05 Wet Feet & Winter Best picks
Best Waterproof Hiking Shoes
Low-cut, lighter than a boot, and still built to keep rain and puddles out. Ranked by membrane, width and weight.
- By
- Mike M.
- Updated
- Method
- How we choose
We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides the ranking: the method is published. Affiliate disclosure
Quick picks
The short answer
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX GORE-TEX at 365 g per shoe (half pair) with a men's Wide and a full-length rock plate, the lightest GORE-TEX option here. | Best overall waterproof shoe | 6.7 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 02 | Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX An Advanced Chassis midsole insert plus a men's E - Wide, built for stability on rough, wet ground. | Best for uneven, technical trails | 6.7 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 03 | Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Sold in men's Wide as a separate product, with the same upper and outsole as the popular non-waterproof Moab 3. | Best all-around wide-feet pick | 6.4 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 04 | Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof Regular and Wide in a waterproof leather-and-synthetic upper with an 8 mm drop. | Best low-cut for wide feet | 6.4 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 05 | KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe KEEN.DRY waterproofing with a men's Wide sold as its own product, not just a half-size adjustment. | Best dedicated men's Wide | 6.3 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 06 | La Sportiva Spire GTX A GORE-TEX Surround lining La Sportiva lists as breathable on all sides, not just through the top of the foot. | Best for breathability in a waterproof shoe | 6.1 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 07 | HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX A leather upper on a dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole, more cushioned underfoot than the others here. | Best cushioned wet-weather shoe | 6.0 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
#ad · Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Scores are ours, compiled from published specs, widths and warranty terms against this page's problem, not lab tests. Photos are stock. Tap a row for the full write-up.
What a low-cut shoe trades away, and keeps
A waterproof hiking shoe keeps the same membrane construction as a waterproof boot, blocking liquid water while letting some water vapor escape, but drops the ankle-height collar for a lighter, more flexible shoe. That means less protection against water getting in from above (deeper puddles, wet grass, snow) but a lighter step for day hikes on wet but not flooded trails. If you haven't settled whether you want the membrane at all, see waterproof vs. non-waterproof hiking boots first; everything there about the trade-off applies to shoes too.
How we ranked these for wet trails
We used the site's default rubric: problem fit (30%) and fit range (25%) carry the most weight, since a membrane that doesn't come in your width isn't a real fix, then support (20%), durability (15%) and weight (10%). Scores come from each product's own published specs, never from wearing the shoes ourselves; see how we choose for the full rubric.
In detail
Every pick, in full
01
Stock photoBest overall waterproof shoe
Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX
Built for
GORE-TEX at 365 g per shoe (half pair) with a men's Wide and a full-length rock plate, the lightest GORE-TEX option here.
Widths sold: Men's Medium, Wide; women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 6
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6
- Weight (10%)
- 7
What it gets right
- GORE-TEX membrane with a men's Wide option
- Merrell lists a FloatPro foam midsole, a full-length rock plate and FlexPlate technology
- 365 g per shoe (half pair), lighter than the 480 g Moab 3 Waterproof
What it doesn't
- Shallower 4 mm lugs than the Moab 3's 5 mm
- Nylon ripstop and TPU upper rather than leather
- Women's widths not verified
Skip it if…
…you want a leather upper or deeper lugs for mud: the Moab 3 Waterproof has pig suede leather and 5 mm lugs.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX
02
Stock photoBest for uneven, technical trails
Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX
Built for
An Advanced Chassis midsole insert plus a men's E - Wide, built for stability on rough, wet ground.
Widths sold: Men's D - Medium, E - Wide; women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 6
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6
- Weight (10%)
- 7
What it gets right
- Advanced Chassis insert, a stated stability feature
- Sold in men's E - Wide
- Quicklace lacing and an OrthoLite sockliner
What it doesn't
- Drop, stack height and lug depth not published on the Zappos page
- Weight is Zappos-listed with no size stated
- Low cut: no ankle coverage
Skip it if…
…you want ankle coverage: this is the low cut, and Salomon also sells the X Ultra 5 Mid GTX.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX
03
Stock photoBest all-around wide-feet pick
Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof
Built for
Sold in men's Wide as a separate product, with the same upper and outsole as the popular non-waterproof Moab 3.
Widths sold: Men's Medium, Wide (Wide sold as a separate product); women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 6.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in men's Wide (a separate Wide Width product)
- Same pig suede and mesh upper, Vibram TC5+ outsole and Air Cushion heel as the breathable Moab 3
- Only 20 g more per shoe than the non-waterproof Moab 3 (480 g vs 460 g, half pair)
What it doesn't
- Membrane is unnamed, so there's no third-party waterproof rating to check
- A low cut lets water in over the collar in deeper crossings
- Stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you hike mostly in hot, dry weather: a membrane adds heat and slows drying, and the breathable Moab 3 is the same shoe without one.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof
04
Stock photoBest low-cut for wide feet
Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof
Built for
Regular and Wide in a waterproof leather-and-synthetic upper with an 8 mm drop.
Widths sold: Men's Regular, Wide (women's version not seen)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 6.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in men's Wide
- Waterproof leather and synthetic upper
- O FIT triple-density insole with a medium-high arch
What it doesn't
- No women's version seen
- Stack height and lug depth not published
- B-DRY is an in-house membrane, so there's no third-party waterproof rating to check
Skip it if…
…you're shopping for a women's shoe: no women's Sawtooth X Low was found.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof
05
Stock photoBest dedicated men's Wide
KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe
Built for
KEEN.DRY waterproofing with a men's Wide sold as its own product, not just a half-size adjustment.
Widths sold: Men's regular, Wide (separate Wide product); women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 6.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6.5
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in a dedicated men's Wide version
- KEEN says its KEEN.RUGGED outsole is "twice as abrasion-resistant as rubber"
- KEEN.FUSION glue-free bonded construction
What it doesn't
- KEEN's page doesn't say whether the 530 g weight is per shoe or per pair
- Lug depth and upper materials not published
- High 12 mm drop if you prefer a flatter shoe
Skip it if…
…you mostly hike hot, dry trails: a membrane adds heat, and a non-waterproof Targhee IV Vent is also sold (listed on Zappos).
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe
06
Stock photoBest for breathability in a waterproof shoe
La Sportiva Spire GTX
Built for
A GORE-TEX Surround lining La Sportiva lists as breathable on all sides, not just through the top of the foot.
Widths sold: Not stated by La Sportiva (EU sizes 38-47.5, half sizes)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 5
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6
- Weight (10%)
- 7
What it gets right
- GORE-TEX Surround lining, which La Sportiva describes as 360-degree breathability
- Vibram XS Trek outsole with Impact Brake System
- Abrasion-resistant mesh / Nano-Cell 2.0 upper
What it doesn't
- Width options and gender label not stated on La Sportiva's page
- Drop and stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you need a confirmed wide width: La Sportiva's page doesn't list one.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to La Sportiva Spire GTX
07
Stock photoBest cushioned wet-weather shoe
HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX
Built for
A leather upper on a dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole, more cushioned underfoot than the others here.
Widths sold: Men's D - Medium (women's version not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7
- Fit range (25%)
- 5
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- GORE-TEX Invisible Fit membrane
- Leather upper on a Vibram Megagrip outsole
- Dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole
What it doesn't
- Only men's D - Medium verified: no wide width
- Zappos's fit note reads "Fits a 1/2 size up for most", so check sizing before ordering
- Drop and stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you need a wide width: only men's D - Medium was verified.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Affiliate disclosure for the link to HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX
Fit notes for wet trails
Several of these come from the same lines as their mid-cut boot versions, so if you already know your size in a brand's boot, that's a reasonable starting point for the low-cut waterproof shoe, though always check the specific product's own size chart since a lower cut can fit differently through the instep. Wide options exist here but aren't universal and are mostly published for men rather than women; check the widths line on each pick above. Pair any of these with a wool or synthetic wicking sock, since the membrane that's keeping rain out also traps some sweat on a warm day, and consider a low or ankle-height gaiter if you're regularly walking through wet grass or light puddles that could otherwise splash in over the collar; see the best hiking gaiters for options built for exactly that.
Who should skip all of these
If your trails involve real creek crossings or standing water deep enough to reach the top of a low-cut shoe, the low collar defeats the membrane: water pours in from above and then can't drain back out through a waterproof upper, so you end up wetter and slower-drying than in a non-waterproof shoe. If ankle support matters as much as staying dry, a low-cut shoe of any kind gives up the cuff height a mid boot offers; see the best hiking shoes more broadly if waterproofing turns out not to be your main deciding factor after all.
How we chose
Units we claim to have tested: 0
Everyone in this category says they tested it. We didn't, and we say so. Every pick is scored from the brand's published specs, width and size charts, warranty terms and cited research, against the problem this page is about. The sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
Scores are editorial judgments from that published data, not lab results. Nobody pays for placement, and a missing spec is scored neutral, never guessed. The full rubric is on How We Choose.
- Problem fit
- 30%
- Fit range
- 25%
- Support & protection
- 20%
- Durability & warranty
- 15%
- Weight
- 10%
The weights this page used for its scores.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are waterproof hiking shoes worth it, or should I get trail runners instead?
Do waterproof hiking shoes work for wide feet?
Are waterproof low-cut shoes as protective in water as boots?
How long do waterproof membranes in hiking shoes last?
Do waterproof hiking shoes make your feet sweat more than non-waterproof ones?
Keep going
Related fixes and picks
- Waterproof vs. non-waterproof hiking bootsThe full membrane trade-off behind this list.
- Merrell Moab 3 waterproof vs. non-waterproofOne of these picks, compared directly with its non-waterproof sibling.
- Best hiking gaitersExtra collar protection for a low-cut shoe.
- Best hiking shoesThe broader low-cut roundup if waterproofing isn't the deciding factor.
Update log
What changed
- First published.
Receipts
Sources
- 01GORE-TEX: The GORE-TEX Membrane, What It Is and How It Works (accessed Sep 2026)
- 02GORE-TEX: Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Care (accessed Sep 2026)
We don't test boots, shoes or gear, and we don't pretend to. Specs, widths and materials come from the brand's own pages (or a named retailer's listing where the brand doesn't publish them); health information comes from the research and professional bodies linked above. Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.