Being totally fed up with walking in the long grass and ending up with wet feet – having three dogs tends to do that to you – I decided that this winter, if I was going to invest in any kind of walking shoe or boot, it would have to have the letters GTX somewhere in the description, indicating that it would be totally waterproof.Yesterday I took delivery of a pair of Puma Manilla Hi GTX trainers and tested them out in the long grass and on a steep hilly walk. They’re not only just about the most comfortable ‘trainers’ I’ve ever worn, they’re also warm, good looking and….yes….waterproof. Completely. No I wouldn’t go running in them, but as far as any other kind of wearability is concerned they’re likely to be on my feet most of the time.
‘Gore-Tex – just in case you didn’t know - is a waterproof, breathable fabric membrane and registered trademark of W. L. Gore and Associates. Invented in 1969, Gore-Tex is able to repel liquid water while allowing water vapor to pass through, and is designed to be a lightweight, waterproof fabric for all-weather use.’
This particular trainer is a previous year’s model and very hard to find, but style-wise it’s little different from what’s on offer now, and for the small investment you need to make I suggest you snap a pair up as fast as you can. It has a ripstop nylon and suede upper, warm lining, rubber ridged sole and is fairly flat, but you can put a pair of arch insoles inside if you need these.
