Recommendations for lightweight waterproof footwear for long walks in humid weather

[Bejazzled]

Recommend me waterproof, breathable, lightweight footwear for walking miles in humid (sometimes very wet) weather please? I’ve spent hours looking at trainers and walking-sandals and am very confused by the choice!

https://ca.vessi.com

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I think the problem is that waterproof and breathable are probably contradictory features. Waterproofing (Goretex) also adds weight.

It could well be that if it's hot and wet, you just let your feet get wet? Or you wear waterproof shoes but your feet will be uncomfortably hot, so might get sweaty, ie wet anyway?

If it's 'hiking' rather than walking around a city, you could try asking Alpine Trek for recommendations - I did this when I wanted some shoes for hill walking in Spain in reasonably hot weather on steep rocky terrain. They recommended 'approach shoes', which brand depends on whether you have narrow/wide feet etc.

www.alpinetrek.co.uk/approach-shoes/

Concur Verdi’s are good. Every other person in BC wears them, including most kids.

vessi not Verdi!

I wear my leather scarpa hiking boots all year. In summer it’s 35 degrees and hot, and they are fine to wear hiking mountains and I walk through small streams. I can’t say my feet have every felt hot, even if I’m in shorts and t shirt weather.
In winter I wear in snow. They are at least 15+ years old and well used, but still waterproof, comfortable and don’t smell of sweaty feet.

Hoka do some waterproof trainers.. their Bondis are very comfortable were fine for mainly city not sure about rougher territory agree with other posters proper walking shoes better Keen are good for wide feet and had some lighter type as do Meindl Merrel for slimmer feet..

Although Ive switched back to leather (Meindl) as find the fabric/gortex dont last as well in wet fields..and have accepted warmer feet

Vessi look great but don’t ship to the Uk or Europe according to their website.

I wear fell running shoes instead, like La Sportiva Levantes. They're designed to get wet then dry very quickly without losing shape or getting heavy. Anything truely waterproof is going to be heavy and sweaty, and mostly waterproof is the worst of both.

I recently bought these from Clarks and I absolutely love them.

I wouldn't say they're lightweight compared to non-waterproof trainers, but they're certainly lighter than normal walking shoes/ boots.

https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/atl-trek-mesh-waterproof/26185847-p

Are you planning on hiking? I just wear my normal boots whether hiking in Thailand or the Lake District. I can walk miles in my walking sandals, like 25,000 steps with no issue, but only choose that for gentle terrain where I don't need any ankle support.

I wore my Adidas Trex waterproof hiking shoes for a month in Sri Lanka.
they’re not 100% waterproof, more splash proof I would say.
but very lightweight and breathable, good grip and support.

Thank you all, some good suggestions here. They are specifically for Kuala Lumpur and Penang, so a cross between city & ‘off road’. It’s hot, humid with daily short lived monsoon rain so trying to get one walking shoe to fit all the conditions is hard. I appreciate now that breathable and quick drying is probs better than sweaty waterproof.

@Bejazzled - I used giesswein breathable shoes for Asia. They aren’t waterproof but wasn’t an issue in hot countries as dries quickly. I didn’t go off off road in jungle or anything though

I’ve got waterproof trainers by On for walking and they have been brilliant. They’ve never let in water and all dirt and what have you just wiped off. I got them the start of this winter and cleaned up after some serious walking over Easter and they still look like new