Arpenaz 500 Mens Hiking Waterproof Shoes Brown

A shoe with a waterproof and breathable membrane will generally be much less breathable than a shoe without a membrane. It is important to be aware of this if breathability is important to you.

A shoe's waterproofing is often undermined by water getting in from the top of the shoe. Using waterproof gaiters or mini gaiters is therefore recommended to keep your feet dry for longer by protecting the top part of your shoes and prevent water from getting in as well as pebbles, sand, etc.
Use of a re-waterproofing spray is recommended several times per year. This will help your shoes recover their original water repellent qualities and combat outer stains.

Footwear waterproofing test: Tested both in the lab and real-world usage, NOVADRY®-equipped footwear guarantees optimum waterproofing and breathability. First, the shoe is immersed in water while internal air pressure is applied to check that no bubbles form on the surface of the footwear. Next, shoes are fitted to a mechanical arm that simulates walking and half immersed in water so we can test that the inside remains perfectly dry.

During the waterproofing test, we test 3 levels of waterproofing: 2000 flexes (around 2 hours of walking), 4000 flexes (around 4 hours of walking) and 8000 flexes (around 8 hours of walking). Of course, after this test or in use, the shoe regains its original waterproofing once dry.
The Forclaz 500 Low Novadry boot is waterproof for 4000 flexes.