4 Best Waterproof Walking Shoes in 2024 (2024)

Not your ordinary waterproof walking shoes – this is the On Cloud 5 Waterproof. It’s our top-pick walking shoe because, in rain and snow, it gets our feet out of any wet situation dry as a bone. The best part is it’s waterproof, but it doesn’t spoil the stellar in-shoe feel and the overall walking experience.

We got our smoke machine, microscope, and expertise to work to test the level of waterproofing of this shoe. To see how prohibitive the upper was, we drove smoke inside the shoe and gauged the amount that was emancipated. Seeing that the upper freed a small amount of smoke, we scored the breathability 1/5. To substantiate our findings, we looked over our microscope and discovered that the upper is very closely knitted, making it extremely difficult for fluid to seep through.

We also felt safe wandering over wet grounds because of the stability brought by the shoe. We measured the midsole width in the heel and forefoot at 83.7 mm and 104.6 mm. While these measurements are 4.6% and 4.8% behind the average, we still felt balance and steadiness even in puddles.

Comfort-wise, the midsole is 17.4% harder than average at 30.4 HA, providing us with pleasant springs on our strides. Beware, though, this did get 37.9% harder when we put the shoe inside our freezer for 20 minutes. Unless you don’t mind warming up the shoe first for your snowy adventures, look for another pair.

Of all the waterproof walking shoes that we took to our inclement walks and in our lab, the one we can say with the best value is the Nike Pegasus Trail 3 GTX. At a price point of £170, which by the way, is only 6% pricier than other waterproof pairs, this is surely the best deal. Our main reason is the fact that we can switch from road to trail and it still performs consistently, from grip to stability and smooth heel-to-toe transitions.

Our feet were untouched by moisture the whole time we were in Pegasus Trail 3 GTX, even when we spilled liquid over its upper. In our lab, our smoke test established evidence of this. When we blew smoke into the shoe’s mouth, hardly any air escaped from the upper, scoring 1/5 in breathability. The water resistance, though, is fantastic!

Despite being covered with Gore-Tex, this shoe is not a burden on the legs at 10.9 oz (311.0g), especially compared to other GTX shoes, making it 5.2% lighter than average. Even though it’s light, it’s very stable. In our subjective judgment, we both rated its torsional rigidity and heel counter stiffness a solid 3/5, which is close to the 3.1 and 3.2 average ratings. On foot, this prevented our ankles from twisting.

However, at £170, we expected more on durability. Not a hundred miles in yet and we already spotted wear and tear not just on the outsole but also the upper. Therefore, we don’t recommend Pegasus Trail 3 GTX to those who wish for a robust pair.

We discovered the perfect fusion of waterproof ability and a trendsetting style is present in the Nike Air Max 90 GTX, which is why it’s our top walking shoe out there! While this shoe effectively insulated our feet from the cold and water, the elements didn’t diminish its quality in any way. Also, its profile is far away from the usual boring styles of GTX shoes – it’s actually banging!

We tried this shoe in the rain, in winter, and in puddles, and no liquid ever touched our feet while in the Air Max 90 GTX. The great thing about this shoe is even when there is no water around, we still enjoy sporting it everywhere because of its fashionable silhouette that is a delight to dress up or down.

And even though we exposed this shoe to moisture besides daily usage, the Air Max 90 GTX remained strong and undamaged. However, this shoe set us back by £170, which might be justifiable because of its resistance to water but is still 80.6% more expensive than the average walking shoe. If this is too steep for you, we recommend searching for cheaper waterproof alternatives.