without fully drying in between. If footwear remains damp or saturated from previous use, the waterproof membrane may not perform to the same level, as it has already been exposed to moisture for an extended period.
To maintain the best waterproof performance, we recommend allowing your footwear to dry naturally between uses, particularly after heavy exposure to wet conditions.
While our walking shoes and boots are designed to keep water out, it’s important to understand their limits. Waterproof protection works up to the height of the membrane and tongue construction.
If you step into water that is deeper than the top of the tongue or collar, water can enter from above. This is not a fault with the footwear, but simply a limitation of how all walking footwear is designed.
For wetter or boggier conditions, we recommend choosing a style with a bellows tongue, which provides a higher level of water resistance by extending the waterproof barrier further up the boot.
Always consider the conditions you’ll be walking in and select footwear that offers the right level of protection for your environment.
During long walks or in warmer conditions, feet naturally produce moisture. While our waterproof membranes are designed to allow this to escape, breathability can be reduced if the upper becomes heavily saturated with water, mud, or dirt.
This can lead to a build-up of moisture inside the footwear, which may feel similar to water ingress, but is typically caused by perspiration that is unable to escape.
Modern walking socks are designed to wick moisture away from the skin. However, if the top of the sock becomes wet, moisture can travel down into the footwear, creating a damp feeling inside the boot.
Additional layers such as gaiters or waterproof trousers can also increase moisture around the lower leg, which may be absorbed by the socks and transferred into the footwear.
This can sometimes be mistaken for water ingress, but is typically caused by external moisture or perspiration.
The waterproof and breathable membrane plays a key role in keeping your feet dry. In rare cases, this membrane can become compromised over time due to the following factors:
Manufacturing faults are rare, as waterproof membranes and finished footwear undergo extensive testing.
Where a genuine fault exists, it will typically be noticeable from the first use in wet conditions. If a product develops a leak after a period of use, this is more commonly the result of wear, damage, or external factors rather than a manufacturing defect.